The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1883-03-07

OBITUARY..

Death OF Governor Alex III. stephens at
His Home in AtIanta-A Sketch of His
Life.
ATLANTA, Ga, March 4.-Governor Ste
phens' death occurred at $3.50. About
O'Clock this morning it was evident that he
was much weaker and the crisis approach
ing The doctors placed a strong mustard
plaster on his wrist and let it remain twenty
minutes. When il was removed there was
not the slightest sign of Inflammation, show
ing there was very little vitality left. At
2:30 the extTemilies became cold and clam
my, and assumed purplish hue. As the
end, drew near, Governor Stephens was ly-
ing on his back, his head turned slightly TO
the right. The husky rattle in his throat
that had been plainly perceptible earlier in
the night had ceased entirely. There was
no more heavy breathing and not the slight
estkgasping.
AT 3:15 the family was called m After
breathing almost imperceptibly few min
les he died without the slightest tremOr.
he news of his death created the profound
st sensation, as he was not known to be so
q near deaths door.
To-day the remains were laid in state at
the Executive Mansion, and viewed by
10000 people.
This afternoon meeting of citizens was
held and addresses delivered by Senator
! Colquitt, Judge Martin, j. Crawford, Judge
Cogan, E, Bleekiey, and other prominent
citizens.
Citizens Committee was appointed to
cooperate with the Committee from the
Legislature and State House officers in the
conduct of the funeral. The remains will
lie in State at the Capitol, commencing to-
morrow, until the funeral, Wednesday or
Thursday.
Colonel John Stephens, nephew of the
Governor. said: II have never known him
to speak so little Of death as during the
present illness, or to make so few arrange
ments for the worst that might come. In all
his other attacks he has been especially
careful 10 impress on me the minutest de-
tail of his wishes and intentions. In this
"A illness he has not said a single word of any
! OF his desires. This confirms the theory
that his illness was exhaustion rather than
disease that caused death. 1t was the mind,
not sthe body, that gave way. Governor
Stephens made his will some time ago, He
leaves $4,000 to the children OF his late
brother, Judge Stephens, and the rest of
the estate, being few minor bequests, TO
bis nephew, Colonel John A. Stephens,
What the estate will foot up depends largely
on the sale ot his new History of the
United States" He made about $50, 900 on
The War Between the States" His new
hook is selling we'll. The above bequests of
the estate will probably pay SO 900.
AUGUSTA, March 4.-The Chronicle says
tAe death of Governor Stephens is i calamity
to the State. All denominations and classes,
irrespective of party are profoundly moved
BY the death of statesman, patriot and
philanthropist. Though dead, he will live
as the most illustrious of Georgians.
Hon. Alexander Fl. stephens was born in Talla
ferrO County, Georgia, February H. 1872. He
-raduated at franklin College, Athens, Ca, in
1884 and rapidly obtained a large and lucrative
practice at Crswfordville. He was elected to the
Legislature of Georgia in 1856. and was reelected
10 FIVE successive terms. In 1872 he was elected
10 the State Senate, ia 1913, he was elected 8
Whig TO Congress and held his seat until 1859
In February, 1917. he submitted series OF TesOlu
tons in relation to the Mexican War, which
afterwards formed the platform OF the Whig
party. He opposed the Clayton compromise
the compromise of 1850. The passage of the
Kansas and Nebraska act OF 1854 in the House of
!. Representatives was strongly supported by him
as Chairman of the Committee on Territories.
After the breaking up OF the Whig party he acted
with the Deuocrats At the close OF the Thirty
candidate, and on July 2, 1859, he made speech
a. Augusta, Ca. announcing his retirement from
public life. During the Presidential campaign of
1s6O he sustained Douglas and denounced those
who advocated the dissolution of the Union in
case Of Mr.. Lincoln's election and in November,
1850, he made speech before the Legislature of
Georgia against secession, on which subject he
had an interesting correspondence with.Mr. Lin
coin IN December. he was nevertheless elected
70 the Secession Convention, which met at
MiIledgeTille, January, l6, 1861, and there spoke
and voted against the secession ordinance He
was q member of tie Southern Congress which
met in Mon tgomery Ala, in February, and was
elected Vice President of the Confederacy. II is
PUBIC career all through the war OF secession
was a prominent one. Although man OF the
most delicate ply steal nature, and AZ times so
weak In body that he could hardly walk, his
mind was most vigorous and his black eye keen
and piercing. He was so thin and rawboned that
when he removed his thick walstcoat at Hampton
Roads where he went during the War to meet
President Lincoln aud Mr.. Seward 10 conference,
, Lincoln remarked, when the Vice President of
the Confederacy removed his coat: ''Wel, that is
the smallest ear of corn ever saw to have such a
big shuck!'
When Lee surrendered Mr.. Stephens returned
toGeOrgia; was arrested and sent 10 Fort Warren,
in Boston harbor, but was soon released parole.
He was elected to the Senate OF the United States
in February. lS67, but could not take his seat as
Georgia had not fully been reconstructed. He
was elected to the House of RepreSen tatfres in
1S72, and returned continuously until last year,
when he was elected Governor of Georgia by an
overwhelming majority on the Democratic
ticket. Among the books he wrote is "A Consti-
tuttona1 View of the Late War Between the
States: Its Causes, Character, Conduct and Re-
suits"
Mr. Stephens was never married, but no OLD
bachelor was ever of a more genial and hospitable
disposition. He does not leave a large estate; he
was always charitable with his means. He edu-
Gated number Of poor struggling young men
and never refused to aid in some way suffering
man or woman who applied to him for relief
For the past eight or ten years he had TO bt
wheeled about in chair.l