The Fremont weekly journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County, Ohio) 1867-1877, 1872-12-06
H0RAeEGREELEY AS LAST DAYS.

During his absence Mr.. Greeley never slep
four hours AZ a time and through the dav 4
would often dose in the car and catch snatche
Q Of sleep, bot when awakened either bv m
] stopping Of the train or 10 make a speech hi
ha1ard and Caro-worD expression Of eauuta
nance was always more expressive OF fatign
thsn any remarks he was ever heard to 1nsfa
Meanwhile Mrs- Grseley's health had besl
rapidly declining and she had removed froD
Chappaqua 70 this city. Mr. johnson. Of %:
West Thlrty-seventh street, had placed a sniff,
OF apartments at her disposal. These the in.
valid occupied with her eldest daughter. Mis-
tea, while Mr.. Gzpeley had MONS in the same
Il was there while passing sieepIess night
Greeley hrst began 70 show SYMPTOMS ~ gss,
mental depression. On one occasion. Tber
me opposing press was criticisine his preat
fzttsnqrg speeot, be anid: "If they make IL,
issue that I'm the rebel candidate. Pm bound
70 be defeated" This consideration seemed
. weigh ON his mind, and often when he sun
posed he was alone be would clasp his hand tc
nis head and cry out, ,,Oh, OH" as if suffering
rom intense pain He was advised TO continue
ms wood-chopping Saturday matinees, and
though severely chafed by accounts Of Them
being published in the New York Times. he
still continued his open air exercise
On one occasion at Chappaqua, he was ac-
| companled by Mr.. Johnson and his son. Mr.
johnson Jr., chopped down the lower Iimb of
q hemloek tree, which narrowly missed his
fathers head. "What do you meanPD cried
Out Ar: M, yonnson ST., ado you want to kill
me, WIlhef" 81 wish somebody yFouId lrsu
me, responded Mr.. Greeley in a voice of of
extreme sadness.
MI 6reeley always said he did not expect
to carry either.of the States of Vermont or
Maine; yet the result of the State elections
snere, september and 10, respectively. made
HIM more despondent than ever. Georgia
gave the Democrats a rousing msioritv on the
% OF October, and his spirits rose proportion
ately; but when, SIX days later. Ohio and Penn
| sylvanla gave large maiorities for the Admin
istTatlon candidates, while the result in Iudi-
ana was In doubt, he became utterly desmond
ent. and for the first time his most iutimata
/ frIends began 70 perceive that defeat in
November might prove fatal TO him. He
talked once OF Offering the portfolio of Secre-
tary Of State to Mr.. Charles Francis Adams.
and IN ths next breatb he would lament a
large falling off in the subscription LIST of the
Tribune. Such outbursts of incoherent ex-
pressions, followed by paroxysms of rage. now
became more frequent and spontaneous Tbev
came lnvoluntarily, as it were, and always
exalted anxious appreheDsions among his
friends, but they were attributed TO the fact
that be was too much deprived OF sleep while
watching beside his wife.
At length, on the morning Of October 30,
Mrs. Greeley died. When the widowed hus-
band was informed of his wife's death-.be
vrulg his bands, cried like child, and said;
''0h, why didn't you let me sit up with her:
why did you end me to bed? Ny poor wife.
my poor wife" Two days afterward Mrs
Greeley was buried. Her remains were fol-
lowed 70 the grave by a large concourse Of
people, all Of whom noticed Mr.. Greeley's
grief. he returned, after the funeral to Mr..
Johnson's, and instead of interesting himself
about his daughters and the future, gave way
1t was then be showed the first positive ev-
idence of mental arrangement. The Novem-
Der election did not seemingly interest him.
His defeat did not seem to surprise. him. He
deceived his friends by receiving the news
with perfect Indifference. It was noticed
about this time that he would tell his private
business to every one with whom he was
brought into contact, and 10 each one he told
different story Of his defeat, his troubles, and
the inidelity Of his supposed friends. He
would at times denouncs the Democratic par.
ty, whom he would accuse of selling ont TO
the administration Then he would violently
cr1ticise the course pursued by the opposition
newspapers, and especially the mismanaVe-
ment Of the Tribune, and his fatal mistake in
allowing his name TO be used as candidate
for the Presidency.
