JOHN W. MERRITT CALLED BY DEATH
Pioneer Attorney Suffered Stroke Tuesday—Failed to Regain Consciousness.
PRACTICED AT SPRAGUE
Came to Spokane Before Big Fire—Widely Known in Inland Empire. 
John W. Merritt, age 72, widely
known lawyer of Spokane and the Big
Bend country, died yesterday afternoon at the home of his sister-in-law,
Mrs. R. Rowan, W1227 Shannon. He
suffered a stroke Tuesday evening and
failed to regain consciousness. Until
he was taken ill, he went regularly
to his office in the Hyde building, although he was not active in courts of
recent years.
Mr. Merritt came to Spokane before
the big fire and previous to that time
was an attorney at Sprague, which
then was division headquarters for the
Northern Pacific,
He enjoyed a wide and profitable
practice in this region and when he
came to Spokane he was associated
with the late Judge Mount, who was
elevated to the supreme court in this
Later, he formed a partnership with
his brother, the late Seabury Merritt,
who was drowned at Priest lake. After
the latter's death, Mr. Merritt practiced alone. Friends say he was one
of the most energetic and successful
members of the bar and a fine lawyer.
He is survived by one brother, William; a sister, Mrs, J, J. Blair; a niece,
Mrs. Fred Nixon, and his sister-in-
law, all of Spokane. The body is at
the Smith funeral home.