'Knives and razors, and every
instrument that could be used for self-destruction, were
removed from his reach.' Mrs. Edwards did not hesitate to
regard him as insane, and of course her sister Mary shared
in that view."
[Illustration: GENERAL JAMES SHIELDS.
From a photograph kindly loaned by C.B. Hall, New York. General
Shields was born at Dungannon, County of Tyrone, Ireland, in 1810;
came to the United States in 1826; located in Randolph County,
Illinois, and taught school there; was admitted to the bar in 1832,
and practised at Kaskaskia. He was elected to the legislature in 1836,
and there became acquainted with Lincoln. In 1841 he was made auditor
of public accounts of Illinois, and it was while holding this office
that he challenged Lincoln to mortal combat. In 1843 Governor Ford
appointed him an associate justice of the Supreme Court--an office
which he resigned two years later to become commissioner of the
general land-office. His gallantry in the Mexican War was such that he
was brevetted a major-general. The prestige which his military record
gave him made him a United States Senator in 1849. Defeated for
reelection by Lyman Trumbull in 1855, he removed to Minnesota. There,
May 12, 1858, he was elected to the United States Senate to fill a
vacancy, serving about ten months.
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