The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1876-08-24
Death of Speaker Kerr.

of Congress from the Third District of
Indiana. and Speaker of III, House of
Representatives, who has been long
suffering from consumption of the
bowels, died at Rockbridge Alum
Springs, Va, at 7:2O, on the evening
of Saturday last, August 10th.
Though it had long been evident that
the only relief from his sufferings
would be death, his noble wife, who
through that long illness had tended
him with untiring love and devotion,
could not realize that the awful mo-
ment of parting had inevitably come,
but, with streaming eyes and breaking
heart, besought him not to leave her.
The Speakers son, a young man of
some twenty-one years, whose affec-
ton for his father has always been
marked with the most touching devO-
ton, clung to the cold hand of the
dying man with the silent anguish of
despair.
THE DEATH SCENE.
The death scene was one of peculiar
pathos and solemnity. The eyes of
the Speaker rested with alook of yearn-
ing tenderness, infinitely soft and in
expressibly sweet, upon his stricken
family, and then wandered slowly
around the room as if with last fare
we'll to those present. Hon. S. s. Cox
stood near the head of the bed, and
was deeply affected. The Speakers
Secretary, Mr.. White, and Mr.. Seud-
der, his Clerk, were also with him. At
an early hour this morning it was
thought by the physician in attend
ance that death was near, but the te-
nacity of life in the emaciated body
of the sufferer excited the wonder of
all, and set at de efiance the experience
of the medical world. Before 10 A.
NJ, there was no perceptible pulse in
the wrists or arteries of the arm, and
vet the limbs seemed under perfect
Michael Crawford Kerr was born
March Is, 1927, on his fathers farm at
Penn. His twin brother
Marshal, who survives him, is a farm
er in Western Pennsylvania. His faith
er was Scotch Irish, and his mother
of German origin. Until the age of
eighteen, he worked on his fathers
farm, and subsequently taught school
for several years, Without fortune or
the aid of friends, he acquired good
prosecuting his studies in
the most secluded manner. At the
death of his father, i'm 1889, he formed
the design, from which he never va
ried, of acquiring position in society
by the aid of knowledge. In 1S47 he
was pursuing his academic studies at
Erie, Pennsylvania, but, impairing a
never strong, was forced
to seek niIder climate farther south.
He accordingly moved to Kentucky,
studied law and graduated in the law
department of the University of that
State in 1851. The same year he set
tied in New Albany in the practice Of
his profession. In 1854 he was elected
City Attorney, and Prosecuting Attor-
bey VI ioJu Oouhly' AAc eoi No" IL o"S
Legislature in 1856 and 1857, and was
elected Supreme Court Reporter in
1861. He was u member of the Thir-
ty-ninth, Fortieth, Forty y-first, Forty
second and Forty-fourth Congress.
His political career is part of the
history of his country.
The Speakers remains will be taken
under escort to New Albany for inter-
ment. notwithstanding the ravage of
disease, his face looks life-like and nat
ural, and has the appearance of peace
full slumber. Mr.. Kerr prOfessed no
religious creed. His faith was based
solely on the merits of virtue and hon
or. He was Mason and Odd Fellow.