The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-02-01
STANTON NOT "A SUICIDE.
Circumstances Which Gave Rise TO the Story
That He Had Killed Himself


Dom Piatt. in Pittsburg Dispatch.
Well, the troubles of the heart have little to
do with those of the head. nor are they much
better understood 1t is through such ignorance
that consoationand coincidence are so very ex-
asperating.
The sympathy for instance, that comes in
through funerals ceremonies is very trying AT
the moment when one longs TO be alone with
ones dead, all ones friends and neighbors come
in and gaze. The beast of an undertaken ar
ranges the remains that are lying upon ones
breast, for public inspection. and all the crowd,
speaking in bated breath Of the weather, the
markets. the'heath of the neighborhood pull
on long faces and pass by the coffin to take a
last look at the departed they cared nothing for.
Poor heart, that wants to drive them all out and
clasp in agony, the cold form Of the dead, and
fairly into the closed ears fora return of
one who-never, never more may come back to
bless us.
"Why weepest thou! Thy tears are unavailing.
Therefore do Iweep"
1t was this shrinking from theundertakerl and
the public on the part of a sensitive wife that
gave rise to the cruel report that the great War
Secretary Stanton had committed suicide The
afflicted widow had, through accident seen ain
undertaken preparing her dead child for burial
The brutal manner in which the poor little
corpse was being treated SO shocked her that she
vowed that thereafter none but loving hands
should prepare her dead for the grave. The
undertaken, therefore, saw the body of the emf
nent statesman only in the coffin, and his duty
was confined to Serewlng down the lid This
abrupt departure from common usages, of
course, gave rise to strange rumors.
1t was my good fortune to know Edwin III.
Stanton intimately as a brother, from my boy
hood untildeath separated u.s. My brother-in-
law, Judge Nathaniel G. Reed, of the Supreme
Court Of Ohio, gave Stanton his first Office that
of reporter, and Stanton was wont to make
Mac-o-cheek his summer resort for years.
Doubtful as it may seem to the Secretary's
many enemies and he left behind him an army
Of such. he was of a deeply religious nature.
Possessed of a sensitive temperament. he was
subject to great extremes of gaety and gloom,
and had withal powerful vitality. His powers
of endurance were amazing, and force of char
acter, stimulated by an indonlitable will made
him master of all situations and of himself All
men thus fitted to this life cling to life with an
obstinate tenacity.
He was'dying Of an incurable disease while in
the department he controlled with such amazing
vigor, but at the bidding Of his will death post
poned his doom until his task was ended.
/ saw his remains the morning of the night he
died. With hands crossed upon his breast his
resolute face was softened with an expression
resembling that OF sleep. and know from what
Isaw that the renowned story of his suicide was
false The stormy life of a noble character,
narred with more ignoble passions than ordin
arily fails to the lot of man. he had passed into
Silence and memory, quiet as a child