The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1919-06-11
FAMOUS FIGURE
IN u. S. HISTORY
John c. Spooner, Ex-Sena-
tor from Wisconsin, Died
in New York
BRILLIANT DEBATER,
CAPABLE LAWYER
Had a Nervous Breakdown,
but He Partially Recov-
cred from That

New York, June ll.-John Soft Spoon
er, formerly United States senator from
Wisconsin, died at his home here early
! to-day after an illness of several weeks.
He suffered a relapse Monday, after par
tally recovering from nervous break
down. He was rs years old,
| Sixteen years a United States senator
| from Wisconsin, each one NJ which, in
| the words of President Roosevelt, was "a
direct financial loss which he could i'll
afford" John Colt Spooner relinquished
the position with which the legislators
of his state had thrice honored him and
retired in 1907 two years before his
completed term, to re-enter the private
practice of law and acquire a compe
tence for his family and himself in his
declining years.
Regarded as one Of the ablest consti-
tutional lawyers, brilliant debater and
one Of the greatest authorities on inter
national law in the upper house of Con
gress, Senator Spooner, like few of his
| famous colleagues notably Roscoe Conk
! ling, John g. Carlisle, Thomas Bracket
Reed and George F. Hoar-left public
office poor man. During the IL years
Of his final law practice in New York he
was counsel in much important litiga-
ton, including the federal government
suits against the trans Atlantic shipping
pool, the Naval Stores and Oregon Cali
/ fornia land grant cases.
| Born in Lawrenceburg, Ind, Jan. G.,
| ls43, the son of Judge Philip Spooner,
who removed to Madison, Wis, when
John was 10 years DID, the future sen
ator received his A. B. degree from the
| University of Wisconsin in 1864 after
having served with distinction in the
| Union army in the Civil war. Young
Spooner enlisted as private in Company
| A, 40th Wisconsin infantry, and for gal
lantry in action was promoted 20 cap
tain and brevet major in the 50th Wis
eonsin infantry shortly after reaching
the age of 81.
After the war he became private sec
rotary to Governor Lucius Fairchild of
Wisconsin (ls66-67l Upon admission
TO the bar he was appointed an assistant
attorney general and engaged in the
practice Of law at the capital, Madison,
where he remained until 1870, when he
removed TO Hudson, Wis, with his fam
lily. He was a member Of the Wisconsin
assembly in 1872 and later regent OF
the University Of Wisconsin.
First elected a United States senator
in 1885 he served with marked distinc.
tion In that body until 1901, when he
was succeeded by William F. Villas, Dem
ocrat, receiving, however, the full vote Of
the Republican members of the legisla
ture for ra-elertion. The following year
he was unanimously nominated as Re-
publican candidate for governor of Wis
consin but was defeated.
In 1897 he was returned TO the United
States Senate and before the completion
of his term announced his purpose not
TO be a candidate for reelection but,
notwithstanding this, the Republican leg
, islators Of Wisconsin in 1908 unanimous
" voted to send him back TO Washing
ton, where for more than decade he
had won renown as a debater and con.
ciliator of party factions
During these years Of service Senator
Spooner's name had become inseparably
attached to many measures OF historical
Importance, such, for instance, as the
amendment creating the civil govern.
ment Of the Philippines, an amendment
to the Sherman antitrust act which
made possible the prosecution by the
federal government of the Standard Oil
company, and the law under which the
Panama canal was constructed. He was
consistent opponent of the so-called
Nicaragua route
As chairman of the Senate committee
on claims in his first term he saved the
United States il was said btihdrnds of
millions Of dollars sought by unjust liti-
giants against the government and later
was largely responsible, as the moving
spirit of the Senate committee on for
eign relations, for the ratification of the
Cuban, the Dominican and the Algeciras
and many other treaties OF the Alge-
ciras international settlement, it has
been said, it averted more than ten
years ago the threatened outbreak of
general European war