The Cortland Democrat, Friday, February
13, 1891.
Death of R. Holland Duell.
In the
death of Judge Duell, which occurred at 3 A. M., Wednesday, Cortland loses one
of its most prominent and enterprising citizens. Judge Duell had been a familiar
figure upon our streets since 1847, and few men of equal prominence had more
warm friends than he, who will sincerely mourn his death. He was taken ill about
the first of the month, but his condition caused no alarm to his family and immediate
friends until about a week ago, when his physician pronounced his case serious.
It has been known for several days that his case was practically hopeless, and
that the end might come at any moment. His death was caused by apoplexy of the
lungs.
Judge
Duell was born in the town of Warren, Herkimer county, Dec. 20, 1824, and was
the youngest of the eleven children of Joseph and Phoebe Potter Duell, only three
of whom survive him. His education was obtained at the common schools and at
Syracuse Academy. In March 1842, he commenced the study of law with Hon. C. B.
Sedgwick at Syracuse, was admitted to the bar in July 1845 and commenced
practice in Fabius, Onondaga county. The ambitious young lawyer could not,
however, be contented in so small a place and at the end of two years he moved
to Cortland and formed a partnership with the late Judge Henry Stephens, under
the firm name of Stephens & Duell.
In
November 1850, he was elected District-Attorney, and in 1853 he was re-elected.
In 1855 he was elected to the office of County Judge and Surrogate, and in 1858
he ran for Congress and was elected. He resigned the office of County Judge in
Nov. 1859, to take his seat in Congress. He was re-elected in 1860 and served
as chairman of the Committee on Revolutionary Pensions. At the close of his
term he returned to Cortland and resumed the practice of law, having formed a
partnership with his brother-in-law, the late Charles Foster. In 1869 he was
appointed Internal Revenue Collector for this district, which office he held
until after he was elected to Congress in 1870, when he resigned that office to
take his seat in the House. He was reelected in 1872, and was a member of several
important committees. In 1875 he was appointed Commissioner of Patents, which
office he held for nearly two years, when he resigned and returned to Cortland and
resumed the practice of law in partnership with B. A. Benedict, Esq., which partnership
continued until the time of his death. Until recently he was a member of the
firm of Duell, Lass & Hey, patent lawyers of Syracuse.
Judge
Duell was a strong Republican and for many years was known as one of the
sharpest politicians in central New York. He was chairman of the Republican County Committee for many years and represented
the party often both in State and National conventions, but for the past ten
years, he has had but little to do with politics and has given his entire time and attention
to his large and lucrative law practice.
He was a
trustee of the old Cortlandville Academy and when that institution was abandoned
and the Normal school took its place, Judge Duell was chosen one of the trustees,
and upon the death of Dr. Hyde, two years ago he was made president of the
board. He was also a charter member of the Cortland Savings Bank, which was organized
in 1866, was the attorney for the bank, and upon the death of Dr. Hyde was chosen
to fill the office of president of that institution. He was a director and president
of the Cortland Opera House company and was also a director of the Cortland &
Homer Horse Railroad company, and was attorney for both of these corporations. He
was a trustee of the Franklin Hatch Library Association by appointment of its founder,
and had been president of the board since the death of Dr. Hyde. He was also a
director of the Second National Bank and a trustee of Cortland Rural cemetery.
Judge
Duell's first wife was Miss Mary L. Cuyler of Pompey, to whom he was married
Sept. 10, 1846. Four children were born to them: Louise, who died in 1872;
Chas. H., a prosperous young lawyer of Syracuse; Kate L., the wife of Mr. Ferdinand Daehler of this village, and Richard C.
Duell also of this place. Mrs. Duell died in 1884, and in December 1888, Judge Duell
wedded Mrs. Mary Greene Peck, daughter of Col. A. Greene of this village, who
survives him.
