Omaha daily bee., 1917-02-27
JUDGE H. K. DEEMBR
OF IOWA IS DEAD
Oldest Supreme Court Justice
in Point of Service Dies
at Red Oak.
ILL FOR SEVERAL WEEKS

Red Oak, Ia, Feb. 2o,-]udge Hor-
ace f. Deemer, 50 years old, Oldest
member in point OF service OF the
Iowa supreme court, died at his home
at 2:20 this morning after an illness
OF three weeks.
Several times during the last two
weeks all hopes for the judges re-
coyery had been given up, but, each
time he rallied enough to take nour-
ishment, recognized members OF his
family and physicians entertained
hopes for his return to former health
but yesterday his condition took e
sudden turn for the worse and he cH
pired at 2:20 o'clock this morning.
The funeral will be held al
home at 2 o'clock Wednesday altt
noon.
Judge Deemer had been memb,
u the Iowa supreme court since 49,
serving as chief. justice during the
years of 1898, 1904. 1910 and 1915.
He was reelected for six-year term
last November.
Three Times Chief Justice.
Horace Z. Deemer was probably the
best known jurist in the state, having
in addition to being member and
three times chief justice of the Iowa
supreme court. been largely interested
in social. civic and charitable instltu-
tions.
He was born in Marshall county,
Indiana. September "a, 1858. When s
years OF age he came to Cedar county.
Iowa, and attended the public schools
OF West Liberty alFl later entered the
collegiate department of the state uni
versity at Iowa City. Upon gradua-
ton he returned to the university and
took up the study of law, graduating
in 1879, and receiving the degree OF
Ii. B. in 1880.
He was for some time a member
of a law firm in Lincoln. Neb,, but
abandoned practice there and moved
TO Red Oak, Ia, where he remained
until his death.
He was elected district Judge in
1885 and reelected in 1890, When, in
1894 the legislature increased the
number of Judges of the supreme
court to six Justice Deemer was ap-
pointed to, the supreme bench by
Frank D. Jackson. the then governor
of Iowa. In 1898 he was by order
of rotation chief justice and AGAIN in
1904 and and in 1910,
Was Active as Citizen.
Although Justice Deemer was well
known among lawyers and Judges
throughout this part of the country
for the brevity and clarity OF his
opinions as a Justice of the supreme
court, he was popularity known .a%-a
participant i'll social, SCIENTIFIC and
civic activities covering a wide range
and of considerable scope. He was
largely responsible for the creation
of the state historical department and
throughout the existence of that de
partment as a member Of the board
Of trustees, played an important part,
boths as an executive officer and by
reason of private, individual cooper
alton, particularly in the field of his
torical research. He was virtually
alone in the selection Of the volumes
which make up the present state law
library, admittedly a most complete
compilation of legal opinions in the
United States with the exception of
the congressional law library at
Washington.
Aside from these activities he took
active part in the affairs of the Iowa
Society for the Prevention of Tuber-
clulosis, American Forestry associa-
ton, State Association of Charities
and Corrections, State and American
Bar associations, American Free Art
league, American Association for the
Advancement OF Science, American
Political and Social Science associa-
ton National Association for the
Promotion of Industrial Education
and the Art Institute of Des Moines
As member of the American For
estry association he was closely asso-
ciated with Clifford Pinchot, former
chief forester of the United States,
and former President Theodore
Roosevelt in assisting to outline the
conservation policy of the second
Roosevelt administration, which at
tracted nation wide attention through
the prominence given by the press Of
the country to the Ballinger- Pinchot
controversy.
Star College Pitcher.
Among his classmates at the state
university Justice Deemer enjoys the
distinction of having been the first
pitcher in college base ball to use
the curve ball. At the time Judge
Deemer was star pitcher and captain
Of the college base ball team, and it
was just at the time the base ball
rules were changed to allow pitchers
to use the thrown ball instead of
pitching" the ball, not allowing the
hand to rise higher than the pitchers
waist line Deemer developed his
curve after reading accounts of curve
balls thrown by the big league pitch
crs Of that time.
On July Il, 1882. Justice Deemer
married Jeanette Gibson of Red Oak.
Deceased was the author of numer-
Gus books on legal subjects, including
number of law monographs and
syllabi for law lectures.