The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1881-05-11
GEORGE C. HARDING.
His Death on Sunday Morning at )
O'Clock.
An Outline OF His Life-Incidents in His
Career-Estimate Of His
Character.

George c. Harding died Sunday morn
ing at the residence of his sister, Mrs. Ieakle,
on Ash street, at O'Clock. The immediate
cause of his death was acute congestion of
the brain. Notice of his illness was briefly
alluded to in the Sentinel of Sunday morning,
coupled with the hope that it was not dan
gerous and that he was gradually growing
better.
Mr.. Harding took to his bed last Friday
week from painful injury of the right
lower leg received by him day or two be-
fore This injury was a confused wound
over the tibia. cutting to the bone-the cash
being about an inch and half in length.
The symptoms of his case from that time
on we're intense pain at the seat OF
the wound and about il, with infiam-
nation of such character as
indicated periostitis. The resulting
nervous irritation brought on high fever
with severe congestive headache, malady
to which he had previously been subject.
Accompanying these symptoms was an irri-
table condition of the stomach which re-
fused TO retain food in sufficient guam
tity to nourish bis system. There
were also present malarial condi-
tons and pre-existing depraved
state of the blood. After taking his bed,
these symptoms were present in a more or
less active degree until the fatal termination
OF his illness.
DR.. w. F. Hayes was first called to attend
Mr.. Harding and afterward DIR. Henry jam
eson treated the case with him until We'd
nesday, when these gentlemen were called
out of the city, and Drs. Harvey and
Fletcher were then called.
DR.. Hayes, returning on Thursday morn
ing, resumed his attendance upon the case
in connection with DR.. Fletcher. On Satur-
day evening DIR. Fletcher at the request of
Mr. Hardlng's relatives and friends, directed
his removal to the residence of his sister,
Mrs. Yeakle, 323 Ash street. The removal
was made about 7:30 o'clock.
After his arrival at Mrs. Yeakle's RESI-:
dence his case took decided change for the
worse. Drs. Fletcher and Hayes were to-
zether at his bedside, but il was beyond the
power of medical skill to avert
the fatal termination, which took place
as has been stated. His nurse, Mrs. Ell
glish was exceedingly kind and faithful in
her attendance, and is deserving of special
mention and remembrance by all OF his
friends. The news OF his death spread
rapidly throughout the city, creating but
one sentiment-regret for the loss of bril-
liant journalist To those who enjoyed his
more intimate friendship, tears came I'M
hidden and unreStrail ell
Mr. Harding was born in Knoxville
Tenn, in 1880. His father, Jacob Harding,
was a Virginian, but moved early in life TO
Tennessee, where hhe married a Miss
Nelson, who was a relative of Thomas
A. r. Nelson, prominent politician. and
at one time member OF Congress from that
State. George spent the first seven
years of his life at Knoxville,
when his parents removed to Paris, Ill.,
where they now reside. To them were born
thirteen children, eight boys and five girls,
of whom eight are now living.
Georges early education was limited to
the then restricted facilities of a very COM
mon school education. He worked on a
brick-yard or in some kindred occu-
patton during the summer and went
to school in the winter. He was
regarded as a bright scholar, but not partic-
ularly studiOus, as he could get out of his
book in a very short time all that was re-
quired of him. He was popular among his
schOol-fellOws, submitting TO any sort Of
punishment TO screen them. IL any of them
would betray him into difficulties with the
schOolmaam or master, he would quietly
take the rod, and get even at some future
time He invariably took the side of the
under dog in the fight-a quality
which has particularly distinguished him
this trait in his character, it is related that
when on a visit TO Tennessee his father par
ticularly desired that he should call upon
Colonel Tom Bell, g brother of Hon.
John Bell, who ran for the Presidency
in 1S56-the ticket being Bell and
NJ Ila11 IL
with him that as a distinguished
mark of his favor he presented him with an
exquisitely tempered Bswie-knife, hand
somely mounted, and about eighteen inches
long. Afterward, having occasion to make
a trip to New Orleans, he took the knife with
him. On the way down the Mississippi
among those upon the steamboat was
good-natured individual, who seemed to be
= the special mark OF disfavor of all on board
y passengers and crew. This poor fellow was
beaten and cufied about at such rate to
attract Mr.. Hardings attention and enlist
his ltyeliest sympathy. Finally, one day he
took him aside, and, after assuring him Of
his sympathy and aid in case he needed
IL, told him he would have no
peace until he had ripped into one or two
OF them with that knife (holding il up to
himl. He then insisted upon giving II to
him, and assured him that in case of any
difficulty he would be near to aid him
The man took the knife, but happily had no
use for it, As soon as the cOwardly set
knew that the man had the knife and was
backed up by Harding, they ceased their
prosecutions and there was no further
trouble during the trip.
He always stood by his friends. For veal
or for woe he was with them. Taking oys-
ters with Captain Wallace, a brother of GEN
eral Lew, one evening in arestaurant at
Charleston, ILL.,, there came into the place a
squad of roughs, who took possession of the
hrSt plate that came to Wallace winch
was quietly submitted to in
order to avoid any trouble. When
the second attempt was made Wallace re-
marked: George, well have to fight" He
replied: wait minute-these oysters are
good; and will help AS soon as he fin
ished the two sailed in and cleaned the
entire crowd out of the restaurant in a few
moments.
When about fifteen or sixteen years of
age, he went to Terre Haute and
learned the printing art in the
Office of the Terre Haute Express.
Shortly after this he discovered that he had
some talent for writing, and contributed
many articles to his fathers paper, then
known the Prairie Beacon, and estab-
hshed at Paris, Ill. He wrote under the
nom de plume of "PhIzr He scolded
the boys in the office for not