The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1881-09-24 00:00:00

DEATH OF GENERAL GARFIELD.

President Garfield died on Monday night shortly
after ten o'clock. The following official bulletin was
tssued after the President's decease :

" ELBERON, Sept. 19, 11.30 p.m.

"The President died at 10.35 p.m. After the issue
of the bulletin at 5.30 p.m. he continued in much the
lainu condition as during the afternoon, the pulse
Varying from 102 to 106, with rather increased force
and volume. After taking nourishment he fell into a
quiet sleep. About thirty-five minutes before his
death, and while he was still asleep, the pulse rose to
120, and was somewhat more feeble. At ten minutes
Part ten o'clock the President awoke and complained
bf a pain over the region of the heart. He almost im-
rnediately became unconscious, and ceased to breathe
at 10.35."

The Bulletin was signed by Drs. Bliss, Hamilton,
knd Agnew.
Previous to his death the only words spoken by the
President were that he had a severe pain in his heart.
It is supposed by the surgeons that death was caused
uY a clot of blood forming in that organ.

_
Dr. Bliss was the first person notified of the
President's expression of pain, and upon entering the
t°olll at once saw that the end was near.

The members of the President's family were im-
mediately summoned to the bedside. All arrived,
841 d ferfect quiet prevailed.
Mrs. Garfield bore the ordeal with great fortitude,
and exhibited unprecedented courage, giving way to
tl,O paroxysms of grief. After death became evident,
?me quietly withdrew to her own room.
There was not a murmur heard while the President
MIR sinking. After he had been pronounced dead by
e surgeons, the body was properly arranged by
voet.or Boynton.

ELI3ERON, Sept. 20.

Mr. M'Veagh arrived here at 11.20 last night from
Pranklyn Cottage, and made the following state-
ment :

"I sent my despatch to Mr. Lowel at 10.0 p.m.
" Shortly before that Dr. Bliss had seen the Presi.
gent and found his pulse to be 106 beats per minute,
411 d that all his conditions were then promising a quiet
rtight. _

"Dr. lilies asked the President if he was feeling
coraforfable in any way, and the President replied,
"Not at all.' _

"He shortly afterwards fell asleep, and Dr. Bliss
returned across the hall to his own room from that
02eupied by the President.
"Colonel Swaine and Rockwell. remained with the
,I)resident until about fifteen minutes past ten, when
nu awoke and remarked to Colonel Swaine that he Was
suffering great pain, placing his hand over his heart.
Dr. Bliss was summoned, and when he entered
;nu room he found the President substantially pulse-
"3BB. The action of the heart was almost indistinguish-
able, He said at once that the President was dying,
a.rid directed that Mrs. Garfield, and also the other
!loetors, should be called. The President remained
dying condition until 10.30, when he was pro-
"uaced dead. He died of some trouble of the heart,
mlPPosed to be neuralgia, but this, of course, is un-
eer,tain.
„ I notified Vice President A rtimr and sent a des-
vatull to Mr. Blaine and Mr. Luiculn, who are en
?ftee from Boston to New York."

.._President Garfield died quietly and without pain at
'33 minutes past 10. His death came so suddenly as to
Enulorise the medical men. At 10 minutes past 10, he
411aLict suddenly, "What a pain! Can't you do some-
"dug for me? Oh, Swaine !" (Swaine being the
rne of the friend who was sitting up with him.)
Pet fore this gentleman could throw the light of
"ue lamp upon the bed the President was in-
risible. Dr. Bliss was instantly called. He had
2111,Y to cross the hall, but before he could reach the
uenside the pulse had already stopped. Brandy was at
pOee injected, and ammonia and mustard were called
r. None were in the room or in the house, and
mounted messenger was at once despatched for
"In. Mrs. Garfield had been instantly sum-
!toned to the bedside, but there was nothing
I°r her to do, and she sat in the sick room,
Uttering no sound, while tears poured down her cheeks,
from time to time she almost mechanically stroked
ner husband's arm On the other side of the bed little
Rollie, his daughter, was weeping bitterly, leaning
11,13011 his shoulder, being no longer obliged to restrain
nor feelings for fear of disturbing him.

Before the return of the messenger with the re-
quired restoratives, and in less than half an hour
after all had retired with a feeling of comparative
BeeuritY, the eighty days' struggle was at an end, and
the brave sufferer had passed away unconscious and
without pain. An eye-witness of the final moments thus
illescribes the scene: Mrs. Garfield sat upon the beiside
oth
0l the hand of her dying husband. Dr. Hamilton
!bood on the other side, and the other doctors and the
.2-naily and friends were grouped about the bed. The
resident was breathing heavily and at increasing
intervals The doctors whispered to each other,
1)14
no other word was spoken. The heavy
ifJir.eathing of the President continued for about
nrcltteen minutes and then ceased. Consciousness did
u, return at .n. Death was absolutely painless.
hen all was over Mrs. Garfield quietly withdrew to
oer room. Half an hour later she returned, and sat
silently upon the bedside, the tears running in floods
over her cheeks, but still manifesting great self-
control.'

The first official intimation of the President's death
0.8 received by the American Minister in London at
I's quarter to six on Tuesday morning, the telegram
ng as follows :—" General Garfield died to-night
aDout eleven o'clock." This would be about four
o'clock in the monning by English time. The rnelan-
xell,.°lY intelligence was at once telegraphed to her
i'i!•Etiesty, who has made very frequent inquiries as to
:13 President's condition, and on all occasions offering
words of consolation and sympathy.

r, Queen Victoria sent the following telegram to Mrs.
nrfield.—. Words cannot express the deep sympathy
Lieel with you at this terrible moment. May God sup-
it and comfort you, as He alone can."

