Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-04-15
JUSTICE POTTER dies
AFTER BRIEF MLNESS
Had Been on State Suprem.
Bench for Seventeen
Years

Judge William p. Potter Of IN. g,
prome Court Of Pennsylvania, will !.
buried in Pittsburgh, his former hos.
following funeral services at sv,,h
more tomorrow afternoon AT a,n
o'clock. Justice Potter died yestsra,s
morning after a brief illness.
Friends believe death was hastensd A..
receipt of news Saturday Afternoon ~,
Justice s Leslie Mestrezat. a clo..
friend, was seriously i'll.
Justice Potter's condition bsc.,,.
serious almost Immediately after -
ceivinE that news, and his nhysc,or
Or. W. T. Fronefeld was summon%
Several hours later his condition seemsa
TO have been so improved that Doctor
Fronefield left the Potter home All
O'Clock yesterday morning, however 4,
was again summoned Justice Potter
died at 1880 a. m. -"
Funeral services will be held M N,
home at $3.50 o'clock tomorrow af,s-.
noon. The body will be sent 10 Pm.
hurgh, his former home, for ihtermenl
Justice Potter's death will he A great
loss 20 the Supreme Court Of PennsvI.
Nauia.' said Justice Robert Won Mosch.
zisker after learning Of his death. aHs
was a thorough lawyer and a most h.
dustrious and conscientious Judge hon.
ored by the profession and loved bv NJ,
brothers upon the bench. He died in M
full vigor Of manhood and in the nisst
of many activities. Speaking for M
supreme Court, ] can only saw tba, ~,
are cast IN the shadow Of a great rri,i
Next TO his family, none will feel m
loss 10 such an extent as we, his asso.
ciatcs."
Justice Potter was to have pr,sIs1
at toniGhts Swarthmore meeting IN N,
interests Of the Liberty Loan. In town
aud Co}!Gge affairs he had always b.sn
keenly interested, although his Ieral
residence. was in Pittsburgh, where N
regularly went 20 vote. That, however
was about the only important tie to Ms
former home, as lie had lived in Swarh
more far nearly seventeen years, and M
main interest was in the civic yeifan
OF that community.
His widow and two daughters. Mlv
Annahelle Potter and Mrs. Leonard 4
Ashton, live in Swarthmore John Pot
ter. a brother, Is president Of the Pottst
Trust Company of Pittsburgh. He win
arrir" carry today
Justice Potter's father was tha Rev
james u. Potter. eldest Of four brothers
all Presbyterian clergymen, who casat
from County Down. Ireland.
Justice Potter was born while hIs
father was preaching in Iowa, in Jack.
son County, April 27, 1857. After n.
ceiving a public school education in Iowa
and Baltimore, Md. he entered Lafayette
college, Easton, Pa. but. owing to 4
change in plans. he did not compsts
the college course. However in 1891
that college conferred upon him the doe
tor of laws degree.
From Lafayette Justice Potter re.
turned to Iowa and there began the
practice Of law. acting at the same tins
as assistant cashier in q bank. In 1884
lie was admitted to the bar Of ALLEGHENY
County, Pa. and formed, with formg
Governor William 4. Stone. the law fnn
OF Stone * Potter. He gave his atten'
tion chiefly to corporation law and soon
became counsel for a large number o.
companies, such as the Pleasant Valey
Railway, United Traction Company,
Buffalo. Rochester and Pittsburgh Ral-
road, Carter Steel Company and ms
Pressed Steel Car Company. He organ
lied the Mercantile Bank of Plttsburgn
and the Mercantile Trust Company, o.
that city, being n director in each insu-
tuition.
Elected 10 the governorship, his pari'
ner appointed him TO the Supreme Benen
in 1900 for term expiring year lateL
He was then elected to a twenty-on'
years term.