New-York tribune., 1921-05-19
End Came AT 2 O'Clock
This Morning; W a S
Operated On Friday And
Then Suffered Relapse
Chose Death Rather
Than Give Up Work
IN Failing Health for Last
Four vi o nth $ j; Wrote
MANY Notable Decisions

WASHINGTON, May 10 (Thurs-
aayl.--Edward Douglas White,
rhief Justice of the United States
supreme Court, died at 2 o'clock
this morning as a hospital here
where he submitted to an operation
last Friday. He was seventy-six
years old.
The Chief Justice had been un-
conscious since late Tuesday after
noon when acute dilation of the
heart occurred. Up to that time
he attending physicians had hoped
fer rapid recovery after an oper-
alton for bladder trouble.
After the unexpected relapse the
physicians had not expected the Chief
Justice to live through that light. The
Reverend Father S. j. Creeden of
Georgetown University, administered
the Last Sacrament during the early
evening and members of the immediate
family were summoned to the bedside.
Death was said to be due directly to
complications which developed after
the operation. Justice McKenna and
ether of Mr.. Whites associates in the
Supreme Court called at the hospital
when it became known that his condi-
sion was serious, but did not enter the
room as the Chief Justice was uncon-
ssous.
For four months Justice Whites con-
diton had been such that his physician
sad friends urged him to give up his
work and fit himself to withstand an
Opsraaon for bladder trouble, should
one be necessary.
de was deaf to such appeals. His
WORK was all-important, he said, and if
necessary he would die rather than stop
Tor treatment.
His Ancestry Distinguished
The ninth Chief Justice of the su-
preme Court of the United States
counting in the list the unconfirmed
John Rutledge-came of distinguished
and judicial ancestry, his father and
grandfather both having served on the
bench. His paternal grandfather came
rom the north of Ireland, lived for a
hme IN Tennessee and then settled
Permanently in Louisiana. His father,
Edward Douglass White, was a Repre-
sentative in Congress and the seventh
Governor of Louisiana. His mother
sidney Lee Ringgold, was daughter
y Tench Ringgold, for many years
Aarshal of the District of Columbia
and descendant of Robert Carter,
KnoWn as King" Carter in the early
days of Virginia.
EDWARD Douglass White was born
N the parish of La Fourche, Louisiana,
On November 8, 1845, and thoroughly
faacated at three of the best known
aoman Catholic institutions: Mount
~ Maryss, Emmittsburg, Md; the
sssult College, New Orleans, and
GEORGETOWN College, District of Co
.ambia. Before he had completed his
course in the last named the Civil War
9egan and he abandoned his books
l0r the -.fe. Although still in his
gems he was g sturdy soldier in the
confederate Army, in Louisiana
iegiment.. After the war he studied
laW and in 1868 was admitted to the
Oar OF his native state. He also inter
ssted himself in politics and in 1874
was elected State Senator. Four
ysafs later he was appointed an Asso-
slate s Justice of the Supreme Court Of
louisiana, s;s., a place which he filed with
uistinetion for twelve years.
Served in United States Senate
from recognized leadership in state
anairs ~ he stepped to a conspicuous
p'ace In national affairs, being elected
tcontinued on page ,nrse)