_Telegrams were received on Tuesday by the Ameri-
-14'4 Minister in London from the highest personages
111 the realm, and from a host of distinguished people,
an
regret at the death of the President.
ner Majesty forwarded a telegram in the following
Words :
"The Queen, Balmoral, to Mr. Lowell, United Stat e
Minister, London.
, "It is with deep grief that I and my children have
learn.t the sad, but not unexpected, news of the fatal
Ination of the sufferings of the President of the
united states. His loss is a great misfortune."
The

Prince of Wales telegraphed from Abergeldi
49 fOROWB
"rile Prince of Wales, Abergeldie, to the Minister of the
United States, London.
ts with deep sorrow that we learn that the
resident has passed away. The Princess and myself
"ai'Qeg to offer our sincere condolence to Mrs. Gar-
d."

th 111.4. Lowell telegraphed in reply to the Queen arid
tle rrince to say that he would at once communicate
neir expressions of condolence to Longbranch.

f The following telegram was received on Tuesday
Lord Granville :
Prorn Lord Granville .to J. R. Lowell, United States
_

Minister, London.
" Deeply grieved to receive your telegram, I
`tlave sent the following message direct to the
Qecretary of State Washington :--` I request you to
trire Mrs. Garfield and the Government of the
nited States of the grief with which Her Majesty's
if.°7erlarnent have received the announcement of the
Ivesident's death. Parliament is not sitting, and is
'nue prevented fr3m gi‘,ing formal expression to the
Bc'rrow and sympathy universally felt in this country—
a feeling which has been deepened by the long sus-
Dense, and by the courage, dignity, and patience
Bhcrwn by the illustrious sufferer."

The news of the President's death was immediately
4legraphed throughout the United States, and caused
N'ery great excitement. Crowds surrounded the
ulletin boards in the chief cities, and the newspapers
Issued midnight editions. The newsboys aroused
sleeping people everywhere. The bells of Trinity
Church, New York, were tolled at midnight, and at
tiongbranch the hotels were quickly aroused by the
nulling of messengers and coaches.
:the guards around Franklin Cottage were doubled,
With a view to preventing any approach or rush of
People towards the cottage, but the precaution was
unnecessary, as all kept at a respectful distance.

The comments of the Press throughout the United
?tates, without distinction of section or party, testify
the profound sense of the great loss. The Southern
Or/la's are especially earnest. They declare that by
Ve President's death the South and North are again
ought together. The Northern and New England
I:Durnals speak approvingly of his friendship for the
oouth and of his endeavours to serve and benefit the
whole country.

Guiteau received the news of the President's death
With great agitation, and said he would not have com-
illitted the deed if he had thought it was going to
aufte so much suffering. Groups of men have been
Reen round the prison, and it was feared they would
ndeavour to enter and lynch the assassin. The mill-
'4l7 guard is to be strengthened. ,

All the theatres in New Yolk were closed on Tues-
daY night, and all places of business and amusement
will be closed on the day of the funeral.

, The following brief telegralv was received on Tues-
:LaZ morning at the office of the American Exchange
14 London from their office in New York :—" Sept.
6.41 a.m.—The struggle is over, Death the victor,
rfield dead." The greatest gloom prevailed at the
change, and the deepest sympathy wasexpressed on
all hands.

„The Lord Mayor of London on entering the Justice-room of
Lue Manion Rouse on Tuesday, addressing Mr. Gresham,
he Chief clerk, said :-
-

Before the business of the Court begins, I trust I
IntaY be allowed to express, in the name and on behalf
of my fellow-citizens of London our deepest grk.f.,R,t
Lae sad news received this morning of the death of the
President of the United States. I feel sure that no
hearts in America beat more truly in deep sympathy
with the brave and devoted wife and the orphan
children of the late President than do those of the
ople of this country in their distressing calamity.
.pi.or is our feeling of sympatlg less acute with our
!E.lnsmen across the Atlantic in the poignant sorrow
tfteY are experiencing at the premature close of the
life of the distinguished head of their Government.
It is not the time to allude to the political or other

consequences of this event, but I will venture to say
that there never was a time in our history when the
great English-speaking communities in the Old
World and in the New were joined together in closer
bonds of amity and friendship than at this juncture,
and President Garfield will not have died in vain if
in the universal serrow occasioned by his death, a
great and lasting union between us and our American
brethren has been fostered and strengthened.

At the meeting of the Methodist (Ecumenical Con-
ference on Tuesday morning, the Rev. Dr. Pope, of
Canada, in the chair, the Rev. E. Jenkins, ex-Presi-
dent of the Wesleyan Conference, moved the follow-
ing resolution
"That this (Ecumenical Conference, assembled on the
last day of session, has learnt with the deepest grief the
intelligence of the decease of President Garfield, and expresses
its profound sympathy with the American nation, and in
particular with Mrs. Garfield, in this great sorrowful bereave-
ment."

The mover of the resolution remarked that on the first
day of the Conference the members of it sent across
the Atlantic a message to the wife of the late President
of the United States, expressing their deep sympathy
with her trouble and a fervent hope that her husband
might speedily recover. On this the last day of the
Conference he was going to move that a message be
sent to the widow of him whom God in his providence
had taken away. Nothing melted men like sorrow,
and this deep sorrow would, he was sure, unite more
closely the American and English nations. The Rev.
Dr. Douglas, of Canada, seconded the resolution,
which was passed in deep silence.