Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1898-08-31
EX- GOVERNOR Is DEAD.
One OF lndiana's FaVorite Sons and
Prominent in the DEM
OCratiC Party.

Charlottesville, Ind, Aug. 29.-Claude
Matthews, ex-governor Of Indiana and the
leading candidate of the Indiana Democrat
cy for the United States Senate, died SulI-
day morning at 6:14 at the country man
sion of Isaac NJ. Meharry, TO which he
was taken Immediately after receiving a
stroke of paralysis while addressing the
Old Settlers meeting at Meharry's grove
Thursday.
His death was a painful one, appar-
entity. and came just as the sun rose over
the hills. The grief of the bercaved fam
lily was poignant. and that Of the friends
assembled was scarcely less so. All day
hundreds Of people throngCd TO the Me
harry home from al the country side
leaving messages of coincidence and flow
ers. Scores of sympathetic messages by
wire and telephone also poured IN
throughout the day.
Early in the afternoon messenger ar
rived from Mayor Taggart of Indianapo-
lis expressing the sympathy and condo
lence of the people Of Indianapolis ana
expressing their desire and wish that the
body of Mr.. Matthews be brought to that
city to lie III state at the capitol, II only
a few hours. Mayor Taggart said that
all arrangements would be attended to
by the indianapolis friends of the fami-
~, and special train provided to convey
the body and funeral party to the city.
This feeling request Mrs. Matthews
and her daughters declined, stati-g that
they wished the last rites to be unat-
tended by any demonstration or show
The body will be taken to CayUga, and
thence to the family home at Clinton, at
which place the funeral will take place
on Wednesday at an hour to be deter
mined after the arrival of the family at
home. The funeral is planned to be a
lint hor no q
dreds will journey to the Matthews farm
from all parts of the state to be present
at the OhSeQuieS
Gov. Matthews was predisposed to
paralysis. and is said to have had a
slight touch of it several years ago. lie
was when stricken the only living eX-
governor of the commonwealth.
Gov. Matthews was born III Bath cOun-
ty. Ky. the birthplace Of Abraham Lin
coin, December II, 1915. He left Ken
lucky in 1868 and settled III Nerinillion
county, Ind. where he had Il farm of 2OOO
acres. He organized the Indiana Short
HON Breeders association and was one OF
Of Short-Horn Cattle Breeders OF the
United States and Canada.
Although always having strong Dredl-
lection for politics, Mr.. Matthews rarely
sought office. He served a term III the
Legislature in 1876. In 1890 he was
nominated ana elected secretary Ol Sldte
and in 1892 he was chosen governor.
Gov. 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-grandfa-
Their. Gen. Thomas Jefferson Fletcher,
was an officer in the United States army
of 1872. After his term as governor eX-
pircd Mr.. Matthews retired to his home
in EprI6illion county
In 1896 the friends of Nh Matthews
resolved to make him a conspicuous can
didate for the Democratic presidential
nmoinatiOn. The state convention was
enthusiastically in favor of his nomina-
ton by the national Democratic conven-
tion which met iii Chicag in July, 1896.
Mr.. Matthews indorsed the action of
the national Democracy and immediate
~ began a most brilliant campaign for
Messrs. Bryan and Sewall. He never
faltered for an instant, but continued ac-
lively at work until the polls were closed
in November of that year.
On January {, 1865. he married Martha
r. Whitcomb, daughter of the late
James WhitcOmb. who was governor of
Indiana from 1913 to 1S49 and was af-
terward United States senator from this
state. Mr.. Matthews attained wide
celebrity while governor by driving out
the ROby gamblers.