Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1879-05-03
STANTON'S DEATH.
Exploding the Story That He COMMITTEE
Suicide.

A'sNSe O~''"''~'~0>o~
Suicide.
Gen. Dick Taylor's book having revived
the story that ex-Secretary Stanton commit
ted suicide, his old messenger and body ser
want has filed the following documents at the
war department:
WASHINGTON, April 81, 1870 the
Hon. Secretary of War Sir: respectfully
ask that the enclosed affidavits of William s.
Dupee and David Jones relating to the man
ner of death of the late Edwin NJ. Stanton,
formerly secretary of war, be admitted to the
files of the war department. For the first
time since the death of Mr.. Stanton, prom
inent character and responsible name have
been lent to a story that found utterance in
some obscure newspapers shortly after his
death, that he had committed suicide, and
that the fact had been carefully concealed
from the public. Gen. Richard Taylor, of
the late confederate army, among his "Per-
sonal Experiences of the Late War;" asserts,
with much obscurity of language but equal
directness of meaning, that the former Sec
rotary of war died by his own hand. The
widow and adult son of Mr.. Stanton are
both dead, and therefore feel at liberty to
done in refuting the malicious and SANDER
GUS tale repeated by Gen. Taylor.
Very respectfully, WILLIAM S. DuPEE.
THE AFF1DAy1Ts.
The following is synopsis of the afida-
VIII
Dupee is messenger in the Office of the Sec
rotary of war, and has been since 1864. He
was much with the late Secretary Stanton
during his last illness. The latter's mind
was all the time clear and strong. His dis
position was cheerful, and he was hopeful of
recover. Death, however, was foregone
conclusion with members of the household,
and they we're surprised that he lasted so
long. After the death of Mr.. Stanton, and
while the body was still warm, affant shaved
his throat and face and dressed his hair.
There we're no marks of violence on him.
nor could any have escaped the observation
| of the afiant. The affiant had much inter
| course with the family servants and never
saw or heard anything to lend countenance
to the story of MI. Stanton's death by sui
eide, and when the story first made its ap
pearance, soon after the death, it was the
subject of mingled indignation and ridi
Guile among those who had been about Mr.
Stanton at the time of his death. The aft
ant quotes from Dick Taylor's late book
OBSTRUCTION and Reconstruction which
has led him to make his affidavit 1t is a
follows: "The war secretary did not meet
never saw him. In the end
conscience, long dormant, came as Alecto
and he was not
The following is a synopsis of the affidavit
of David jones'.
Lives at No. 1907 L street, northwest
was waiter in the family of Edwin M. Stan
ton at the time of his death and in constan
attendance on him till he. died; saw n,
signs of weak or wandering mind till
day or so before his death, when the patien
was feverish and his mind would now ant
then wander short time after the fever ap
peared; the patient was never momen
alone at any time of the day or night; (h
names six or seven persons who used to re
lieve him and each other in attendance
affiant saw nothing in the appearance Q
Mr.. Stanton to indicate death, and had n
idea he was in imminent danger till Surgeo
Gen. Barnes told him to go for DR.. Starkey
minister of the Episcopal church, about hal
an hour before death; when DR.. Starkey 81
rived Mr.. Stanton was conscious and abb
to speak in q low voice, and 80 remained unit
about the moment of death, affiant rubin
him at the time; affiant assisted in dressin
and preparing the body and is positive the,
were no marks of violence anywhere; til
! corpse was laid out in front room up stair
! and for three days was vowed bya gre
number of personal friends of the decease,
= there is no foundation whatever for the sto1
: of the suicide.
/ SURGEON GEN. BARNES TESTIMONY.
Q A letter to the same effect from Surget
lav1 uk,o ,l1xl
: last illness, is also appended. This lett
o denies utterly that Mr.. Stanton died by 9th
than natural causes.