The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1895-03-01
FRED DOUGLASS DEAD.
Tho Man Who Was Born in the
Bonds OF Slavery
Het Who Rose To an IIon.rao Die Prom
iIence Enioyed by Hut Few of His
Contemporaries. suddenly sue.
cumbs to Heart Disease

WASHINGTON. Feb. 81. Fred Doug
lass dropped dead in the hallway of
his residence on Anacostia Heights
last evening at o'clock. lie lad been
in the highest spirits and apparently
in the best of health. despite his -
years. when death overlook him. Yes
terday morning he szas driven To Wash
ington. accompanied by his wife Sne
left him at the congressional library.
and he continued TO Metzerott hall.
where he attended the sessions OF
the Women's council in the forenoon
and the afternoon. returning TO Cedar
Hall. the name of his residence, he
tween and o'clock.
After dining he had chat in the
hallway with his wife about the do
ings Of the council lie grew very en-
thusiastic in his explanation of one of
the events of the day. when he fell
upon his knees with hands claspcd.
Mrs. Douglass. thinking this was
part OF his description. was rot
alarmed, but a She looked he sank
lower and lower, and finally lay
stretched upon the floor, breathing his
last Realizing he was i'll. she raised
his head, and then understood that he
was dying. She was alone in the
house. and rushed to the front door
with cries for help.
Some men who were near by quickly
responded and attempted to restore
the dying man. One of them called
DIR. j. Stewart Harrison. and while he
was injecting a restorative into the pa
a
seemingly without pain.
Mr.. Douglass had lived for some time
at Cedar Hall with his wife and one
servant He has two sons and a
daughter. the children of his frs, wife.
living here They are Loui., H. and
Charles Douglass and Mrs. >prague
Mr.. Douglass was TO have delivered
a lecture last night at lIillsdale Afri-
can church. near his home. and was
waiting for a carriage when talking Il
his wife. The carriage arrived jus, a.
he died
Mrs Douglass said last night that
her husband had apparently been in
the best of health lately and had
showed unusual vigor for one Of his
years No arrangement. she said, had
been made for his funeral until his
children could be consulted
1t is a singular fact in connection
with the death of Mr.. Douglass that
the very last hours of his life were
given in attention to one of the prin-
ciples to which he has devoted his en-
ergies since his escape from slavery.
Mr.. Douglas, who has been for halt
a century assuredly in the fore
most ranks of the orators Of his race.
had just completed his seventy-eighth
year and after his many vicissitudes
died seemingly in excellent health not
many miles distant from the county,
on the eastern shore Of Maryland.
where he was born slave in Feb
ruary, 1877. His early mastering OF
the ship carpenters trade. in which he
worked for the benefit Of his owner,
Col. Lloyd. whose name the slave
originally bore until his escape from
slavery in 1885. assisted therein by
William Lloyd Garrison and other
noted abolitionists Of that day. togeth-
er with his stalwart crusade against
slavery and his later lecturing tours in
Europe and subsequent events before
and since the emancipation of slavery.
gave him an actual worid-w ide prom
inence that few of his race have en-.
joyed.
These, which may be said to be o
feature of the biographical history Of
the country. are Of course widely
known The later incidents OF his
life, including the official position he
has held as United States marshal and
afterwards recorder of deeds of this
district. his foreign missions to II ayti
and santo Domingo. and his editorial
labors in this city, made him personally
known to thousands Of citizens Of the
district.
In 1871 Fred Douglas was elected
presidential elector-at-large for the
state of New York. where he was Their
residing and was appointed to carry
the vote Of the state to Washington.
OF recent years he has always been
prominent in all movements having in
view the social and political advance
mcnt Of women. and no later than yes
terday afternoon was a welcome at
tendant at the session of the woman's
with seat on the platform. Fred
Douglass was married twice. his second
wife being Miss Pitts. white woman
from New York state. who was a clerk
in the recorders office while he held
that position. This for a time los,
him some caste among the people OF
his own race, but his personal stand
ing and overpowering intellectually
quickly dissipated the sentiment tina,
some sought to originate to hi.
discredit He was one Of the most d 10
MISUNDERSTANDING men that a appeared
on TIE thoroughfares OF the capital
He was kindly disposed to all. cour'
teous and os gentle hearing, and by all
alike, white and black. or Of whstever
creed, religion or race. the ne ws Of his
death will be met with only genuine
regret
IN FULL OPERATION,