The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1895-02-28
FRED DOUGLASS DEAD
The Great Colored Orator and Statesman
Passes Away.
GIVEN No WARNING.
Had Just Returned Home from Womens
Conve ntion.
HEART DISEASE THE CAUSE.
One of the Striking Characters of Ameri-
can History
He OCCUPIED UNIQUE POSITION IN
THE TEMPLE OF FAME-WILL BE
MOURNED BY MILLIONS.
FRED DOUGLASS DEAD
One of the Striking Characters of Ameri-
can History

MoURNED BY MILLIONS.
WASHINGTON, ID. c., Feb. 90
Frederick Douglass, the noted
freedman, orator. and diplomat,
died a few minutes before 7 o'clock
tonight at his residence in Ana
costa, suburb Of this city, of heart
failure. His death was entirely
unexpected, as he had been enjoy
ing the best of health. During
the afternoon he attended the con-
vention of the women of the United
States. now in progress in this city,
and chatted with Susan B. Anthony
and others Of the leading members
with whom he had been on init
mate terms for many years When
he returned home he said nothing
of any feeling of illness. though he
expressed himself as being a little
exhausted from the climb up the
stairs leading from the street to
his house. which is built on a high
terrace He sat down and chatted
with his wife about the women at
the convention, telling Of various
things that had been said and done.
Suddenly he gasped, clapped his
hand to his heart, aud fell back
unconscious. A doctor was hastily
summoned, and arrived within
very few moments, but his efforts
to revive Mr.. Douglass were hope
less from the first. Within twenty
minutes after the attack the faint
motion Of the heart ceased en-
tirely. and the great ex-slave states
man was dead.
LEAVES A FAMILY.
Mr.. Douglass leaves two sons and
Il daughter. the children of bis
first wife. His second wife. who
was a white woman. survives him.
The story Of the second marriage
was romantic one Miss Helen
Pitts. whom he married, was New
England woman of middle age. a
clerk in the office of the Recorder
of Deeds of the District of Col
umbia. when Mr.. Douglass was APP
pointed to that office She was
a member of a literary society to
which he belonged. They were
thrown much together, and finally
became engaged. Her relatives
opposed the union bitterly on ac-
count OF his color, but finally
yielded to force of circumstances.
Some of them have for some time
been living near the Douglass
home on Anacostia Heights.
The death of Mr.. Douglass re-
moves one Of the most striking
figures of American history. and
his departure from the sphere of
his usefulness leaves a void that
cannot be filed and deprives his
race Of its most patent advocate.
Few names in American history
are surrounded with so much of
the romance that delights the youth
or instructs the old. as is the
name of this man. born a slave on
a Maryland plantation more than
three-quarters OF a century ago.
vet who. through his own practi-
cally unaided efforts. and at times
combating against odds that would
have overwhelmed a weaker man.
climbed to the dizzy heights of
fame. Th ugh ofan origin humble
even for slave he has numbered
among his friends the possessors
of the brightest intellectsthat have
adorned the century i'll this country
and in Europe and the wearers of
all titles and patents of nobility.
He probably was alone in the world
in having lived to see all the hopes
of his earlier pears realized beyond,
indeed. his most fanciful longing.
As an orator he probably had no
peer and he has enriched the
language by addition of many
particularly striking epigrams, one
of which Zone and God are a
majority will serve as an example
of their originality and strength.
New YORK, Feb. 26. A con-
Hict at Bluefelds is reported here.