Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1876-05-18
From tho Cincinnati Commercial.


From the Cincinnati Commercial.
A venerable gentleman, with his.
tory of peculiar interest, is at present
sojourning temporarily at the Good
Samaritan hospital, in this city. lie
came here several years ago, totally
blind, and suffering from a cataract of
his left and sole remaining eye. He
was operated on for cataract by one of
our Cincinnati occulists, and although
the venerable man has attained the
uncommon age of ninety years and
four months, the delicate operation
was perfectly successful, and the pa
tient now has the happiness of enjoy
ing his sight once more.
The old gentleman is a physician,
by name DIR. David Creel, and is one
of the graduates of the old University
of Pennsylvania, at Philadelphia. He
is the father-in law of Judge Stafford,
of our state, and is at present a resi-
dent of Chillicothe.
Part Of DIR. Creels history is a
matter of national interest, from the
fact that he was one OF the Jurors in
the great trial of Aaron Burr for con-
spiracy against the United States
Government.
Father Crecl is as cheerful, happy,
and enthusiastic as girl of sixteen.
Before the trouble with his eyes, his
health was perfect, better than sixty
years ago, and he is yet able to walk
good five miles. He says that still,
at his great age, he is as DESTROYS of
living as he ever was, and don't want
to get out of the world bit more
than he did when he was twenty
years old. His hearing is excellent,
his memory as good as yours or any
body's, and his mind perfectly clear.
He is man of much learning and
great intelligence, quotes Latin at
will, and knows Shakespeare, Cicero,
and all those old fellows by heart.
DIR. Creel has written much for
publication in his day, and gave the
final shock to his eyesight by sitting
up and using his eyes writing at
| night.
ats a great shame made such
blockhead of myself" said he.
This frisk old boy is going to the
Philadelphia Centennial this year to
see the sights, and sayshe really can
not see any reason why he shouldn't
live ten years yet He was asked if
he pursued any particular plan of diet
or habits by which he kept his health
and hopefulness in such remarkable
degree at this advanced age.
"No," said he, 81 have no particu
lar diet or habits, except that | take
plenty of exercise by walking, and /
live on brown bread entirely. When
flower is bolted all that is good is
taken out of it, and white bread is
not fit for any human being TO eat
Then | drink only black tea, black
Oolong, and not very much of that.
| use very little tea or coffee either. !"
Like most Of the very old men left
among MS, DR.. Creel went through
the war of 1912. He is a Virginian
by birth, and was surgeon Of the 2nd
Virginia regiment in the war of 1912.
On his way to the seat of war in the
north he stopped at Cincinnati a few
days, and a party was given by
Gen. F'indley. Gen. Harrison's
daughter, Elizabeth, then blooming
young lady, was at the party. DIR.
Creel says that Elizabeth Harrison
was a very handsome woman, and
the perfect picture of her father.
DIR. Creel's recollections of the
Burr trial, whom he knew well, are.
however, the most interesting of all.
The trial of Aaron Burr, it will be re-
membered, took place in September
1907. So far as our venerable friend
knows he is the sole man remaining
of the twelve men who acquitted
Aaron Burr of treason against the
United States. There is probably no
doubt that he is the only one left, as
he was one of the youngest of the
| jurors, and he is now over ninety
years old.
1.-THE trial lasted a month"; said
| Father Creel.
| "And how did the jury stand" was
asked.
"Unanimous for acquittal," said he
Unanimous. Burr's principal law
yer was Luther Martin, of Philadel>
phia Luther Martin was the finest
lawyer of the day, but he was I'M
fortunately hopeless drunkard. He
was retained in the Burr case on con-
dition that he would drink nothing
intoxicating as long as the trial last
ed. He accepted the condition, and
agreed to drink nothing that would
make him drunk until the case was
finished. But Luther Martin could no
more keep from liquor than duck
could keep from swimming; so,
though he kept his pledge by The let
ter, he broke it in fact. He took
bread and he and he soaked it in
brandy. and ate it necessarily during
the whole trial. thus whipping the
devil around the stump.
"Oh it was famous trial-worth
lifetime to hear. Luther Martin
was one of the first lawyers of the
age, and put forth his most powerful
| efforts in Burr's behalf Chief JUS
tice Marshall allowed Burr to speak
in his own defense whenever he
choose, and although, as said, Mar
tin was one of the most accomplished
lawyers of the age, yet Burr knocked
to pieces in five minutes all Martin
could say. Whenever he opened his
| lips there was the most perfect silence
in the court. Aaron Burr was SO
splendid in all he did and said. Every
word made most profound impress
sion on the jury. shall never for.
get it-never-though | lived to be
five hundred years DID,"
(syyyoa bo 90 aioouopt o.,