Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1895-02-28


dead in the hallway OF his residence on
Anacostia Heights, this evening at Z o clock
He had been in the highest spirits and APP
parently Ill the best OF health. despite his
Is years, when death overlook him.
This morning he was driven to Wash
ington, accompanied by his wife, who left
him at the Congressional Library, while
he continued to Metzerott Hall, where he
attended the sessions of the Womens Ma
tional Council, returning to Cedar Hill,
the name of his residence, between D ana
6o'clock. After dining he had chat in
the hallway with his wife about the doings
of the council. lie grew very enthusiastic
in his explanation Of one of the events OF
the day. when he fell upon his knees with
hands clasped.
DIED WHILE TALKING TO his WIFE.
Mrs. Douglass, thinking this was part Of
his description, was not alarmed, but as
she looked he sank lower and lower. and
finally lay stretched upon the floor, breath
ing his last. Realizing that 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, crying for
help Some men who were nearby quickly
responded and attempted to restore the
dying man. One of them called Dir. j.
Stewart Harrison, and while the physician
was injecting a restorative into the patients
arm Mr.. Douglass passed away, seemingly
without any pain.
Mr.. Douglass has lived for some time at
Cedar Hill with his wife and one servant.
He has two SONS and a daughter. the
children of his first wife, living here.
They are Louis II. and Charles Douglass,
and Mrs Sprague.
Mr.. Douglass was to deliver lecture to-
night at Hillsdale African Churcn near
his home, and was waiting for u carriage
when talking to his wife. The carriage
arrived lust as he died,
Mrs. Douglass said tonight that her
husband had apparently been in the best
of health lately, and had showed unusual
vigor for one of his years No arrange.
lrents she said, would be made for his
funeral until his children could be con.
suited.
1t is singular fact in connection with
the death of Mr.. Douglass that the very
last hours OF his life were given in atten-
tion to one of the principles to which lie
has devoted his energies since his escape
from slavery, This morning he drove
into Washington from his residence. about
mile out from Anacostia u suburb Just
across the eastern branch of the Potomac,
and at 10 O'Clock appeared at Metzerott
Hall, where the Women's National CoIin-
Gil is holding its triennal.
DEVOTED TO woMANs SUFFRAGE.
Mr.. Douglass was regularly enrolled
member of the National Wonian's Suf-
frage Association, and has always attended
its conventions. 1t was probably with a
view to consistency in this respect that he
appeared ut Metzerott Hall Although ii
was secret business session of the coun.
Gil, Mr.. Douglass was allowed to remain,
and when the meeting had been called to
order by Mrs. May Wright Sewall the
president OF the council, she appointed
Miss Susan b. Anthony and Rev. Anna IL.
Shaw ID committee to escort him to the
va 1tNgt of dale nta. ,,.,t
more than 50 in number, were sitting.
HIS RELATIONS WITH MISS ANTHONY.
Mrs, sewall presented Mr.. Douglass to
the council and, contenting himself with
bow in response to the applause that
greeted the announcement, he took a seat
beside Miss Anthony. his lifelong friend
When Miss Susan b. Anthony heard of
Mr.. Douglass death at the evening SEES.
sion OF The council she was very much
affected.
EvENTFUJ LIFE OF THE Ex.sLAvE.
Mr.. Douglass had just completed his 18th
year. He was born slave, near EaStou,
Md, in February, 1877. His mother was
coored and his father white man. lie
lived on the plantation oil his owner,
Colonel Edward Lloyd, until he was ~
years old
Lucretia Aud, the daughter of his mas
ter, was very kind to him, and transferred
nephew. His new mistress Sophia Aud,
taught him his alphabet, without the
knowledge OF her husband, who promptly
forbade it when he learned of it. The pro-
hibition only whetted the young slaves
desire for knowledge.
His reading lessons were then taken
from little school boys OH the street and
in out.of-the- way places The pavement
and fences became his copy-books and
blackboards. When IL years old lie was
put to work in his masters shpyard.
There he practicedl writing by initiating
different letters on different parts OF the
ships, and made surprising progress.
FIRST THOUGHTS OF FREEDOM,
At the age of Is he was taken from this
easy life and placed on Il farm, where he
had to work hard and was often brutally
punished. Reused to desperation he sue.
cessfully resisted his masters attempt to
tlog him. This daring resistance put a new
life into him.
He was never again punished, but the
desire for liberty was unquenChable. He
planned an escape for himself and two
Others, but the plot was discovered, and he
was thrown into prison and exposed Tor
sale. His master refused to sell him, how
ever, and sent him back to Baltimore.
There he learned to caulk vessels.
ESCAPED FROM SLAVERY.
After q years service there he escaped
from slavery on September 3D. 1888. He
married Anna Murray, g free woman, and
went to New bedford Mass. He worked as
stevedoTe on whalers and often spoke at
public meetings on matters touching his
race. His eloquence attracted the aiten-
ton of the Abolitonists and he was
induced to give all his time to the cause eli
his people.
He was employed by various State
societies until 1913, when he was sent by
the New-England Anti-Slavery Society Ia
hold 100 ant-slavery conventions from
New Hampshire to Indiana. In the last
named State he was set upon by Il mob and
had his right hand broken.
by mentioning his former master s name
in a narrative OF his life, be became in
1874 liable to arrest as a runaway, and had
to go to England. lie was ransomed tllree
years later by Two English women fol
$3.50, and then returned to the United
States.
For 16 years thereafter he published q
weekly paper i'll Rochester, n. T., cnlleG
first the North ,Star and later kjg3ertch
Douglass Paper, and also lectured all ovel
the Northern States until Lincoln's eman
cipalion proclamation crowned the Ions
fight
INDICTED AS JOHN BROWNS HELPER.
In 1859 he was indicted for connection
with the John Brown raid. and for Il time
took refuge in England. He favored arm
ing the slaves at the outbreak OF the eiv
war, and helped TO raise two colored regi
ments in Massachusetts, in which two o.
his sons were non-conimissioned officers
The later incidents of his life, includin.
the official positions he held as United
States marshal and afterward recorder o.
deeds of this district, his foreign mission
to IIayti and Santo Domingo, and hi
editorial labOrs in this civ made hin