The New York herald., 1920-12-06
FRANCIS l. STETSON,
LAWYER, IS DEAD


vance and every word he uttered fell
with convincing force.
Mr. Stetson had two homes. One Of
them was at East Seventy fourth
street and the other at Tuxedo. He
was fond of outdoor life ana golf and
horseback riding were his especial d.
versions. His charities were bountitu.
and but few persons. save those who
benefited. ever knew of them.
Mr.. Stetson was born In keeseyi.le.
Clinton county, N. Y. April 90. 1915.
and was a son OF Lemuel Stetson, emf
nent as a lawyer and jurist. The elder
Stetson was member OF the Legislature
and II was at Albany that his son
Francis first met public men and II
was there that he first knew Mr.. Cieve-
land.
The yourg man prepared at Platts-
burg for Williams College. from which ne
was graduated In 1867. He had always
shown the most intense loyalty for his
alma mater. and had been a member OF
the board of trustees for years. as Well
as n leading member Of the Williams
club of this city In 1902 he gave the
college $4,000 In Cnite.i states Steel
stock. the income OF the fund being used
TO add TO the salaries of members oil
the faculty His class included num-
ber of men who afterward attained note
among them being Stanley Hall. presi-
dent of Clark University: Gov. Dole OF
Hawaiian fame and Henry Loomis Nell
son, journalist.
After graduating from Columbia Law
School Mr. Stetson began the practice
OF law In 1870 when he went into part
nership with his uncle. William $. Has
call. The facility with which. he made
friends and his skill as lawyer at
t:actcd the attention OF the late Will
lam c. Whitney. who had Mr. Stetson
appointed assistant Corporation Counsel
at the time he was directing the legal
affairs OF the city. Mr.. Stetson was
closely identified with Mr. Whitney
when the latter was Secretary OF the
Navy and drew the will OF the frs.
Mrs. Whitney Some years after lie had
left the Corporation Coursei's Office ana
had entered the firm Of Bangs & Stetson
he arranged a G>vernTent loan for J.
2. Morgan-a bit OF financiering which
created much talk at the time.
Mr.. Stetson married Miss Elizabeth
Ruff of Railway. n. J.. June 26, 1873.
They had no children. and she died April
16. 1917. The following September he
adopted Margery II. Lee of Germantown.
Pa, who had been Mrs. Stetson's secre-
tary as his daughter. The young worn-
an. who is a granddaughter OF Bisnop
Alfred Lee of Pennsylvania, was then %
years old
MY wife was very ford of Miss Lee"
Mr.. Stetson said at the time. 1--WE had
known her for two or three years. and
she spent the last year of my wife's life
in our home"
AS there are no children. It Is be-
lieved the adopted daughter will be Mr..
Stetson's chief heir. At the time OF her
adoption It was stipulated that sac
should continue to bear her own name.
Her father. Alfred Lee, lives at Ger
mantown, Pa, and her mother, who was
formerly Miss Blakeley of New Orleans.
died in 1909.
Mr.. .5tetson was general counsel for
the International Mercantile Marine. the
Northern Pacific Railway, the Southern
Railway. the United States Rubber Com
pany, and a director In the Erie Rail-
road, the Chicago and Erie Railroad, the
Niagara Development Company, the
New York. Susquehanna and Western
Railway and other corporations.
He was an enthusiastic member OF the
Peace Society launched by Andrew Car
negie, a director of the New York Bo-
tanical Gardens and a member of the
Metropolitan Museum Of Art. the Amer1-
can Geographical Society. the New Eng
land Society and the Dunlap Society. His
clubs included the Metropolitan. Uni
versity. Law. Downtown. Tuxedo.
Church, Democratic. Riding. Reform.
Grolier and Alpha Delta Phi.