The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-05-12
An Attack of Erysipelas, First Noted
Two Weeks Ago, Eventually Re-
suited in His Death.
HE WAS IN REVIVAL WORK
HIS CAREER IN THE CHRISTIAN
CHURCH AND IN INDIANA POLITICS.
One Time Commander of the Indiana
G. A. R.-His Race Against C.. G.
MatsOn for Congress.

ton informing her that her husband. ex-
Governor Ira j. Chase, had died in Lubec,
Me-, at l o'clock in the afternoon.
In view of the letters that had been
received in the last few days and other
kilograms that were received during the
morning the news was not altogether
expected. His death was caused by cry
sipelas with which he was attacked two
weeks ago last Friday. Mrs. Chase has
received letters every day from Rev. Harry
Minnick, the minister in charge of the
church at which Mr.. Chase was holding a
revival meeting. apprising her of his condi-
ton. AT first the letters were full of hope,
for, in fact, there was little in the disease
to indicate any serious results He was
first attacked, on the eve of his departure for
home, with slight pain behind his ear,
and as 1t increased, his trip TO Boston
the next day was postponed. The pain
grew more intense during the day, and
physician who called in pronounced it
case of erysipelas, although it not
at that time looked upon as a serious case.
For a time the disease seemed to yield
to treatment. 1t spread down his face and
neck and seemed TO decrease in intensity.
and he seemed TO be the road to re-
covery, when the disease suddenly took
turn for the worse and continued TO in
crease until death resulted.
Rev. Mr.. Minnick was teegraphed yes
terday to have the body embalmed and
shipped 10 this city. The time of its ar
rival is not yet known, but it will prob
ably be shipped to-day in which case it
would probably arrive here Tuesday night
or Wednesday morning. The arrangements
for the funeral and the selection of thee
place of burial have not yet been made,
will ha II
thought that Mr.. Chase left full 'instruc-
tions as TO his funeral among his papers
and they Will be searched tomorrow so
his wishes can be carried out if any in
structions were left.
In 1883 Mr.. Chase elected Lieutenant
Governor on the Republican ticket at the
time of the election of Governor Hovey. He
served in the capacity of President of the
Senate in 1889 and 1891. His adminstra-
ton was uneventful so far as anything
out of the routine order of affairs in the
Governors Office is concerned. In 1892 he
was renominated by the Republicans for
Governor, and was defeated by Claude Mat
thews in the general change that took place
all over the country that year. During his
term Governor Mr. Chase did not give
up his church work.
HIS MINISTERIAL WORK
of Governor he has been actively engaged
i'm evangelical work for the Christian
Church. His services have been much in
demand, and it has been impossible for
him fulfill all the engagements which
have been thrust upon him. He was a
plain, forcible speaker who held the at
tention of his listeners in way that
few men could. He was not an orator in
the sense in which the word is generally
used, but spoke in a kindly, gentle manner
that impressed his hearers with the great
| earnestness of the man. 1t was that which
made him popular worker in the evan
| gelical field His calls were not confined TO
| this State. 1t was only recently that he
spent over a month in Des Moines and
other Iowa towns and then was forced to
| leave the State for other fields of labor
much against the wishes of the church
workers of the State. He was so popu-
| lar in this line of work that his engage
ments often dated six months ahead.
He attended the recent State G. a. r.
| meeting in Muncie and went from there
| church about twenty years ago, to con-
| duct a revival meeting and was to have
| preached in Boston two weeks ago to-day
| but was prevented by his fatal attack of
| erysipelas.
The Ex-Governor was a familiar figure at
| Irvington. where he took up his residence
after leaving the gubernatorial chair. His
| wife, who has been an invalid for several
| years. survives him. together with a mar
4 a
| daughter, Frank and Electa who are at
home, the one In the freshman year at But
Ter and the other In the kindergarten Train
| ing School in Indianapolis.
| Mr.. Chase was one of the most earnest
and hardest workers among the ministers
| was Governor, from 1891 TO January. 1893.
| having succeeded to the office upon the
| death of Governor Hovey, he frequently ap-
| peared in pulpits, sometimes preaching twice
| on Sunday. In his views of the questions at
issue in the Christian Church Mr.. Chase
on the ground that his teachings were not
in harmony. with the majority of the teach
| ers of the church. Rev. D. r. Lucas, of In
! Chase. and will take entire charge of the
| funeral The burial will probably be at
Crown, Hill, although the family burying
| ground is near Chicago.
Ira ]. Chase was born in Rockport. Mon
roe. county. New York, Dec Z, 1894. His
farmers of that county. Mr.. Chase received
| his early educatien in the schools at Milan
in his native atn state. r and Completed
when twenty years of age his parents
left New York and moved to Cook county,
| than a good sized village and its streets
We're made of the mud composing the soil
of that part of the State The elder Chase
continued his agricultural pursuits and kept
| his two sons. OF which the late Governor
was the younger, busy on the farm. Dur,
| a position to teach in a neighboring school.
Soon before the war broke out he married
l. y.
| enlisted in Company c, Nineteenth Illinois
! Regiment in 1861, and attained the rank OF
| sergeant While his regiment was in none
| of the famous battles of the civil war. it
| Travelled nearly four thousand miles through
| the States of Missouri. kentucky, Tennes-
| see and Alabama. 1t was his regiment that
went through the famous bridge at Mitchell.
| Ind, when Company g. Nineteenth Illinois,
was lost almost 10 a man. Mr.. Chase s
health began TO fail in 1853 and without
| making any application he honorabi :
| discharCed. AT the time he in Nash
vile, where his wife spent three months in
caring for him.
| MIR. Chase and wife removed to Cook
| county in 1861, where he again attempted
farming. but his health would not permit
| He abandoned the idea and, after studyinl;
theology, he was appointed to charge at
| Mishawaka. His appointments were then
as follows: LaPcrte. 1867: Pittsburg. Pa.
! 1863: Peoria. H.. 1871: Wabash, $780, and from
1874 until he was elected Lieutenant Gov
| ernor Danville. He had been prominent in
state evang elical work since his campaign
against Matson for Congress.
His G.. \. r. record was one OF prom
inence He was a charter member OF the
John H. Emmett Pest. of Wabash and in
1856 was elected department chaplain by
acclamation. In 1887 he was elected depart
nent commander over five competitt rs. re-
ceiving 12f more votes on the first ballot
than all the rest combined In 1855 he was
again elected de pal tment chaplain