The Irish standard., 1901-01-05
1GnAI1us poNNELLY IS DEAD.

Alter seeing Dut tle lrSt Jay OF Tie
twentieth century Ignatus Donnelly.
the we'll known author, statesman and
orator, passed away suddenly in tlris
city ut the age of CD years. He had
spent the afternoon of New Years day
in the office of The Representative
writing editorials for his paper, and
was apparently in the best of health.
After finishing his last copy he dined
with his wife and her parents ut six
O'Clock and then complained of feel
ing ill., He grew rapidly worse and
died of heart failure Il few minutes
past midnight
In the death of Iglmtius Donnely,
the State of Minnesota has lost one
of HE greatest of her adopted sons.
He WAS a native of Philadelphia and
the son of an Irish physician who died
from a contagious disease caught from
Il patient in one of the city hospitals.
His mother was born in the city of
Brotherly Love.
After graduating from high school
he took a three years course in law
and was admitted to the bar In 1851
he married an estimable and accom-
plished lady, who was Il teacher in the
public schools. and two years after
ward they both came West and settled
i'm st. Paul. The surviving children
by that marriage are Stan J. DOnnelly,
of the law firm Of Cannon T. Donnelly.
st. Paul: DR.. Ignatius Donnclly. of
Butte, Mont, and Mrs. George NJ. Gil
tinan of five surviving sisters is
Miss Eleanor G. Domelly. of Philadel-
phia. who is we'll known in the Cathn-
lie literary world as Il poctess and au-
thOress.
His first wife, to whom he was ten
derby attached. died about six years
ago. and in 1897 he married his young
stenographer, Miss Marion Hanson, IN
attractive and Intelligent Norwegian
lady who materially assisted him in
his literary work. Notwithstanding the
disparity in their age. he being 66
while she was only 30. they lived hap
PLY and comptibly to the end.
Ignatius Donnclly was elected first
lieutenant governor of Minnesota in
1859, and was reelected at the eXpira-
tion of his term. In 1861 he was elect
cd to Congress and twice succeeded
himself. During the Civil War he>was
a loyal son of the Union and encour-
aged the enlistment of Minnesota
troops. While in Washington he
achieved national distinction by his
Oratory and clcvernrss in debate.
Through combination headed by the
Washhurns, whom he eNcoriAted in a
famous speech in Congress. he was de-
feated for a fourth term. Tho late
Anthony Trollopc. the English novelist,
listened to Donnelly's invectivc against
the Washburn family and gives ex-
tracts from it as specimens of rhetoric
nj vituperation. After his defeat for
Congress lie twice refused nominal
ton, but in 1870 he ran Independently
and lost by a narrow margin. In 1872
he took the stump for Greeley against
Grant and was elected the following
year to the state senate from Dakota
county. He broke away from the
Republican party and was granger.
an anti-monopolist and populist in
succession. Last year he was the vice
presidential candidate on the Populist
ticket and stood on the Omaha plat
form, of which he was the author.
In literature Ignatius Donnelly has
a worldwide reputation. His "Atlan-
tbs" attracted universal attention. 1t be-
ing a production Of startling theories
and bold assertions. 1t was followed
by "Raguarock" in which he attempted
to prove that the deposits of the drift
age We're the result of collision be,
tween the earth and comet. 1t was
ridiculed by the biologists. but twenty
editions of it have been published in
various languages.
T. = 3