The Van Buren press., 1896-10-31

preceding death. The watchers saw it
and sent down stairs for DR.. Holmes.
Judge Crisp s two daughters, Mrs. Fred
Davenport and Miss Bertha Crisp, and
two sons, Mr.. Charles F. Crisp, Jr i,
and Mr.. Fred Crisp, were at the Ballard
House ON Peachtree street. They were
quickly summoned. When they entered
the room Judge Crisp was still con-
scious. He gave them look of recog
milton, breathed few times and died.
He could not speak. So quickly had
the dread messenger come that the
stricken family stood appalled, in the
death chamber. Mr.. Crisps death,
while apparently thus 80 sudden, was
not unexpected by the physicians who
have been watching his health. He has
been declining for several years. His
last illness, however, was directly oc-
casioned by an attack of malarial fever,
which he contracted at his home,
Americas, a few weeks ago, but which
itself yielded to treatment when he came
to Atlanta. He was considered conval-
escent, and only last Sabbath had driven
out. But when renewed health seemed
within view, he was attacked by con-
gestion of the lungs, which, added to
the weakness of the lungs and heart
caused by two previous attacks OF
pleuro- pneumonia, resulted in his death
this afternoon.
Mr.. Crisp was the choice of the Dem
oerats of Georgia to succeed Senator j.
b. Gordon in the United States senate,
and would have been chosen to that
position by the legislature at its ap-
preaching session had he lived.
His untimely death throws the polit-
ical situation into chaos, and makes
the choice of senator a matter of great
uncertainty. The legislature is almost
unanimously for free silver, however,
cate of that policy.
Speaker Crisp s death was not alto
gether surprise in political circles, as
it had been known for some months that
he had not long to live, and never again
could be an active figure in public
affairs. The speaker had several spells
of illness in Washington. He suffered
from asthma and later from heart
trouble. His illhealth, however, did
not become a matter of public notoriety
until last spring, when by reason of the
advise of his physicians that it would
imperil his life for him to continue the
debate with ex Secretary Hoke Smith,
which had attracted state as we'll as
national interest, by reason of the fact
that it involved the position of the DEM
ocratic party of the state on the silver
question as we'll as the senatorship from
Georgia, for which the ex speaker was
an active candidate. The speaker won
the fight, and Mr.. Crisp, had he lived,
would have been the next senator from
Georgia.
He was forceful speaker man of
great tact, and possessed of other quail
ties that eminently fitted him for leader
ship in parliamentary assemblage.
As speaker, Mr.. Crisp was fair but
firm. His rulings have been upheld,
and though sometimes they were the
subject of considerable criticism from
his political opponents, he always com
manded their respect and confidence.
He was pronounced advocate of the
free coinage of silver, and on one occa-
sion his casting vote as speaker saved
from defeat free coinage bill. On the
other hand it was largely due to his
firmness in ruling that the house passed
the Sherman repeal law, his ruling de-
feating formidable filibustering move
ment, led by Mr.. Bland, of Missouri,
and others.
Mr.. Crisp was an Englishman by
birth, and in his early life had been
identified with the stage.
Gov. Atkinson heard the news of Mr..
Crisps death at the executive Office and
Immediately ordered the Georgia flag
over the capitol placed at half mast.
He said:
Mr.. Crisps death is particularly a
calamity Just at this time. He had at
tanned position where he was not only
one of the most valuable men of our
state, but was national character of
which all Georgians were proud. | re-
garded him as the most conspicuous
man before the nation of all Southern
men. His position as speaker of the
house had brought him more promi
nently before the country than any other
Southern man, and the magnificent
ability which he displayed in sustaining
himself as a leader there had made its
impress upon the whole country to such
an extent that he was regarded every
where as one of the foremost men of
America. Personally he was one of the
most lovable men, and outside of the
loss to the public, his death will be a
personal grief to thousands of his fell
low countrymen.
Ex- Secretary Hoke Smith said: II
was thrown with Judge Crisp constantly
in Washington and | am deeply dis
tressed at his sudden death. His quick
ness, calmness and sound judgment
made him the natural leader of the
Democrats in the house of represent
atives. His kind and genial tempera-
ment gave him the love of all who knew
him. Although he had filled the highest
position given to Georgian in the
national councils since the days of
Howell Cobb, he especially desired a
seat in the senate, and his refusal to
accept the appointment rendered him by
Gov. Northern, was the clearest proof
of his unselfish patriotism. He had
just fairly won before the people of
Georgia seat in the senate; in that
body he would have added to his great
national reputation, and l regret sin
cerely that he has not been spared to
fill it. -
A number of kilograms of coincidence
have already been received, including
one from Secretary of War Lamont.
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