The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1896-10-24
Ex-sPEAKER CRISP DEAD
PASSED AWAY SUDDENLY AF TER
CONTINUED iLL-HEALrH
Would Certainly Have Been U. S. Sena-
ter, and His Death Complicates
The Situation.

The end came at quarter to two
o'clock Mr.. Crisp has been an inmate
of the Sanatiarium of DIR. Holmes of
this city for several weeks. His con-
dition had been reported as very low,
but no fatal conclusion to his illness
had been expected so soon. Mr.. Crisp
had been in intense pain all day. Every
few minutes he would suffer greatly.
But no danger was feared at such an
early moment. His wife, together with
sanitarium nurse, Miss Sharp were
watching at his bedside.
At about quarter of two o'clock
Mr.. Crisp was seized with another
attack and quite suddenly he passed
into the calm of death. The watch
ers saw it and sent down stairs for
Dr. Holmes. Judge Crisp's two
daughters, Mrs. Fred Davenport and
Miss Bertha Crisp and his two sons
Mr.. Chas. II. Crisp, Jr., and Mr.. Fred
| Crisp were at the Ballard house on
Peach Tree street. They were quick
| ly summoned When they entered the
room Judge Crisp was still conscious.
He gave them a look of recognition,
breathed a few times and died. He
could not speak. So quickly had the
dread messenger come that he strick-
en- family stood appalled, in the death
chamber.
Mr.. Crisp's death while apparently
thus so sudden was not unexpected by
| the physicians who have been watch
| ing his health He had been declining
| for several years. His last illness, how
ever, was Immediately occasioned by
an attack of malaria fever which he
contracted at his home, Americus,
| few weeks ago, but which itself yield
| ed to treatment when he came to At
lanta. He was considered convalescent
] and only last Sunday had ridden out.
| DIR. J. 3. S. Holmes, director of the
| Ha1cyon Sanitarium made the follow
ing statement of his illness and the
manner of the end:
Judge Crisp had been in ill-health
| for the past six or eight months. He
| had been suffering for two or three
years with intense pains, coming at
intervals in the chest.
''He had two attacks of pneumonia,
| one about four years ago the other
| about two years ago.
| sOn account of i'll health he had to
give up his joint debates last summen
| with Hon. Hol1e Smith. After the
4
IN. c., and spent some time there. From
there he went to Tate Springs, and re-
mained until about the middle of
August, then going to his home in
Americus. There he was taken with
malariaI fever. He came here to the
Sanitarium on the 10th of September.
examined him carefully and found
every evidence of his previous attacks
of pleuro-pneumoDia. His fever yield
ed to the treatment and ten days ago
he was considered convalescent. He
was out driving several times last week,
even as late as last Sunday and was
feeling unusually well on that day.
Sunday he was attacked with con-
gestion of the lungs. He suffered in
tensely all day. Monday night sand
Tuesday he was still in bed He was
better Wednesday.
Yesterday he had favorable day
and was decidedly better than any
day since last Sunday night The
lung trouble yielded very satisfac-
torily to the treatment. Last night
he was visited with very severe pains
in the chest that occurred at very
short intervals. He continued to have
| these paroxisms until las this after
noon when he suddenly expired, prob
ably from rupture of the heart as the
result Of fatty degeneration"
| Definite arrangements have not been
completed concerning the funeral, but
it is understood that his body will ulti-
mately rest at his old home in Ameri-
Gus, among the people who loved so
well to honor him.
| Mr.. Crisp was the choice of the Dem
ocrats of Georgia to succeed Senator
Jno. b. Gordon in the United States
Senate and would have been chosen
TO that position by the Legislature al
its approaching session had he lived.
| His untimely death throws the poll
| tieal situation into chaos and makes
thee hoice of Senator a matter of great
| uncertainty The Legislature is al.
most unanimously for free silver, how.
ever, and whoever is named will be an
advocate of that policy.
Il THE NEWS IN WASHINGTON
Il Washington, Oct. .23.-Speaker
Crisp's death was not altogether a sur
prise 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 Ill health, however, did not become
a matter of public notoriety until the
past spring, when he was compelled
to abandon series of joint debates
arranged with ex-Secretary Hol1e Smith
by reason of the advice of his physician
that it would imperil his life for him
to contiue the debate, which had at
tracted great State, as well as National,
interest, by reason of the fact that ii
involved the position of the Demo
cratic party of the State ON the silver
question, as well as the Senatorship
from Georgia, for which the ex-Speaker
was an active candidate. The silver
men won their fight and Mr. Crisp,
had he lived, would have been the
next Senator from Georgia. He was a
foroeful speaker, but man Of great
tact and possessed of other qualities
that eminently fitted him for leader
ship in parliamentary assemblage.
| His first prominence in national affairs