Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1876-09-28
HON. j. TALBOT.
His Fail, Sickness and Death---Particu.
lars by Mrs. MOllOy.

SOUTH bend, Ind, Sept. 9.
Letters are pouring in from every
direction enquiring as to the particu-
lars Of the death Of Hon. J. J. Tai
bott, which occurred at our house on
the I'd day Of September, and as it is
impossible to answer, verbally or by
letter, all enquiries, it seems best that
L should accept the opportunity so
kindly given to answer through your
columns these enquiries, as well as to
refute many of the flying rumors
which gossip has been busy manu-
featuring. My husband and I have
no desire, painful as the statement
may be, to conceal the fact that
Mr.. Talbot has lately been overcome
by his old enemy, strong drink; re-
turning from Philadelphia he unfor-
tunately occupied section in a sleep
ing car with a man who was intOxi-
Gated. In describing it to me after
wards he said: Il lay there breathing
the fumes Of the liquor for two hours,
until every drop of blood in my
veins was like a voice demanding
drink The volcano which had slum-
bered for months had burst anew
with fury, drenching me in the lava
of my fierce desire. / arose from my
bed, and tottering to the door, reused
the porter to unlock it, and stood for
two hours on the platform fighting
my enemy. At last weary, and need
ing rest, again 1 sought my couch,
asking God to strengthen me, but
just as I lay down, this man rolled
from his berth, and his first act was
to take his bottle from under his pill
low and hand it TO me. Had L been
hanging oUer hell L could not hare
resisted the temptation, and this is
how L came to be drunk when /
landed at Indianapolis" This state
ment was made to me in Boston,
June Both.
Mr.. Talbot has just returned from
New Albany, where his ever staunch
friend, Harry Cassil, the G. w. S.,
had sent him, trusting that the tender
care Of DR.. Newland might restore
him. He came to Boston intending
to sail Immediately for FINLAND. 1
foresaw that his enemies would make
a weapon OF his fall to wound him,
and begged him to go back to his
lodge at New Albany, be re-obligated
and stand his ground, doing his work
as best he could until after the Grand
Lodge session adding that the sin
was Dot an objectionable one. /
shall never forget his piteous look as
he said: There is no charity for me
among the Good Templars. Amanda
Way has publicly stated that have
been drunk ever since / have been
G.. w. G. T." He had met the letters
of E. b. Reynolds over the State,
some Of which had been sent to our
own lodge, and, in fact, a little ring,
whose only object in belonging to
Good Templary has been to fatten on
its offices, had assailed him on every
hand ever since he had filled that
position, seemingly forgetting that
the object OF our beautiful order is to
save the fallen, and aid those who,
like our deceased brother, need true
frare'nal love in the hour OF tempta-
ton de thought it would be better
TO resign. With many other Of his
warm personal friends, I, feeling that
his resignation, while under a cloud,
would only mean his utter destruc-
ton, implored him to stand firm and
do his best during the few remaining
weeks OF the session, to retrieve him
self. He returned home, was re-
obligated July 10th, but still, night
and day, his old enemy relentlessly
pursued him. On the 21st of July,
Mr.. Molloy telegraphed inviting him
to come and spend the Sabbath with
US. He arrived early Sabbath morn
ing, quite intoxicated, but couple Of
weeks careful nursing restored
him, and another week was spent iR
laying plans for his future work. His
speech in the Court House yard,
August 9th, will be forcibly remem-
bered from one prophetic sentence.
He said: AIf I never speak to you
again, and / somehow feel that this
is the last time, 1 want to impress this
truth on your hearts: @that total ab-
stineace is the only safe rule for
humanity. Once yield and you are
never again safe from the wiles Of
this seductive tempter." This was
the last speech he ever made. He
left US on the 10th of August, arriving
in Indianapolis on the morning Of the
18th, all right. From there he went
to Cincinnati on business, and am
now convinced it was an error to let
him travel alone In his weak condi-
ton; for, after thirty years of absti-
hence, John b. Cough. to-day, does
not dare to travel alone The news
papers have made everybody ac-
quainted with his trouble in Cincin-
natl. We again hunted him up, and
finding him at Crawfordsville, brought
him home on Saturday morning,
August 10th. / did not write to his
sisters, knowing that Mrs. Newland
was in delicate health and that ID
would distress them unutterably, and
so determined to keep him until he was
fully recovered, and then take him to
those friends who would protect and
sustain him until his diseased system
ehould be restored. He was i'll when
he arrived, complaining OF distress in
his stomach, and talking incoherently,
bat he t0as not intoxicated. Saturday
he seemed considerably better, hav-
ing taken some quieting powders
from DIR. Humphreys, but HE agony
OF mind and humiliation could not be
described. Sunday / had an engage
ment to speak at Kingsbury, and left
him in charge Of nurse. He desired
hofb Mr. MoIlov or<f 49, A. -. - =