Evening star., 1933-10-15
WOODBURY. BLAIR,
LAWYER, SUCCUMBS|
Prominent Attorney Dies at
81-Headed Emergency
Hospital Board.

a prominent washington attorney. died
last night in Emergency Hospital. after
an illness of several weeks. He had
been president of the board OF the
hospital for 20 years.
Mr.. Blair was taken sick at his Sum-
mer home in Newport R. l., came back
to Washington, and two weeks ago un-
derwent an intestinal operation at the
hospital Pneumonia set in later, and
death came last night about 8 O'CLOCK
At the bedside were his wife, Mrs. Emily
Wallach Blair, and other members OF
the family.
The son Ct Montgomery Blair, Post
master General in President Lincoln's
Cabinet, and Mary Elizabeth Woodbury.
Blair. he was born in st. Louis on
September /, 1882 Six months later
his parents returned to washington,
which has been his home since. he
was the eldest of three sons. ana is
survived by his widow and two prctn-
ers, Montgomery Blair ana Glst blaI'
attorneys Of this city.
The body was removed last night
from the hospital to the home at 1907
New Hampshire avenue. Funeral ar
rangements have not been completed.
White House Visitor.
As boy, Woodbury. Blair frequently
visited the White House during the
Lincoln Administration. The Blair
family home is only block away, at
1851 Pennsylvania avenue.
The Blair family has been prominent
in Washington for more than cen
fury. Francis Preston Blair, GRANDPA
ther of Woodbury. Blair, having come
here in 1880. While maintaining his
CITY home across from the State De-
partment, Francis Blair spent much OF
his time after his retirement from pub
lie life on his estate near Silver
Spring. Md. :.
II was on a stone still preserved at
Silver Spring that he drafted the notes
of the first Republican convention IN
Francis Blair had come to the Capt.
tai in 1880 at the behest OF Presloent
Andrew Jackson, who helped MIN 10 es-
tablish here the Globe, newspaper
which was a power during the jackson
and Van Buren administrators.
Montgomery Blair, his son. rose 70
even greater prominence in polltlcal
Louis. as a jurist in Missouri and be
came nationally known for his de-
tense of Dred Scott before the Supreme
Court. He was given the Postmaster
General portfolio by President Lincoln
despite the fact he previously had oeen
q Democrat.
Admitted to Practice.
Woodbury. Blair was educated at
Phillips Exeter Academy and Harvard
College. being graduated as bachelor
of arts at the latter in 1874. He
studied law at Harvard and was ad-
mitted to practice in the District Su-
preme Court in 1877 and later to the
United States Supreme Court.
For some years. from about 1881,
MI Blair was counsel for the Citizens
National Bank of Washington and had
given much of his time to banking
affairs. He was the first trust othcer
of the National Savings d trust 20.
and later vice president OF that lnSti-
tuition. Mr.. Blair first became anil
ated with Emergency Hospital Wnen ne
accepted the presidency pro tenn OF tne
hospital board at the request OF w. j.
Boardman. the president, who went
abroad. Mr.. Blair then became presl-
dent of the board and continued WIN
that responsibility until his death.
Enlarged Hospital.
When he became head of the hos,
pital board the institution was locateu
at Fifteenth street and ONO avenue
and had only 80 beds and one-horse
arh,Ilance, Mr.. Blair took a prom1-
rent role in the movement to enlarge
rhe hospital and was said by associates
to have been the guiding spirit IN the
creation of the new Emergency Hos
pital." =. loft wash-
.notnn for his Summer home IN new
mort Mr.. Blair had taken personal
interest in the hospital and had caueo
each day. He was particularly Htei
ested in the INDECENT wards paIlents'
For MANY years he was director OF
the Washington Railway & Electrlc ~
the Potomac Electric Power CO. ana the
Norfolk & washington SteamDoat ~.
In addition to the Metropolitan Cluo,
of which he was president, he was
member of the Chevy Chase CLUB, the
Alibi Club. the District Bar Association.
the Columbia Historical Society ana
Grasslands Reading Room of Newport.
He also was a member of the University
Club of New York and the Harvard
Club.
Married in 1907.
Mr.. Blair was married on July 6,
1907, to Emily N Wallach, daughter OF
Richard Wallach. a former mayor OF
Washington They had no children:
B. B. Sandidge. superintendent OF
Emergency Hospital. in a statement last
night, after Mr. Blair's death. said:
I'VE all loved him here. We feel his
death so keenly at the present time that
about all can say Is that Mr.. Blair was
so interested in Emergency Hospital
that the best tribute we can pay him is
to continue to make the hospital the in
stitution he always desired it to be and
for which he constantly strove."
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