The morning call., 1893-03-25

up the Mall and Express and gave a num-
Der of instructions about the future conduct
of the newspaper Ia case anything should
happen him. Later the distress he suffered
left him, and when his physicians aad
nurses came in he was in good spirits. He
had induced lis wife and his yOu!.,-
daughters Marguerite and Alice, who were
at home, to Ga off for the day. but his son.
Elliott f. Shepard Jr.. was at home.
At about o'clock Colonel Shepard said
that he was ready for the surgeons, and
they, with the nurses. began the work of
putting him under the influence Of ether.
He had inhaled the drug but two or three
times when the physicians detected danger
Gus symptoms and stopped the inhalation.
Colonel Shepard sank rapidly, and for
some time 1t was feared that he could not
be rallied, but powerful restoratives were
administered, and at the end Of an hours
work with oxygen he was restored to par
tial consciousness and continued apparently
to rally until o'clock. Then. without
warning and for no apparent reason, lie
began rapidly to sink The oxygen treat
ment was resumed. but it was of no avail.
and at 4 20 o'clock he died. He was un-
conscious and his death peaceful. The cause
of death was given by the physicians as
91ema OF the lungs.
Immediately before Colonel Shepard's
death messages were sent to Mrs. Shepard
announcing that he was very low and might
not live. She reached the house at o'clock,
and the immediate friends of the family
soon began arriving. A string of carriages
was continually at the Fifth-aYenue side OF
the house all evening. At a late hour no
arrangements had been made for the fu-
neral.
Elliott Fitch Shepard was born in James
town, n. Y, on July %. 1898 When %
years old he was graduated from the New
York University. and in 1858 his name was
added to the roll of attorneys Of his native
State. Mr.. Shepard's father was rich
man, president of the National Bank Note
Company. one Of three companies which,
after his death, were mergedin to one called
the American Bank Note Company, in which
the Shepard family is conspicuously repre-
sented. Shortly after his marriage into the
Vanderbilt family, which gave him his first
prominence in the world. Colonel Shepard
purchased the New York Mail and Express,
and proceeded TO make an afternoon news
paper that gave him prominence of alto
gether another and of possibly not so de-
sirable sort. He was man of great piety,
a philanthrOpist and professor OF Chris
tianiy, which facts he sought 10 emphasize
by running text from the Scripture at the
head OF the editorial column of his news
paper every day. 1t was an innovation in
the newspaper business. serving to draw
attention at once to the Mail and Express,
and as an advertisement of the journal
proved the most effective that could possi-
bly, have been desired. Neither the text,
however, nor the money that he lavished
upon the publication has ever succeeded in
giving the Mail and Express that Command
ing position in metropolitan journalism i tun-
doubtedly was the hope OF Colonel Shepard
to reach. Colonel Shepard, moreover, as
pired TO leadership in politics as well as in
journalism, and he took n prominent part
as Republican in the campaign of 1883,
which resulted in the election of Harrison
and Morton. His candidates being elected,
he developed sudden genius for diplomacy
and aspired to one OF the greater European
M missiOns, for which he had conceived him
self to have a fitness. At one time. indeed,
he was mentioned quite seriously for the
German mission. to which William Walter
Phelps was afterward appointed, and then
he set his heart upon France. only to see
Whitelaw Reid Of the Tribune chosen over
his head.
There is some reason, perhaps, for the
belief that he attributed the bIighting of
his ambition to the late James G. Blaine,
then Secretary Of State, and. In any event.
Colonel Shepard was one of the most enthu-
siastlc Of Harrison men in the campaign of
1892. both before and after the convention
at Minneapolis.
Colonel Shepard was educated at the uni
versity of the city of New York, admitted
to the bar in 1853. and for many years
practiced in New York City. In 1861 and
1862 be was aid-de-camp on the staff of
Governor Edwin d. Morgan in command OF
the depot of volunteers at Elmira, n. Y,
and aided in organizing and equippDg and
forwarding to the field nearly $4,000 troops.
He was instrumental in raising the Fifty
first New York Regiment. which was nOIhed
for him the shepard Rifles, He founded
the New York State Bar Association In
1876. which formed q model for the organi-
cation Of similar associations In other
States.