Russel H. Beatie Jr. ’59

Cap died March 30, 2013, in New York City.

Born in Kansas but transplanted to New York, Cap attended the Hackley School in Tarrytown, where he captained the cross-country team. At Princeton his athletic interests expanded to include wrestling and lacrosse. He joined Cloister Inn, majored in history, and drilled with the Army ROTC drill team. He also performed with the Savoyards and sang in the Glee Club and Chapel Choir.

Two years in the field artillery and three years at Columbia Law School groomed Cap for an associate position at Dewey Ballantine, where, in 1972, he became a litigation partner. In 1983 he formed his own law firm, the first of several in which he served as senior partner. He litigated on behalf of Ivy Club and Tiger Inn in the Sally Frank ’80 lawsuit, and on behalf of himself in an unsuccessful attempt to overturn NYC’s Smoke Free Air Act so he could light up his trademark cigars in city restaurants.

A prolific historian, Cap had completed three volumes of his multi-volume Army of the Potomac opus (the first drew on his senior thesis), with the fourth installment completed but unpublished. An accomplished big-game hunter, Cap seemed to delight in tweaking the “politically correct” with his exploits.

Cap is survived by his wife, Julie, and two children, Benjamin and Amy.