Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1896-10-24
EX.sPEAKER CRISP DEAD.

second Congresses, died at Holiness
Sanitarium: Atlanta, yesterday after
noon. A paroxysm of pain in the heart
preceded death, the paroxym probably
resulting from a rupture of the heart as
theresult of fatty degeneration. MIR.
Crisp went to Atlanta six weeks ago
for treatment. He was then suffering
from a typical case of malarial fever,
which had developed at his home In
Americas. He spent June, July, and a
part of August in the mountains OF
North Carolina and Tennessee. His
return to middle Georgia during the
very hottest period of the summer de-
veloped the fever. After weeks treat
ment by Drs. HOLMES and Davis, the
fever disappeared and the judge i'm.
proved slowly. Last week he was out
driving several times. and was getting
stronger until Sunday night: when
he was attacked by symptoms Of
his old trouble, pneumonia. DIR. j..
S. Todd was called in and on Tues
day congestion of the lungs disappear
ed, but the patient was so weak that
Mrs. Crisp telegraphed for her children
and all came next day On Wednesday
and Thursday Mr.. Crisp's condition i'm
proved, but he received no callers. His
family were hopeful until 10 o'clock
Thursday night, when he had a parox'
ysm of pain near the heart. At mid
night there was another paroxysm, and
they continued at intervals all through
the night and forenoon. He suffered
intense pain, but was conscious up to
the very last. AT 100 his son, Charles
F. Crisp, jr, and his younger brother
and sisters went across the street to a
hotel for lunch, Mrs. Crisp remaining
with her husband. At Lao the pain re.
appeared. A messenger was sent for
the children, and they came hurriedly,
Just in time to get some last glances OF
recognition. Mr.. Crisp did not speak,
dying within five minutes OF the last at
tack. MIR. Crisp was one of the leaders
of the silver movement in Georgia and
! on that issue the State overwhelmingly
Endorsed him for the United States Sen
ate, to which he would have been elect
ed almost unanimously by the leglsla-
ture which meets next Wednesday.
His death at this time complcates the
situation and will lead to bitter fight
for the Senatorship. AT o'clock Gov.
Atkinson and soma representative
! Georgians met at the Santarium and
made arrangements for the funeral. AT
their request the family consented to
the remains lying in state at the CAPT
toll to-day 1t was the wish Of the citi-
zens Of Atlanta that the body be kept
at the capitol under military guard over
Sunday, too, but the family preferred
to return to their home in Americas.
The death of Mr.. Crisp removes from
the field of active politics one of the
ablest of the leaders of the democracy
for the past eight years. Personally
he was esteemed in every Congress
since the Forty eighth, in which he be-
came known to the national leaders Oh
both sides, and by none was he more
esteemed than by the present speaker,
Thomas B. Reed. His prominence be-
fore the nation was due largely TO his
position as Speaker of the House in the
Fifty-second and Fifty-third Con-
crosses. In the South he was especial
ly popular for his able championship OF
the democracy favored from that sec
ton since his appearance in Congress,
and notably his defense of the various
election laws of the southern States.
Although Mr.. Crisp went into official
life in the Forty-eight Congress, he did
not rise to any prominence either in
debate, committee or other position IN
til he ran for Speaker in the Fiftysec-
ond Congress. his opponents being
Springer, McAIillin, and Mills. He
defeated all of these, but by a
small margin. Mr.. Crisp's early
life was passed at Savannah, Ms-
con, Ellaville and Americas. The
fact that he was born at Sheffield,
England, where his parents were on q
visit, had often caused the remark, when
he was growing in power, that his for
eign birth would prevent his ever be-
ing a candidate for the presidency.
This was, however, only moot ques-
ton. 1t is said that the elder Crisp
was an actor and that the late Speaker
was born while the father was making
tour of England professionally. 1t is
further reported that Mr.. Crisp had
some theatrical pretensions himself.
This, however, he gave up when he
went into the war in 1861. After the
war he went to Ellavilie where he
studied law, and from there to Ameri-
Gus where be was appointed judge Of
the superior court OF that district. He
held this position for two successive APP
pointments and was elected as q man.
Der of the Forty-eighth Congress, his
opponent being w. 2. Pierce, who is
well.known in Washington, having
property there and in Virginia. He was
married when quite young. There was
some opposition to his marriage en- az
count of his youth, but the young people
took the case in their own hands and
opposition was withdrawn. Mr.. Crisp's
ailment took its origin in the excite
ment arising out of his joint debate
with Secretary Hoke Smith last sum-
mer. When he was forced to withdraw
from that debate for physical reasons
his friends persuaded him to enter the
Atlanta sanitarium for treatment. Mr..
Crisp was one of the best liked men in
Congress. He commanded the respect
of friends and opponents by his abilities
and his generally unruilled judicial
fairness, which was broken upon only
once or twice during the bitter contro-
versey with Speaker Reed over the
Reed rules. He served in the Confeder.
ate army and was made prisoner, was
admitted to the bar in 1866, became sue.
cessfully State collector general, Judge.