Evening star., 1936-02-24
ALBERT c. R|TCH|E.
DIES SUDDENLY IN.
BALTIMORE HOME
Body of 4.Time Maryland
Governor to Lie in State in
Church Tuesday.
OUTSPOKEN AS ENEMY
OF NEW DEAL POLICIES
Eight Tanks of Oxygen Admins.
tered in Vain Effort at Revival.
Funeral Wednesday.
BY the Associated Press.

ny Tue ASSOCldteO TTcSS
BALTIMORE, February 24.-For-
mer Gov. Albert c. Ritchie, vigorous
advocate of States rights and a
pioneer in the movement that led to
prohibition repeal. died suddenly at
his apartment here early today. He
was in his Goth year.
A stroke apparently caused the
death of the noted Marylander, a
contender for the Democratic presi-
dental nomination at the 1882 con-
yention in Chicago. The end came
about 1:45 am, less than two hours
after he was stricken.
Funeral services are to be conducted
Wednesday at 3 pm. at Christ Protes-
tant Episcopal Church, by Right Rev.
Edward T. Helfenstein, bishop of the
Protestant Episcopal diocese, and Rev.
S. Thorne Sparkman, rector of the
church.
Body to Lie in State.
Ritchie was a member of the church
and his father was warden there for
many years.
The body will lie in state at the
church Tuesday. Burial will be made
Wednesday in the Greenmount Gem
etery plot of his mother and father.
Flags over State and other public
buildings were flown at half mast
today. State Offices will close We'd
nesday at pm. to allow State en-
ployes to attend the funeral
Death ended speculation over the
possibility of his taking a leading
role In opposition to denomination of
President Roosevelt at this years
Democratic convention in Philadel-
phia. His outspoken criticism that
Roosevelt New Deal policies tended to
circumvent the Constitution and en-
gulf States rights stamped him as an
outstanding figure among intra-
party foes of the administration.
Expected to Make Fight.
He was looking forward to making
a fight within the party" in his own
words, to force the national admin
isfration to go back to the platform
of 1882" He had planned, intimate
friends disclosed, to make this fight
at the convention and considered
speaking tour to urge return to the
platform of four years ago. which he
helped to write.
His last public utterance was on the
Constitution. Addressing a church
meeting across the street from his
home a few hours before his death,
he had sharply criticized centraliza-
ton of Government at Washington as
opposed to constitutional tenets.
Ritchie, overshadowing political
figure in Maryland for IS years-until
his defeat in 1884 for a fifth term as
Governor-was alone in his apartment
when he became fatally ILL.,
Sensing the seriousness of his con-
dition, he hurriedly summoned his per-
sonal secretary. Mrs. Elizabeth w.
Smith. from her home about midnight.
Mrs. Smith found him seated, helpless
and in a semi-conscious condition in
a chair, near the telephone.
Two Doctors Summoned.
After several unsuccessful attempts
to reach nearby physicians. she located
DR.. Cecil Bagley. who. with DR.. Rich
ard Coblentz, hurried to the former
Governors apartment.
They found Ritchie lying on the
floor of his study, where he apparently
had fallen while his secretary was
Summoning aid.
He was unconscious and while DR..
Bagley administered artificial respira-
ton, he ordered oxygen tanks from the
fire department. Eight tanks of
oxygen were administered, but Ritchie
failed to rally.
The only recent intimation that his
health had not improved within the
last two years was an Inflammation of
the eye developing last September.
This prevented his making scheduled
address in Boston and necessitated
(See R1TCH1E, Page A-5.)