Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-12-01
JUDGE HARRY A. HALL,
OF ELK COUNTY, EDEAD
Heart Disease Proves Fatal to
Well-Known Jurist at the
Bellevue-Stratford

-
Judge Harry Alvan Hail. of Common
Pleas Court, District No 20, comprising
Clinton, Cameron and Elk Counties. died
today of heart disease at the Bellevue
Stratford Hotel
For the last three months Judge Hall
has been confined to his bed Seven weeks
ago he was brought to Philadelphia with
the intention of placing him in a hospital.
However his condition had been such that
1t was found impossible to move him from
the hotel. His wife, his sister, Miss Mary
Hall. the only surviving brother or sister.
and his niece Mrs. Vinton Liddell, were
at his bedside.
He was born in Karthous, Clearfeld
County, Pa. october z, 1861. lie was the
son of Benjamin MacDowel and Susan
Geary Hall. He took the degree of A,B
at Yale in 1879, and In 1881 the degree Of
LIB at the same university Upon grad
uaton he began the practice of law at
Ridgway, Elk County, Pa. He later sue
ceeded to the practice of his brother, J. X
+. Hail. who also lawyer.
In 1886 he married Miss Curran Nc
Marry, of Nashville, Tenn, at Louisville,
Ky. He a member of the State Senate
from 1890 to 1898, and United States
District Attorney for the Western District
of PenrCylvania from 1898 to 1897. He had
been presiding Judge of the Twenty-ffth
District of Pennsylvania. Court of Com
mon Pleas, since 1907. He was elected on
the Democratic and Lincoln party tickets.
He had always been "A stanch Democrat.
He served as captain of Company II.
Sixteenth Regiment. Pennsylvania National
Guard in tho Spanish Wa. He was pro-
NOTED To- the rank of major for "galantry
at the battle of Coamo +. r., on August
3. 1908" He was appointed by General
Miles to carry the Spanish colors. captured
in this battle. to President Mckinley. He
was a delegate to the Democratic National
conventions in 1884, 1853 and 1892, and
was formerly general counsel In this corin-
try for the Italian and Austro-H Hungarian
Governments. In recognition of his serv-
ices he was awarded the Officers Cross of
Francis Joseph, the then Austrian ruler, in
1905.
Sulzberger, presided the Philadelphia
bench at the time of the famous Shourds
case in 1913. Walter Shourds. employe
| of the Merchants Union Trust Company.
absconded with s1,400,000 in cash and secu-
rites from the safe deposit vault of George
| Burnham, Jr. He was later traced to Ger
many. From this point he carried on nc 20
| tiations through his wife. He was acquitted
| by Judge Hall, on agreemetn with District
| Attorney Rotan the Merchants Union Trust
1
| making restitution. Judge Hall defended
| this Immunity bath" several months later
! at "A banquet of the Glover Club following
| severe criticism.
Judge Hall was a prominent member of
| the Protestant Episcopal church, having
| been senior warden and judge of the
| ecclesiastical court of Erie for some
| years. He was also member of the
| standing committee of the hoard of trus-
| tees and deputy to the general conven-
| tion In 1913
| AN EXTENSIVE TRAVELLER
| He was a fellow of the American Geo
| graphical Society: of the American Bar
| Association; of the Elk County Bar Asso-
| citation. of which he president: of the
| Archaeological Society: of the Military
| Service Institute, and of the Naval and
| Military order of the Spanish-Americar
| War. OF which he was past commander
| in-chef. He had been an extensive trav-
eler in the principal countries Of the
world
| He was also a member of the folcwng
clubs: The Yale Club, the Army and Navy
Club the Lambs Club. the Lawyers Club
the Manhattan Club, of New York the Ar
Club, the Penn Club, the Pen and Pencil
Club, the Gun Club. the Clover Club, the
Duquesne Club. the Racquet Club the Uni
versity Club. the Press Club, the Country
| Club, the Crucible Club, the Buffalo Club
and the Erie Club He was the author OF
the Rights of Riparian owners in the Nav
igation Waters of the United States"
Since the entry Of the United States int,
the war he had been actively inte, ested II
Red Cross work in western Pennsylvania
He was local chairman in Elk County fo
the Pennsylvania Committee of Publ
Safety. He was not a candidate for an
other term in the Court of Common Pleas
at the recent election.
The only surviving member of his gen
Grafton of the family is Miss Mary Hall
He leaves no children. He was one o
seven children all prominent in affairs o
| the State.