Omaha daily bee., 1899-11-02
ALVIN SAUNDERS Is DEAD
Strength Gives Out at Last and His Death
Comes Like Sleep,
END OF LONG AND USEFUL PUBLIC CAREER
Personal Friend of Abraham Lincoln
ana Twice Appointed by Him Ter
rttoriaI Governor of Nebraska
Sketch of His Life.

Ex-Governor Alvin Saunderu died at
o'clock yesterday morning at his home on
Sherman avenue at the age of So years. He
passed away easily and naturally and his
death seemed TO the members of the family
gathered around tho bedside as though he
had merely gono from perfect consciousness
into gentle sleep.
Governor Saunders end has been expected
almos: hourly for the last ten days. His
strength first began falling shout six months
age, when hio heart showed signs OF CIV
ing out, and the members OF the family
knew that his death could not be long de-
layeL. Only once or twice since then has
he been able to leave the house for drive
with hie physician or a turn In wheel
chal;.
In spite of his extreme age and his
physical infrmities he hac had fun pos
session OF his mental faculties and con-
tinued SO until within few moments OF his
| death.
The governors WIFE, his daughter, MIRO.
/ Russell B. Harrison; his son, Charles l..
| Saunders, and his physician, DR.. Hanchett,
| were present when he passed away. He was
| perfectly rational until within few
| moments OF his death.
"Ho simply went to Sleep said Dr.
Hanchett; "he suffered no pain whatever
| 1t was an ideal death. 1t was the NEST
beautiful death or passing away that have
| witnessed in my twenty years practice.
asked him several times during the night II
| he was suffering any pain, and each time
he replied: No, Doctor I gave him little
water or Ice now and then. He swallowed
water up to within ten minutes CT his dea h
| Within tho last day or two we talked
occasionally If a future life, and upon one
occasion he said: Doctor, don't know, but
| l believe in Immortality
| His Last Days. ,.
Governor Saunders death removes one
more of the few survivors whose lives con-
meet with the early history of the middle
| west He was largely instrumental In the
nomination of Abraham Lincoln as presi-
dent. He was chairman of the Iowa dele
cation to the national republican conven-
tion held in Chicago in 1860. While others
were trying to support Seward and Bates, he
exerted all his efforts in behalf Of Lincoln,
who as a reward appointed him governor Of
the Nebraska territory. The last signature
evsr written by Lincoln was obtained by
Governor Saunders and is the most highly
priced souvenir in the possession OF the
Saunders family Governor Saunders late
in the afternoon Of the day Of the assassina-
tion called upon President Lincoln to get
his governors commission renewed for the
second term. The president signed the COM
mission and remarked that he was going
to the theater in the evening with party OF
, friends. Next morning Governor Saunders
while on his way to Omaha picked up a
morning paper in Pittsburg and was greatly
, shocked upon reading the news of the as.
sassinaton
Governor Saunders was closely associate
|
J was Mrs. Saunders uncle. Mrs Saunders
was living at Senator Harlans home in
, Washington, and it was there that Gov.
: ernor Saunders hrst met her. Harlan be-
! came secretary of the interior. His daugh
j ter married Robert Lincoln.
9 Senator Harlan, who died recently at !,
: very old age, visited &C vernon Saunders onl!
few weeks ago, realizing that the tim
: was near at hand for them to part in thi
> life. Contrary to expectation the senate
died first and Governor Saunders was neve
+ apprised CT his death. Aware that his EN-
e was near, the latter asked some time ag
' to see some of his old fr..nds in Omaha
, among them Edward Rosewater and ELI
e Bierbower. Later he expressed wonder tha
e Mr.. Bierbower did not come to see him
e not knowing that his old friend had died.
a J. Biographical Sketch.
Alvin Saunders was a native of Femin
e county, Kentucky, where he was born Jul
;, 12, 1877. His father was farmer and, a
educational advantages were then meager /
that region, his opportunities for schoolin
were limited When Alvin was IL years oil
, the family moved to a location near Spring
IT field, H., and as that country was then yer
). sparsely settled, his opportunities wer
y scarcely better. Three months at the dis
: trct schSol each winter was all that wa
y available, but his natural taste for stud
10 led him to supplement his schooling by
course of reading, through which he at
quired vast amount of general informa
. ton.
L When he was 10 years old Alvin obtane
3 his fathers consent to strike out for himse
:. and he went 20 what is now the site OF MouI
,e Pleasant, la. Here he obtained work on
6 farm, but subsequently exchanged this OF
% cupation for that of clerk in a small dl
goods store During this time he added
st his education by attending night school ar
. as soon as he had accumulated little none
he took an academy course, in which |