4/5/1926 Danville Bee Byron Homer Custer s/o Mark Henry Custer B. H. Custer's Funeral Held From His Home. Danville Attorney Expires In Richmond After Long Illness. Byron Homer Custer for over thirty years a practicing attorney of Danville who died in Richmond Saturday evening was buried from his home, 3503 North Main street at half past three o'clock this afternoon with impressive ceremonies. The funeral was unusually largely attended, the Danville Bar Association being heavily represented also friends of the family many people whom the attorney had befriended in his long life here and those whom he had represented at the bar of justice. The services were conducted by Rev. J. Cleveland Hall, D. D., and Rev. C. J. D. Parker, interment following in a vault in Green Hill cemetery where the remains will be kept for the time being. Morotock Lodge of Masons of which he was long a member officiated at the cemetery. The active pall bearers were John W. Carter, Posie J. Hundley, Harry Wooding, Jr., M. K. Harris, Judge E. 'Walton Brown and A. M. Aiken all members of the Danville Bar Association and Dr. W. W. Robertson and Dr. C. W. Pritchett. Flowers came from every quality and more than seventy friends of the family carried them to the vault. Mr. Custer died shortly after 7 o'clock Saturday night. He was taken to Richmond ten days ago when it became apparent that an operation would have to be performed. For 18 months he had been in declining health and for the last six months he had been in bed. At St. Luke's Hospital he gradually weakened and was in a state of coma for two days after deliberate and was not to be hurried. He was an impressive speaker and was considered a formidable legal antagonist by those arrayed against him. Mr. Custer was a staunch Democrat and became politically active towards the end of his career. He never sought office but was a party worker and In national and state campaigns took the stump for Democracy. At the death of Judge a gallant fight to regain his health. Mrs. Custer and other members of his family were with him throughout the last days. Mr. Custer was one of 14 brothers and sisters and his death at the age of 59 is the first in this family. His aged father and mother, Mr. and Mrs. M. H. Custer, of Copper Hill, Floyd county, arrived here on Saturday night and other members of the family group have been coming in since. In addition to his aged parents. Mr. Custer is surived by his widow, formerly Miss Mary A. Lumpkin, of Pittsylvania. His surviving brothers are Dr. Warner P. Custer, of Piggott. Ark; H. B. Custer, of Roanoke, C. C. Custer and Estel Custer, of Floyd county, E. B. Custer, of Roanoke, who are already here, and Irvin Custer, of Pittsburg, and Joseph M. Custer, of Piggott, Ark., who were unable to reach Danville. His sisters who are here include Miss Eva Custer, Miss Carrie Custer and Miss Rhoda Custer, of Danville; Mrs. W. G. Terry, of Pittsylvania county, and Mrs. C. D. Cox, of Pittsylvania. Nieces and nephews who are attending are Mrs. H. C. Shockley, of Virginia; Miss Myrtle Siner, Roanoke; Misses Thelma and Lavaille Cox, of Roanoke. and George C. Aldridge, of Salisbury. News of Mr. Custer's death on Saturday night was not unexpected here. It was known at the time he was taken to Richmond about ten days ago to undergo treatment that his condition was serious, and it had become known that recently he had suffered a set-back and for two days had been in a stage of coma. Mr. Custer was 59 years of age at the time of his death and was a son of M. H. Custer, being born at Copper Hill in Floyd county. He had few early advantages but despite these handicaps he was highly successful in his life's career and at one time enjoyed as large a practice as any Danville lawyer has ever had. He received his early schooling in the schools of the mountains to be found in the rugged county of, his birth. Later he taught school in Floyd county, devoting his spare time to reading. Coming to Danville in his early twenties, he became apprenticed to the late Col. George C. Cabell and in that attorney's office gave himself to the reading of law. He attended a summer course at the University of Virginia and took law under the late John B. Minor, equipping himself for the state bar examination, which he passed. Returning to Danville, he was taken into partnership by Col. Cabell, with the latter's son, the firm being known as Cabell, Cabell and Custer. He became successful rapidly. One of his early cases was a heavy damage, suit which was heard and bitterly fought in the local courts. Another of his appearances was in the case of the suit against Richards, which engrossed the interest of the state. Richards, a Floyd county man, was charged with killing his sweetheart. Three times was Richards convicted and condemned. Each time the attorney found legal grounds for a new trial and finally, on an appeal to the supreme court, he won his client acquittal. In addition to resourcefulness which made him a clever trial lawyer, Mr. Custer was very William Leigh he was mentioned as a possible successor and his friends went to work in his behalf. He secured an endorsement from the bar associations of the surrounding section and had a following in the local bar. Among the endorsements was one from Federal Judge Henry Clay McDowell, who had observed Mr. Custer's practice in the federal courts and who did not hesitate to give him a strong letter. Mr. Custer was not appointed, however. Judge Walton Brown being named as Mr. Leigh's successor. Mr. Custer had two outstanding characteristics. One of them was his complete impervousness to public opinion. For this reason he was often misunderstood and sometimes misjudged. Often slow to make up his mind, he did so without counting the cost and frequently betrayed a high degree of moral courage to take a course which ho knew would be unpopular and for which he would be condemned. Such consequences meant nothing to him once ho had thought out his problem and become convinced that a certain course of action was the right one. Those who came to know him well found behind an impassive exterior and a certain reserve a warm-hearted man and one of such broad tolerance that even when goaded on public issues, ever refrained from speaking ill of his accusers. He was slow to condemn even when others found ho had cause to do so. Mr. Custer's reserve made him a little-known man despite his 35 years of life in Danville and in a profession which threw him constantly before the public. His charitable impulses were known only to those in his confidence, but there are many who enjoyed his generosity. He was signally devoted to his family and he shared his success with them to a large degree.