Evening star., 1938-06-13
LUKE c. STR|DER,
EX.JUDGE, DIES
Friend of Lincoln and Lee
Saw Hanging of John
Brown.

the Municipal Court and a resident
OF Washington for so years, died
. Saturday at his residence, 1850 Rhode
Island avenue NV, after an illness
Of five weeks. He would have been
80 years old next Thursday. In his
youth he had been in intimate con-
tact with both Lincoln and Lee, and
had seen John Brown hanged.
He always spoke of the two great
heroes of Civil War days as the two
most dominant personalities and the
two most eminent men he had ever
been privileged to know. but despite
repeated efforts to induce him to
reminisce for publication concerning
his acquaintance with Lincoln and
Lee, he always refused.
Judge Strider was born in 184s at
the Strider family home in Jefferson
County, then in the State of Virginia,
but later made portion of West Vir-
ginia. Situated back of Bolivar, over
looking Harper's Ferry, it was a por-
ton of that vast domain granted
Lord Fairfax from whom it was taken
over by Judge Strider's great-great-
grandfather, the Rev. John Philip
Strider, Lutheran Church emigrant
to this country in Colonial times.
Judge Strider first came to WASH
ington at the age of when his father
was auditor in the Post Office Depart
ment, then located on street. Sub
sequently he attended Kelly's Select
Crhon1 cit11otod tho cifa
Of the Congregational Church at
Tenth and G streets NV, often de-
scribed by him as being upon a hilly
, location overlooking a small stream
which wound its way northward in
the direction of Connecticut avenue
near where the Mayflower Hotel is
located
Drilled With Tad" Lincoln
As small boy in Washington just
before the Civil War. he was the little
brother who tagged along with
make-believe soldier company of
which his older brother John was
captain and Tad" Lincoln, son of
President Lincoln. one of the most
enthusiastic members. They kept
such miscellany of makeshift equip
ment as they could devise under the
friendly shelter of the south portico
of the White House. President Lin
coin, despite the increasing cares of
his Office, often managed to be on
hand to greet his sons patriotic roster.
He even thought of trying to obtain
condemned Army firearms to lend
realism to their equipment in lieu Of
she broomsticks pressed into service
by the drilling company when need
arose, but was dissuaded from his
purpose by the report of his Secre-
tary of War that they might be needed
elsewhere.
With the subsequent decision of
Judge Striders' father to cast the fam
lily fortunes with the Confederate
cause. the little company's captain"
and the youngest member Of the group
returned with their parents to their
West Virginia home.
AS a 10-year-old lad, while on a
/ visit to an uncle in Charles Town,
young Luke Strider saw John Brown
hanged on December 2, 1859.
Two years later, with the actual out
break Of hostilities between the States,
he became the little man. of the
family. With his father and older
brother in the service OF the Confed-
eracy, upon him often depended the
sole responsibility of foraging food
for them in the wake of the two op-
posing armies that were making
battle-ground of the entire area in
which they lived.
Studied Under Lee.
After the conflict ended in the VIC
tory of the Union forces, Luke Strider
was enrolled at Washington College,
Virginia. whose presidency Gen. Rob-
ert E. Lee had Just accepted. One of
Judge Strider's most cherished pos
sessions was an autographed portrait
Of Gen. Lee.
Making his way westward he read
Law in Jefferson City, Mo-, and was
admitted to the Missouri bar before he
later staked out a ranch claim on the
Platte River near old Fort Morgan, in
Colorado. 1t was here that William
r. Cody buffalo BilD and he be-
came fast friends.
Returning to Washington to prac-
hce law, he married Miss Mary Tom
Inson of Charles Town, w. Va, in
1880, their families having long been
friends and neighbors. Mrs. Strider
died February 26, 1884.
Shortly after his marriage he was
appointed a justice of the peace and
made the presiding officer of the NUM-
cipal Court as it was originally set
up. In this Office Judge Strider con-
tinued until President Wilson's first
administration. With Judge George
Aukam, he was responsible for formu-
lating that section of the District Code
which pertains to Municipal Court
proceedings.
Upon his retirement from the bench
Judge Strider became actively inter-
ested in business affairs here. His
chief diversion was pachting on the
Potomac River in his cabin cruiser.
The Habana, the helm of which he was
accustomed to take in person.
With Insurance Firm.
At the time of his death Judge.
strider was actively associated with
the management of the Equitable Life
Insurance Co. of this city, upon whose
Board of Trustees and Executive Com
mittee he served.
Henry P. Blair, president of the
Equitable Life Insurance Co., will
head the list of honorary pallbearers
which will include the following
trustees: Allen c. Clark, Appleton
Clark, jr.; Gilbert A. Clark, Clyde
EDUCATIONAL.