The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-05-27
HOW DIR. ATHON DIED
ADDITIONAL LIGHT ON SENATOR
TURPIE's QUESTIONABLE SCHEME.
No Evidence of Exposure During the
War Athon's Suit Against
Governor Morton.

The letter published in yesterdays Jour-
nal, written by Col w. r. Holloway to
Congressman Dan Waugh Ia regard to Dr.
Athon, was the cause of considerable COM
ment on the street yesterday. DR.. Van
Vorhis said he was present at the post
norton examination of DR.. Athon, and
that there was absolutely nothing brought
out at that time to show that his death
was in any way caused by exposure during
the war.
The following is an extract from
lecture delivered in 1876 by DR.. I. c. Walker
on the final illness Of DIR. James S. Athon
''Dr. Athon enjoyed almost unin-
terrupted health up to Sept. %, 1876. Soon
after partaking of breakfast, before going
TO his Office. he complained of slight
vertigo and pain in the left
side in the region of the
spleen and hip. He went to his office at 9
a. m, as was his custom, and commenced
examining and prescribing for patients.
While looking at a diseased tooth he had
decided increase of vertigo, with a numb
ness and loss Of voluntary power of the
left arm and leg, and would have fallen
had he not been assisted TO a seat A
deathlike pallor was his face, with an
expression Of great anxiety. There were no
other symptoms worthy Of mention; no
pain in the head no loss of consciousness,
no paralysis of the bladder or bowels, no
disturbance of vision, no ptosis, strabismus
or paralysis of the face" His condition is
then described during the month his illness
lasted, and the statement is made that his
father also died of apoplexy.
The lecture concludes its reference to DR..
Athon as follows: "a post norton exam
ination was made by Drs. Link and East
man twenty-four hours after death in the
presence of about twenty prominent physi-
clans of the city: The weight of the brain
was nearly fifty-four ounces. A coagula ton
Of blood about the size Of a quail's egg was
found in the anterior portion of the middle
the first described was found on the same
side in the posterior, lobe. resting in the
cornu of the lateral yentricle, pressing
upon the corpus stratum. Another
found the left side in the lateral ventri-
Gle, involving. the corpus stratum and OPP
In speaking of DR.. Athon's dsloyalty
Colonel Holloway said yesterday:
''One day I took four or five commissions
duty as Secretary of State required him
to sign all commissions I put them on
b rses u and ana him g sign dnt kna%
about that. I will look into the matter
I went back 10 Governor Morton and re-
ton considered the matter moment and
then sent for the Adtutant-general Lag
Noble and instructed him to have a lot
of commissions printed to be signed by the
Governor and Acknowledgement. without any
provision for the signature of the Secretary
of State.
"All of this occurred after Athon was
known to be member of the Sons of Lib
erty and the plot to capture Governor Nor
ton and either kill him or hold him as a
hostage had become known through the
testimony before the grand jury of Horace
Heffren, deputy grand commander of the
Sons of Liberty. who turned States evil
dence. The reason Dr. Athon gave for
fusing to sign the commissions was that
some of them were dated back two or
three weeks. The Governor on account of
the uncertainty of the mails always dated
the commissions the day the officer actually
assumed his duties.
'Dr. Athon received 81 for each COM
mission he issued and the business was
worth about $1,000 year to him. On &C
count of the action of Governor Morton in
taking these fees out of his hands Or.
Athon sued the Governor for $4,000. The
suit was transferred TO the United States
Court at the request of Governor Morton
and was never heard of again"