The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-06-06
STEPHEN CRANE DEAD
wELL-KNOwN AMERICAN AUTHOR
sUCCUMBs TO CONSUMPTION.
Was War Correspondent and Wrote
Several Stories of the Slums of
New York-Other Deaths.

BADENwEILER, Baden. June o.
Stephen Crane, the American author, died
here to-day. aged thirty years. Mr.. Crane
had been i'll with consumption for long
time Recently he came TO the BLACK For
est" but the change did not benefit him.
LONDON, June 5.-The afternoon news
papers, chronicling the death of Stephen
Crane. speak in warm terms of the Ameri-
can novelist. The st. James Gazette says:
1.-The loss of one of the most brilliant of
present day writer's will be as deeply felt
by the English as by the American nation. ;"
Stephen Crane was born in Newark, n.
j., Nov. 1. 1871. and was son of the Rev.
Jonathan Townley Crane. a Methodist min
lister. whose last pastorate was in Port
Jervis. where he died and where his son
Stephen received part of his education in
the public schools He first became success
full after practical failure as New York
reporter by 1.-The Red Badge of Courage"
although not long before that appeared he
had attracted the attention of Howells and
Garland by the strenuous realism with
which he sketched metropolitan slum life
Soon after THE Red Badge Of Courage"
had gained big sale the young author ap-
peared as the champion of a notorious
"tenderlion" character, Dora Clarke. She
was standing on a corner waiting for
Crane. who was helping two women into a
car Passing detectives arrested the girl
and Mr.. Crane appeared at the station
house to support the girls plea of inno-
cence. He also appeared in court next
morning and later. with Dora Clarke, pre-
ferred charges against the detectives.
Nothing came Of the charges because of
the Clarke girls reputation. At the time
he was studying "tenderlion'' characters.
with an idea of writing a new novel.
The Cranes were a family of note in CO.
lonial days, several Of his progenitors play
ing prominent parts in the struggle for
American independence. On his mother
side Mr.. Crane was descended from long
line of Methodist clergymen. which. per-
haps, in a measure. accounts for his in
Prospective and analytical style.
He studied at Lafayette College and
Syracuse University, but took no degree,
finding 1t hard to stick to a curriculum.
His mission was to write. and he began al
the age of sixteen. At twenty he produced
his first novel, Maggie" which met with
a rather cold reception, but brought him
the commentator and friendship of VIII
liam Dean Howells. Hamlin Garland and
other critics. The volume called 1.-The Black
Riders is original in the highest degree
rhyme and meter. 1.-THE Red Badge of
Courage" which gave its author an effec-
tive introduction to the American public.
and on which Mr.. Cranes reputation chief
ly rests, was brought out in 1894 in serial
form, and from that time his success was
assured. 1t was published in book form and
sold extensively in Europe. particularly in
England.
When Crane was student at Syracuse
he, in some way. incurred the dspleasure
of a professor, who succeeded in having
him expelled. The Greek war broke out,
and Crane was sent to "cover" ii for a
newspaper. One day he found himself with
a companion, between the two lines, and
could go in neither direction. They fingered
in the hills, and as they lay under tree
one night and were about ready to go to
sleep, the sound of breaking twigs aroused
them. Out into the moonlight stepped a
man. 1t was Cranes old professor, who
had come to the country to study the
archaeological remains, and had lost his way
| in the hills. He had been wandering around
for three days, eating berries. Crane, who
knew the country, took the old man under
his care and finally saw him well within
| the Greek lines. In telling the story Crane
said: THE professor used to tell me
would end my days in prison, and my as
sistance there in the hills was the sweetest
revenge a man ever secured" Crane wrote
| his novel, "Active Service" out of that in
| cident