The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-08-29
HE is DEAD.
Ex-Governor Claude Matthews
of Indiana.
Finally Suecumbs to the Paral-
ytic Stroke by Which
HE WAS FRUSTRATED
Some Days Ago and Passes
Peacefully Away.
He Spoke But One Word Pre-
ViOuS to His Death.
HE WAS FRUSTRATED

Wingate, Ind, Aug. 2s.-At $50
o'clock Sunday morning, at the quiet
AIeharry homestead, where he was ia
ken Immediately after his sudden af-
Fiction, Ex-Governor Claude Matthews
passed away peacefully, surrounded by
the members of his immediate family.
There was prayer service. accompa-
MED by the singing of hymns, at the
bedside of the dying ex-governor. Mrs.
Matthews was very much affected, and
stated that she would give anything in
the world if her husband would mani
fest by a single word his faith in Jesus.
About o'clock the minister. in the
course of the services, asked the dying
man if he believed in Jesus. The an
swer, as plainly as anyone could artic-
ulate it, was yes"
The three physicians regarded this
answer as miraculous, as all agreed
that the particular part of the brain af-
fected by the paralysis was that gov
erntng speech, and that the ex-governor
would probably never have talked had
he lived. 1t was the only word he spoke
after he was stricken. He Immediately
lapsed into a profound coma, from
which he did not recover before he
passed away at $50 o'clock.
Mrs. Matthews will start from Win
gate this morning with the remains of
her husband, and will arrive at Clinton,
Ind, at 1 80 in the afternoon. From Gin
ton, the party will go direct to Hazel
Bluff farm, the home of the dead ex-
governor.
Out Of respect to the often-expresse
wish of Governor Matthews, the body
will not be taken to INDIANAPOLIS to lie in
state at the capitol The funeral will
occur Wednesday afternoon, at an hour
to be hereafter determined, and will be
held in the beautiful grove adjoining
the cemetery, as there is no church or
other edifce in Clinton of sufficient size
to accommodate the immense crowds
that will desire to attend the funeral.
Tomorrow the mayor of Clinton will
issue proclamation to the merchants
and others of the city calling upon
them to close their places of business
Wednesday so that everybody may be
given an opportunity to attend the fun
eral of their beloved fellow toWnsman.
While the arrangements for the fun
eral have not all been completed, it is
understood that the services in the
grove will be conducted by the Rev.
Mr.. w. F. Sanders, of Clinton, assisted
by the Rev. Mr.. Joseph A. Milburn, of
the Second Presbyterian church of In
annapolis who was Governor Mat
thews' pastor during his eight years
residence in the capital city. The re-
mains will be inferred in the family lot
in the cemetery near Clinton, where his
son, who died while attending the At
lanta exposition, is buried.
Mrs. Matthews received hundreds Of
kilograms and messages of coincidence.
of the state at the sudden death of the
ex-governor, and requested that the re-
mains be brought to Indianapolis to lie
in state at the capitol. In this he was
prominent citizens. To the governor
and mayor Mrs. Matthews replied that
Mr.. Matthews had often said to his
family that, when he died, he wanted
no pOmp nor parade and would not like
to have his body lie in state. Hence
other and more unostentatious arrange
ments had already been made for the
funeral. Governor Mount and staff will
attend the funeral at Clinton and a
SPECIAL train will leave Indianapolis
Wednesday morning to carry state Off
Governor Matthews was born in Bath
county, KY, the birthplace of Abraham
Lincoln, December Il, 1845. He left
Kentucky in 1888 and settled in Vermil-
lion county, Ind, where he had a farm
of 1000 acres. He organized the Indian
apOlis Shorthorn Breeders association
and was one of the founders of the Ma
tiOnal association of ShOrthorn Cattle
Breeders Of the United States and Can
ada. Although having always a strong
prediction for politics, Mr.. Matthews
rarely sought office. He served a term
in the legislature in 1876. In 1890 he was
nominated and elected secretary of
state, and in 1892 he was chosen COVER
nor.
Governor Matthews was related,
through his mother. to some of the best
families of Virginia and Kentucky. He
was the son of Thomas A. Matthews
and Eliza A. Fletcher. His maternal
great grandfather, General Thomas JEFF
ferson Fletcher, was an officer in the
United States army in the war of 1912.
When his term as governor expired,
Mr.. Matthews retired to his home in
VermilliOn county. In 1895 the friends
of Mr.. Matthews resolved to make him
a conspicuous candidate for the Demo-
cratic presidential nomination. The
state convention was enthusiastically
in favor of his nomination by the ma
tional Democratic convention which
met in Chicago in July, 1896. Mr.. Mat
thews Endorsed the action of the con-
vention and Immediately began a most
brilliant canvass for Messrs. Bryan and
Sewell. He never faItered for an in
slant, but continued actively at work
until the polls were closed in November
of that year.
On January z, 1858. he married Mar
tina R. WhitcOmb, daughter of the late
James Whitcomb, who was governor of
Indiana from 1S43 to 1849. and was aft
erward United States senator from this
state.
Mr.. Matthews attained wide celebrity
while governor by driving out the Roby
gamblers.
"BURIED GOLD" FAKE