Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1885-08-29


period which are not generally known to the
public. AS confidential clerk he was present at
many OF the conferences, some Of which re-
suited In important military action, and others
OF which resulted in nothing and the impor-
lance OF the discussions were never known to
the public and probably never win be. Being
SO close to him all those trying years, Major
johnson declares that Stanton was the great
power that held the government together. ~
nave seen him, the major says, "When he was
as KIND, calm and placid as q man may be; /
nave seen him when his passion was terrible to
look upon. He trusted nobody; he watched
everyone"
Speaking with STAR reporter the other day
about the story which was refuted at the time,
out which has since been revived, that Secre-
tary Stanton's death was self.inf1icted-that he
had cut his own throat-Major johnson said:
~ know Mr.. Stanton did not take his own lie.
The story has run that he cut his throat in q
Mt OF remorse for the execution Of Mrs. Surratt.
I was always very close to Mr.. Stanton, and
isan
salary tor him every month and expended it for
MN, paying all his bills, &c. He would not
even allow me to render him an account. This
used to render to Mrs. Stanton, as l insisted
you this to show you that was in a position to
know much of the distinguished Secretary not
known by others.
WHAT oCCURRED AT THE FUNERAL.
II was at his funeral. was in the house
when the family were overcome with grief and
when these false rumors were being circulated
by those who were his enemies even unto death.
know what passed there and what the feeling
was. was In the room with the casket Just
before 1t was brought down into the parlor for
the funeral services. The casket containing
the late Secretary's remains was In the front
bedroom ever the parlor. It was lying east
md
surrounded by many distinguished men. l
remember there was Col. Forney, Senator
Hooper, Senator Chandler, Surgeon General
Barnes, Gen. Thos. T. Eckert. Secretary Belk-
nap, Senator At Sumner. Mr.; Justice swayne,
Creswell, Senator Edmunds, Chief Justice Car
ter, Gen. Townsend, and fifteen or twenty other
Mr.. Harvey, the undertaken, who is one of the
living. At the time knew ali those present ex-
pleXioned young fellow, remarkably hand
some, He stood apart from the rest and
o b the a an ons who weP No member
never find out who this young stranger was
It will be remembered by those who have seen
trait that the top of his head was bald all ex-
cept a small tuft of hair on the very top, but
there was circle Of hair around the back OF
his head, and as he lay in his coffin his long
beard covered his breast Col. Forney, who
stood looking at the dead mans face, asked
General Barnes replied by taking a small pair
of scissors from his vest pocket, stepped up to
the casket, and, as Mr.. Harvey raised the dead
mans head, cut the hair from the back all the
way around and put it In q white envelope he
took from his inside coat pocket When the
head was replaced General Barnes put his
hand under the dead stateSman's long flowing
beard and raised it up, fully exposing the neck.
was standing between the general and the
that the flesh was perfectly free from scar or
discoloratiOn. AS to this Mr.. Harvey can vouch
for the correctness of my statement.
I'll any corrOboratOry evidence of the falsity
OF the suicide story Is necessary 1t is furnished
by the certificate Of death by Surgeon General
insurance policy that was paid. Surgeon Cen
eral Barnes certificate is on file at the Office of
the board OF health in this city.
THE CAUSE OF DEATH.
Moreover, the cause of Secretary Stanton's
the death was by no means sudden. It had
been coming on for six weeks or month, and
was the result Of an illness of several months
He was great sufferer from asthma. On his
return from Steubensville, where he had been
to see his mother, he took terrible cold. It was
the most violent ever saw. It afflicted him
like in consumption. On the night before the
morning of his death the family retired, as
usual, and left him alone with his nurse, David
Jones, who was constantly by his side. The
first alarm occurred between ten and eleven
O'Clock, when the nurses attention was attrac.
family was at once aroused and Dr.. Barnes was was
sent for. The doctor, to quiet Mrs. Stanton,
told her that her husband would revive: but
hope, and Rev. 6r. starkey, OF Epip fS
church, was sent for. The sick man was CON
sG ;S and calm expressed desire to live, and
to take his seat upon the Supreme Bench of
the United States, to which he had been nomi-
Justice, but President Lincoln had appointed
Secretary Chase to that position, saying that
he could not spare M. Stanton from the War
sought very earnestly for this position and his
claim bad been presented by Bishop Simpson,
President, but as is well known Salmon r.
Chase got the appointment and for the reasons
was admitted by everybody, friend and foe. to
be master of affairs, and Mr.. Lincoln could not
spare him from his post when the bravest and
mightiest adversary on earth was still clutching
at the vitals of the government. The President
told Bishop Simpson this, butts if he could find
him another such man for Secretary of War
Stanton should be Chief Justice. OF coure that
settled it, and Mr.: Chase was appointed.
But nov tna d NE war was over he had been
and his eagerness
TO GET UPON THE BENCH
is shown by the fact (this know to be true) that
he frequently sent his son to the White house
after his commission, which the President had
not yet sent to him. This was one thing, ifthere
was liz oUiicAs lAdI uc wanted 10 i've 1Or, ana
know he did not kill himself
"But here are copies of letters on file at the
War department touching this subject which
wish you would publish. They were published
in New York at the time, but they are of inter-
est enough now to reappear.
WHAT SURGEON GENERAL BARNES SAID.
"The first Is o letter from Surgeon General
Barnes to Hon. Edward Mcpherson. He says:
In reply to your inquiry, the late Mr.Edwin M.
Stanton was for many years subject to asthma
In very severe form, and when he retired
from the War department was completely
broken down In health. In November, 1869, |
the dropsy of cardiac disease manifested
itself (after very exhausting argument in |
chambers In legal case), and from that time |
he did not leave his house, rarely his bed. For
many days before his death was with him |
almost constantly, and at no time was he with |
out the most careful attention by members of |
his family or nurses. On the night Of Decem. |
Der ~ the dropsical effusion in pericardium |
had increased to such an extent, and the |
symptoms were SO alarming, that the Rev. |
Or. Starkey, rector of the Church Of the |
Epiphany, was summoned and read the SER |
vice appointed for such occasions; he |
with Mrs stanton, Mr.. e. L. Stanton, the three |
young children. Miss Bowie, their governess, |
myself ana several Of the servants. were by his |
bedside until he died, at q. m. December "a,
1869. After the pulse became imperceptible |
at the wrist placed q finger on the carotid ar
terry, afterwards my hand over his heart, and |
when It's action ceased announced it to those