Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1872-12-06
HORACE GREELEY.
The Circumstances Attending His Last H.
ness and Death.
a soRRowFuL NARRATIVE.

ing details of the circumstances at
tending and preceding Mr.. Grceley's |
death, is from the New York San
Of the day succeeding the event.
Giving some account of Mr.. Gree
lcy's political tour through New
England and the West, the SIN
proceeds:
Mr.. Greeley always said lie did
not expect to carry either the state
Of Vermont or Maine, yet the result
Of the elections there September 4th
and 10th, respectively, made him
more Respondent than ever. Geor-
gia gave the democrats rousing
majority on the Sd of October, and
his spirits rose proportionately; but
when six days later Ohio and Penn
sylyania gave large majorities for
the administration candidates, and
while the result in Indiana was still
in doubt, he became utterly despon-
dent, and for the first time his most
intimate friends began to preceive
that the result in November might
prove fatal to him. He talked once
of offering the portfolio of secretary
of state to Mr.. Charles Francis
Adams, and in the next breath he
would lament a large falling off in
the subscription list of the Tribune.
Such outbursts Of incoherent ex
pressions, followed by expressions
of rage, now become more frequent
and spontaneous. They came in
voluntarily, as it were, and always
excited anxious apprehcnslons
among his friends. But they were
attributed to the fact that he was
too much deprived of sleep while
watching at the bedside OF his wife.
At length, on the morning of De-
tober 80, his wife died. When the
widowed husband was informed of
his wifc's death, he wrung his hands,
cried like child, and said: ooh
why didn't you let me sit up with
her." "Why did you send me to
bed" 'My poor wife" "My poor
wife, .'4vo days afterwards Mrc.
Greeley Mas buried. Her remains
were followed to the grave by q
large concourse Of people, all Of
whom noticed Mr.. Grceley's grief.
He returned after the funeral to Mr..
Johnson's, and, instead of interest
ing himself about his daughters and
the future, gave way wholly to de-
lection. 1t was then he showed the
first positive evidences Of mental
arrangement.
The November election seeming
ly did not interest him. His defeat
did not seem to surprise him. He
deceived his friends by receiving
the news with perfect indifference.
1t was noticed at this time that he
would tell his private business to
every one with whom he was
brought in contact, and to each one
he told a different story of his de-
feat, his troubles, and the infidelity
of his supposed friends. He would
1T lituto QCiIOuHIC IHc uciiloSldlit
party, whom he would accuse of
selling out to the administration;
then he would violently crticise
the course pursued by the opposi-
ton newspapers, and especially the
acknowledgement of the Tribune, and
his fatal mistake in allowing his
name to be used as candidate for
the presidency. Mr.. Alvin J. John
son was his most intimate friend.
Often when he was unable to sleep,
and while his disease was yet in its
incipiency, Mr.. Greeley would take
Mr.. Johnson to his room, and, with
hands claspod, he would impart to
him the most intimate secrets of his
heart. One morning he said to Mr..
Johnson, as the latter was leaving
his house, "Meet me at the Tribune
Office at 9 O'Clock this afternoon. l
have private communication to
make to you" At the appointed
hour Mr.. Johnson was there, but
Mr.. Greeley declined saying any
thing except HMeet me at Sam Sin
clair's at g o'clock tonight. Iwant
to see you" Mr.. Johnson went
there at the time, and found Mr.
Greeley asleep. Mr.. Sinclair and
Mr.. George Ripley were in another
room. DR.. Greeley slept for some
time, but when at length he awokc
his mind seemed gone. Mr.. Sin
clair begged him to remain there;
to go to bed. He quietly assented,
and then turning to Mr.. Johnson
said, GA. j., take me home with you,
won't your" Mr.. Ripley also beg,
ged Mr.. Johnson to do SO, but al
though it was even early in the
evening it was midnight before they
reached Fitth-seyenth street.
Some days before that, DIR. Ed
ward Bayard, the late Mrs. GreekY's
medical attendant, noticed that Mr..
Greeley had restless and teverish
appearance. lie is o Aomaopatlist
but kindly prescribed for his old
friend, as he correctly imagined
that he needed an andoyne. On
returning home on the night above
mentioned, Mr.. Johnson mixed one
of the powders and gave it to Mr..
Greeley. The latter in taking it
split half Of it oyer his shirt front,
and when reminded of what he had
done, said, ooh, never mind it; it's
just as good outside as in" The
following morning Mr.. Greeley was
more restless and haggard in APP
pearance than ever. Mr.. johnson
sent for his family physician, DIR.
F. Krackewizer, chief surgeon of
the German hospital. DR.. Kracke-
wizer recognized the case as a seri-
Gus one and ut once resorted to the
most energetic treatmens. At first
it seemed as though the ma!ady
would yield to the treatment, and at
times the patient became gentle in
disposition. perfectly rational, and
in apparent good health. 1t was
during this period that he wrote his
card resuming the editorship Of the
Tribune, published on Nov. I. He
was inexpresslbly shocked while
reading the Tribune On the follow