Judge
Duell was a very industrious man and few men could turn off more work in the
office than he, in a given space of time, and his work was always done in the
best possible manner. He was equally able in the trial of cases and few lawyers
indeed, displayed the generalship, that was one of his especial
characteristics, in the management of difficult cases. His cases were always thoroughly
prepared, and he never complained of surprises on the part of his opponents. In
fact he expected them and was always ready with his answer. He was above petty
jealousies and was ever ready and willing to assist and advise the younger and
less experienced members of the profession. He possessed a generous nature and
was a kind and accommodating neighbor and friend. His handwriting was a model
of neatness and was as plain as print. Judge Duell will be sadly missed in this
community and especially by the members of his own fireside to whom he was
always kind and considerate.
The
funeral services will be held from the residence on Church street, Saturday afternoon
at 2 o'clock.
Active Yet Apparently Stupid.
Last
summer a man of some thirty years of
age, giving the name of L. H. Arnold, arrived in Cortland from
Watkins, so alleged, and secured employment at the works of the Cortland Wagon
Co., boarding at Smith's, Greenbush street. During November and December, 1890, Arnold purchased a
quantity of tools and hardware of Mr. H. T. Hollister. The latter receiving word
last week that Arnold was preparing to skip town, swore out papers which were
placed in officer John Miller's hands, the officer reaching the D. L. &
W. depot in time to apprehend the debtor just as he was boarding a train bound
for Watkins, his former home. With great meekness the check was turned over to
the officer who attached the trunk and Arnold went on his way.
Only
momentary attention was given the matter until the movements of two detectives
late Thursday afternoon enlisted inquiry. It appears that Arnold failed to
remit the sum of $21.50 due Mr. Hollister, as agreed and the trunk was opened
to ascertain whether it contained sufficient to satisfy the demands of the creditor.
Mr. Hollister was naturally pleased to discover a coffee and a tea-pot, a
tea-kettle, and a portion of the tools, within the recesses of the trunk, but
the bundles of classified ladies' and children's underwear, gentlemen's night
shirts, handkerchiefs, napkins, table cloths, and ladies' hose, together with
packages of note paper and envelopes bearing the business cards of the Cortland
and Messenger hotels, respectively, was entirely unlooked for and recalled to mind
the items which from time to time had appeared in the DEMOCRAT, calling
attention to the disappearance from clothes lines at an early hour in the
evening, of various articles of wearing apparel and table linen, during the
late fall and early winter. Steps were at once taken to capture the man on
suspicion of being the clothes line sneak.
Arnold
was a familiar figure about the streets and reading rooms of the hotels, always
appearing on the scene but seldom noticed in conversation with any person. He wore red side whiskers and moustache, and a
derby hat, while in Cortland. His eyes were of a peculiar tint, forehead high and
sparsely covered with hair. He apparently had a mania for viewing himself as
reproduced by the camera, having entered into the graces of local photographers
for various styles of negatives, and, apparently, lasting accounts.
It is
alleged that this individual had, prior to the scene at the opening of this
story, shipped one or two similar trunks from Cortland, even endeavoring to
secure credit of a local dealer for a large hand bag, a day or two before he
skipped. His landlord is out some $30 or $40 from the workings of this sleepy,
non-communicative person. The goods found in the attached trunk are damp and
somewhat covered with mildew, and are to be sold on execution next Monday.
THE CORTLAND HOSPITAL.
Ready to Form a Hospital Association.
The citizens
of Cortland have shown a deep interest in the work of establishing a hospital
in our village, and through their liberality the hospital committee appointed by
the King's Daughters has been successful in raising a sum of money sufficient
to guarantee the maintenance of a hospital for one year, at least. It has been
the purpose of the committee to place the organization and management of the
hospital in charge of a citizens' hospital association.
In order
to bring about the immediate formation of such an association, the committee invites
all subscribers to the hospital fund and all other persons interested in this
work to meet at the Court House, on Friday evening of this week, February 13th,
at 7:30 o'clock. At this meeting it is expected that there will be a full
discussion of the best way to establish and govern the hospital which promises
to start under such favorable auspices.
Mrs. J. H. HOOSE.
Chairman of Hospital Committee.
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