Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1870-05-29
The Gates Alar.

nent and highly esteemed citizen Of
OttumWa, recent mayor of the city,
died on the 18th of March under cir
cumstances of a peculiar character.
We have read the statement given
below with profound interest. We
knew Major Fulton, having met him
in business circles, and, knowing as
we do, that he possessed a sound,
practical mind, we give full credenee
to his dying words. He was not a
man to be deluded by any hallucina-
ton, or to be carried away in his dy-
ing hour by religious fancies. The
following account was written to a
friend who was with him in his last
moments, and vas originally printed
in the Ottumwa Courier:
After an hours conversation with
the family and relations of the late
Major G. e. Fulton, I was impressed
that your readers, and the commu-
nifty at large who knew his every day
life, would be interested in an account
of his somewhat remarkable close.
His disease, acting almost wholly
upon his nervous and circulatory sys-
tenn, left his mind clear and of its
usual vigor to the end. And those
who watched by him, day and night,
inform me that there was not one
hour during his protracted sickness
and intense sufferings that reason
failed or that his intellect appeared
clOuded. About three weeks before
his death, ne had given up all hopes
of recovery, and cOnversed freely on
the approaching event, evincing no
fear or dread of death, and only de-
string life for the sake of his family,
and repeatedly saying that the faith
that had been his through life was
sufficient for the hour of death. Du-
ring tire last days of his life ne ar
ranged his business and left kind
words of affection and advice to his
family and friends, with as great COM
pOsure as in health he had transacted
ghe ordinary duties of life.
In the early part of Sabbath night,
and as early as two O'Clock of March
%, he recognized the icy arms of death
as they began to be folded about him,
and at four o'clock had his children
brought and babe them a last fare
well, then summODing his falling
strength uttered the following prayer:
go Almighty Father, if yet Thou
art a God upon earth, and hast COM
passion on human woe; if yet Thou
art a husband to the widow and a.
father to the fatherless, look in pity
on this, my stricken wife, and these,
my fatheriess children"
The many words, expressions and
prayers of the next two hours, though
recorded, and of sacred interest to his
family we must mass over
AT about $50 O'Clock he sank visi-
bly, into the arms of death, ali think
ing that they had heard the last Whis-
per from his lips. After lying thus
for some ten minutes, he aroused with
the exclamation, family uttered, "NOt'
unto us, o Father, but unto Thee, be-
allthe glory" Pausing a moment,
he exclaimed, Five milIions!" His
wife, leaning over him, said, "New-
ton, what does he mean?" Newton
replied, "Spirits;" he whispered,
&" Yes, that is it," Then followed the
conversation here given, in the ia
miliar term in which it was aecu-
rately recorded by the members of the
family, within a few hours after his
death.
His wife then asked, Are they re-
deemed spirits?" Answer Yes.
Some came yesterday; Others just
getting in" His wife then said,
/" And you, darling, swell the mum
ber9'' Assented to, Yes" She
then asked, "Are they coming to
welcome you home p" Answer =
T" Yes" Newton asked" Charlie,
do you know them?n Answer-"I
know all that l knew on earth" His
wife asked, "DO you see father?"
Answer" Which father?" CDWisx
the night and day previous, to ne9
his falling sight, he had repeatedly
been asked if he could see certain per-
sons standing near; Father Mast was
then standing by the bedside-hence
his reply-he doubling whether she
meant spiritual or natural sight, His
wife said, /" Father Fulton (died six
years agO.p' Answer" Yes" Cues
ton by the same, "Do you see little
sister Mary, who died long ago in
Virginia?" Answer Yes" She
then exclaimed, "Then we do know
each other in Heaven" lie turned
his face toward her with a faint smile,
expressive of knowledge and surprise
at the doubt, and whispered, "Cer-
tainly." Newton then asked, F" Char
lie, is Heaven, then, Il reality?" An
swer-" Yes" His wife then asked,
I" Charlie, do you see?" Answer
I" Yes." Cat this point the victory
over death seemed so complete-the
triumph so great-that glory rather
than gloom filled the death chamber.
a feeling of supreme exultatiOn-a
nearness to, and sympathy with,
spiritual life possessed each heart in a
degree entirely unknown and expert
enced befOre.) Between gaSps he
whispered, 81 am so weak-let me
rest, and then 1 will answer your
questions"
"After waiting a moment, Newton
asked, "Charlie, have you any strange
feelings?D Answer @fYes.Y CUES
ton by same-"Have you any pain%'
Answer-"Only general"- pausing,
he proceeded between gasps, saying,
understand mel mean corporal
suffering, not spiritual" Question
by NeWton-"Charlie, is there any
fear, any trepidation?" Answer
"Oh, mop Question by same-"Then
is it so terrible to odie?h Answer
"No." His wife answered this by sis
it a door that opens to admit US into
a better life%' Answer
Question by the same-"Darling, are
you really happy?p Answer-''Oh!
YES" By the same-"Does it look
bright?" AnsWer-'Sunny and fair,n
admitting an Gnstant afterWard-"I
am just catching glimpses." Question
by his wife, brighter than anything
you ever saw on earth?n Answer
"Oh! Yes" He was again asked if
he saw Jesus. Answer-"Yes." Ques-
ton by his wife-"Is he near you?"
AnsWer-"Yes." She then ex-
claimed, 30 death, where is thy
asting; o grave, where is thy vic
FRry?" Newton asked, "Charlie, has
Oath any sting?" Answer, "No."
And again. he sank away, and the
a NVord had fallen from his lips clos
ing N death, and thus ended the tri-
umpM (which was the natural out
growth # a life, the motto of which
had beef4 the golden rule, and "Peace
on earth, good wilito men,"
Major Fulton was born in LOudOn
county, Va. in early life removed to
Champaign county, Ohio; was edn-
Gated at Iowa Wesleyan University
and Harvard Law School, from the
latter of which he graduated with dis
tinctiOn in 1860. He Immediately be-
gan the practice of the law in Cincin-
natl, from which he went into the
Sixty-sixth Regiment Ohio Volunteer
Infantry as Captain; was afterward
promoted to Major, and served with
distinction, until 8 severe wound re,
ceived at Cedar Mountain compelled
him to resign.
In early life he united with the
Methodist Episcopal Church, OF which