The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1918-03-14
PIONEER LEGISLATOR AND
JURIST OF KANSAS DIES
JUDGE JAMES H. REEDER AT
HAYS FOR MANY YEARS
Served In State Legislature and on
Bench IN Twenty-third Judicial
District

Served in State Legislature and on
Bench In Twenty-third Judicial
District
(Tokepa Copital March THU
Judge James H Reeder, formerly
of Hays City, where he was active
| in affairs for many years, died of
stomach trouble last night at his resi-
dence 2512 East Eleventh Street, in
| Kansas City, Mo. Judge Reeder was
born in Park County, Indiana, June
20, 1850 He graduated from De
paw University, then Asbury Col
lege of Greencastle, Indiana, IN
1878; was admitted to the bar and
came to Kansas, settling at Hays
| City, county seat of Ellis county,
where he formed partnership in the
practice of law with Judge D. G. Mel
| lis, who now lives in Topeka.
Judge Reeder was a Republican
and served in the Kansas legislature
representing Ellis County in 1889,
and again in 1891. The house Of rep
resentatives in the last named session
was dominated by the Populist, who
elected William A. PETER to be Unit
ed States senator to succeed John J.
Ingalls, who had been senator for
| eighteen years. Judge Reeder was one
of the twnty-three members who vot-
ed for Mr. Ingalls,. In June, 1891,
Judge Reeder was appointed clerk of
the court of private claims. which
had been creatd by congress for the
purpose of settling the disputed title
of the Spanish land grants of New
Mexico, serving in that capacity until
| the court expired by limitation of the
act.
Practiced in Kansas City
In 1902, Judge Reeder was elected
| Judge of the Twenty-third Judicial
District, serving for four years. Re
| tiring from that Office, he moved to
Denver, temporarily, afterward COM
ing to Kansas City, where he was en-
gagged in a railroad enterprise. Fin
allv ne opened an office in Kansas
City, Kansas, where he continued in
the practice of law, until Monday,
February 25th, coming home that
| night on the Missouri side to be seized
with his last sickness.
In 1896 Judge Reeder married Mrs.
| Aithea O'Fallon Graham, who sur
wives him. Besides his widow, Judge
| Reeder is survived by three brothers,
Silas and Joseph of Park county, In
diana, and Charles of Hays City, Kan
sas, a sister Mrs. Ann Reeder and a
| stepsOn, Ralph Graham of Kansas
City. The body was taken to Hays
City, last night for burial there to-
day.
Judge Reeder was a man of varied
abilities. Besides being a speaker
much sought for political meetings
and banquets, he was a knguist,
| speaking besides his native tongue,
Spanish, French and German, and
| knowing Latin and Greek. In 1895
he distinguished himself in oratory,
somewhat, by a remarkable speech
opening the Republican campaign in
New Mexico. Another speech we'll
remembered in Western Kansas was
one in which he successfully prosecuted
man for killing a superintedent of
the Union Pacific Railway. Pitted
| against him was the late Jerry Moeh-
Ter of Salina. The trial judge was
Lee Monroe, who now lives in Tope-
ka.
Nephew Of Senator Harlan
Judge Reeder was a nephew of
James Harlan, who during the Civil
war, and for period afterward, was
| a noted United States Senator from
Iowa. Between these two periods Mr..
Harlan was President LincoIn's last
secretary of the interior, remaining
in that Office until Andrew johnson
found a successor for him.
Judge Reeder's widow IN her girl
hood, was instructor of music in
Daughters College of Platte City,
Mo-, where the daughters of many
families of Western Missouri and
Eastern Kansas were her pupils.
Early Ohio Seed Potatoes at S1.85
per bushel at Schlyer & Arnhold's.
Geo. STAIRS new restaurant on
Chestnut Street is nearly completed.
| The walls are being done in white and
blue and the furniture and fixtures
will be white. 1t will be some swell
place when entirely completed.
Frank B. Sheck, who has been in
| the employ of the Citizens State Bank
of this city for some time has re-
| signed his position and has Joined
the colors. He will soon leave for
the training camp at Funston.
Prof. Roberts, formerly of the
Normal School, but now of Camp
Funston, came here for the Golden
/ Belt meeting-but was noticed to
spend most of his time in the neigh
borhood of the Prof. Lee residence.
1917 Ford touring car for sale. In
quire at the Free Press Office.
Il OA 0CCO0AAS VI SSaLC4Ly u CATS LuG
2 $40 a. m, train after the opera Sat
urday evening, was two hours late
and had on no extra coaches. The
, crowd going west from Hays, pacekd
the coaches and had to stand up all
the way home.
The State Supreme Court last Sat
urday handed down two decisions, af-
firning the action of Judge Ruppen-
thai W. L. Decker VS.. J. 81. Bailey
IN Cove County and one of the Dewey
ranch case In Sherman County, that
awardd damages to the Berry's as
! against the Dewey ranch.
Using Sheridan Coliseum auditor
Ium for other purposes Saturday
morning, the contests on singing was
adjourned to the auditorium room
in the main building, but 1t was
crowded to overfowing, over 800
people being unable to get IN the
| doors, causing many disappoint-
ments. Those present much enjoying
the selections rendered.
DR.. Anders, the county health Off.
Ger reports thrity-eight cases of Ger
man measles In the county, (the boy:
at Funston call them Liberty measles ,