The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-02-21
Though a Doctor Was Called a Few
Moments After the Attack, Efforts
to Revive Him Failed.
LONG, REMARKABLE CAREER
INCIDENTS IN THE LIFE OF A
STATESMAN BORN IN SLAVERY.
Repeatedly Honored with Important
Public Oficcs-His Marriage to
White Woman.

WASHINGTON, Feb 90 - Frederick
Douglass, the noted freedman, orator and
diplomatic, died a few minutes before
O'Clock tonight, at his residence in Ana
costa, suburb of this city, of heart fall
His death was unexpected, as he had
been enjoying the best of health During
the afternoon he attended the convention
of the women of the United States, now in
progress in this city, ana chatted with
Susan B. Anthony and others of rhe lead
ing members, with whom he has been on
intimate terms for many years. When he
returned home he said nothing of any
feeling of illness, though he expressed him
self as being little exhausted from the
climb up the stairs leading from the street
to his house, which is high terrace.
He sat down and chatted with his wife
about the women at the convention, tell
ing of various things that had been said
and DONE Suddenly he gasped, clapped his
hand to his heart and fell back uncon-
scious. A doctor was hastily summoned
and arrived within very few moments,
but his efforts to revive Mr.. Douglass
were hopeless from the first. Within
twenty minutes after the attack the faint
motion of the heart ceased entirely and
the great ex-save statesman was dead.
Mr.. Douglass leaves two sons and a
daughter, the children of his first wife.
His second wife, who was white woman
survives him. NThe story of the second
marriage was romantic one. Miss Helen
Pitts whom he married. was New Eng
land woman of middle age, clerk in the
office of the Recorder of Deeds in
the District of Columbia, when Mr.. Dou-
glass was appointed to that office. She
was member of a literary society to
IA he hall pood
much together. and finally became en-
gagged. Her relatives opposed the union
bitterly on account of his color, but finally
yielded to force of circumstances. Some of
them have for some time been living near
the Douglass home on Anacosta Heights.
The news of the death of Frederick Doug
lass reached the National Council of
Women during the evening session. Mrs.
May Wright Sewall, the president of the
council, announced it to the audience
follows: "A report, as unwelcome as sad and
solemn, has come to us of the sudden and
most unexpected death of Fred. Douglass
The news cannot be received with silence
by the council. That historic figure which
individually and intellectually was the SYM
Dol of the wonderful transition through
which this generation has lived, has been
with us in our council during both of
session to-day. When he arrived an escort
was directed to conduct him to the plat
FORM We felt that the platform was
honored by his presence. am sure there
was no divided sentiment on this subject,
although we have here women whose
families are related to all political parties
of our country and connected by ancestry
with both sides of the great question. 1t
is surely to be regarded as a historic CO.
Incidence that this man who embodied
century of struggle between freedom and
suppression, spent his last day as a wit
ness of the united efforts of those who have
come from SO many different places and
along such various avenues to formulate
some plan for the new exposition of free
dom in the ranks of women to the world,
to society and to the state.