Mr., ALVIN ]. johnson was his most intimate
friend. One evening, while holding bis
hand, Mr.. Greeley aid to him. aEh. John-
son, do you know made q terrible mistake
about Mr.. Dana5 He was right about sOn 70
TO Richmond Yes, am satisfied now that
he was right about it." After that be
was unable to sleep and while his disease was
yet in its incipiency. Mr.. Greeley would take
Mr. johnson TO his room, and hands clasped
he would impart to him the most intimate
secrets of his heart. One nemorning he said to
Mr.. johnson. as the latter was leaving the
house: "Meet me at the Tribune at 2 O'Clock
this afternoon. have private communlca.
ton to make to you" At the appointed hour
Mr.. johnson was there, but Mr.. Greeley de-
ChDed saying anything except; "Meet me at
Sam Sinclairs at 6 o'clock tonight want
to see you" Mr.. johnson went there at the
time Esnd found Mr.. Greeley asleop Mr.. SIM
ciairfand Mr.. George Ripley were in another
room. Mr.. Greeley slept some time, but when
at length he awoke his mind seemed gone.
Mr. Sinclair begged him 70 remain there, to
go to bed. He quietly assented, and then
turning 70 Mr.. johnson said: "a J.. take me
home with you, won't your" Mr.. Ripley also
begged Mr.. johnson to do SO. But although it
was even early in the evening, it was mid
night before they reached Fifty-se7enth
street
Some days before that DIR. Edward Bavard,
the late Mr.. Greeley's medical attendant not
iced that Mr.. Greeley had a restless ana fever
ish appearance. BE Is a hOmeopathist, but
kindly prescribed for his old friend, as he cor
rectly imagiEed that he needed an anodyne.
When be returned homo on the night above
mentioned, Mr.. johnson mixed one of the |
powders and gave Ii to Mr. Greeley The lat
ter in taking it split half of it over his shirt
front, and when reminded of what he had |
done said, "Oh, never mind it. It is lust as
good outside as in"
The following noon Mr.. Greeley was more
restless and hsggard IN appearance than ever,
and Mr.. johnson sent for his family physician |
DR.. KnackoWizer, Chief Surgeon of the Ger
man Hospital DR.. Knackowizer recognized
the case as a serious one, and at once resorted
to the most energetic treatment. At first 1t |
seemed as though the malady would yield to |
the trea ment, and at times the patient be-
came gentle IN disposition, perfectla rational /
and In apparent good health. Il was during /
this period that he wrote his card resuuling /
the editorship OF the Tribune, published on No |
vember Z.
be was iDexpressibly shocked while reading
the Tribune on tie following morning to find /
an editOlial article headed sCrunbs Of Com
tort, occupying as oonsplcOoHs position as
that of his card. This article, 1t will De rel
memberedt spoke Of the Tribmse as having
been used as q "a sort Of Federal empleynentI
agency" and said that for the last twelve
years every red-nosed politician who had
cheated at the caucus and fought at the polls
looked to the editor Of the Tribune TO secure
bus apPointnent IS a gsuger, or as army chap
lam, or as Minister to Frapees and then closed
with an insult to +he friends who had stood by
Mr.. Greeley during the campaign. 1t was
written under the supervision of Mr.. White
Reid rrhn n had Tod - IT, u
bRne during the political canvass, and was in
serted in the columns CT the Tribune without
Mr. Greeleys knowledga- Nr- Greeley hast
sned to the Tribune Office he there wrote a
card denying bis responsibility for the abusive
article, and regretting its publication This
denial he sent to his old friend, Mr.. Thomas
NJ. Rocker, foreman of the Tribune printing
ofice, ordering it to be placed at the head of
the Tribune columns on the following morn
ing. The denial did not appesr.- It was sup
pressed late at night by Mr.. Whitelaw Reid.
On the following day the Democratic news
papers famed up IN just Indignation at the
Crumbs of Comfort" article. They natural
ly assumed that Mr.. GreeleF was its author,
and accused him Of the blacklist ingratitude
Their rebuke and taunts deeply affected the
veteran editor. Reeognizing the importance
OF an lmmadiate denial OF any knowledge of
the article, he sent Mr.. Reid another disclaim-
er, ordering its insertion in the next days
issue. This denial was also suppressed, and
up to this very hour Democratic journals in
the West and South are bitterly denouncing
Mr. Greeley under the suppositon that he is
The author of the article in question.
Mr.. Greeley never again visited the Tribune.
To a friend, whom he met three days later, he
said in hopeless tone Of voice: II don't go
10 the Tribune Office any more But l want
4 thousand dollars; and must have a thousand
dollars. If you get it for me-" After a long
pause, as if he had suddenly forgotten what he
vas talking about, he said, ~ am ruined"
When bis mind Was recalled TO the thnnsand l