Judge Campbell Dead

The state was surprised yesterday by the gudden death of Judge James V. Campbell, of the supreme court, at his home in Detroit, Wednesday, March 26. The deceased had been feeling unwell forseveral days but his illness had not appeared serious. Yesterday morning he aróse and went to his library to read the morning paper. His danghter noticing a deathlike pallor spread over his face, becatne alarmed and sent for assistance, but before it arrived the learned jftdge had passed to the other ghore. He sat in his chair as if asleep, and his death was swift and peaceful. His death was the result of heart digease. He leaves a daughter and five sons, his wife having died about two years ago. Jude Campbell has been closely allied with the university and it ia to his efforts that the department of law owes much of its prosperity and influence. At the organization of the department in 1859, he was made Marshall professor of law, a position which he held until Jtrne 1885. At the commencement exercises in 1866, the degree of LL. D. was conferred upon him by the institution for which he had done so much. His death, when announced during lectures yesterday, cast a gloom not only over his former colleagues in the department, but also over the students who had learned to hold his name in reverence. President Angeil has called a meeting of the University Senate to be held next Monday eveBing, when appropriate resolutions will be passed regarding his death. Judge James V. Campbell was bom in Buffalo, N. Y., February 25, 1823; accompanied his parents to Detroit in 1826, and has since resided in that city. He attended school at Flushing, L. I., matriculated at St. Paui's College in the same place and was graduated with the class of 1841. Returning to Detroit at the close of his college course Mr. Campbell stndied law in the office of Douglas & Walker, was admitted to practice in October 1844, and formed a law partnership with his preceptors, which continued until Mr. Douglas was elected to the benen. In 1857, the law establishing the supreme court was passed, the election being held in the spring of the same year. The judges then chosen were ireorge Martin, Randolph Manning, I. P. Christiancy and J. V. Campbell, all of whom took their seats Jan. 1, 1858. From that time Justice Campbell remained constantly upon the bench up to the time of his death, and was the only official survivor of the bench of 1858. His service was the longest ever rende-ed by any judge of that court. Some idea of the vastness of his abors mav be gained irom the fact that his opinions are embraced in over sixty volumes of the Michigan state reports. An examination of these reports shows that there is scarcely a legal point in all the range of law that has failed to receive attention from his careful hand No one man has done so much to add important contributions to the body of our law. At the bar, as in every relation of life, he was remarkable for acuteness of intellect, mental and oratorical facility, and for that breadth and exactness of knowledge which well earned him the reputation for learning which he had. He well appreciated and applied the rules of personal and professional courtesy. He never enjoyed and always avoided controversy for controvery's sake. and his success at the bar stands as a practical nrguinent for the superiority of legitímate professional methods over the gross resorts and petty tyranny of the little men of the law. Judge. Campbell carried the principies and practices of the hall of justice into his everyday life. That life was a unit, and whether considered ascitizen, friend or justice, will always be found in perfect harmony with the high standards set in the court of justice. His central characteristic seemed to be an innate love of justice. Judge Campbell was particularly opposed to sumptuary legislation and to the tendency of centralization of power. In polines, Judge Campbell was a conservativo republican, althougn his official position precluded his engagement in active politics. In church life he was an active and interested Episcopalian, and was a Hfe-long member of St. Paul's church, Detroit.