, 1872-11-30

IVY ~
at Chappaqua, he was accompanied by Mr.
johnson and his son. Mr. johnson,
Jr., chopped down the lower limb
of q hemlock tree which narrowly missed his
fathers head" What do you mean ?' cried out
Mr. johnson, sr., do you want to kill me, Will;
Ie?" TT wish somebody would kill me-,
responded Mr. Greeley, in a voice Of e1trem3
sadness.
l1r. Greeley always said he 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 deBpondent than ever. Georgia
gave the Democrats o rousing majority on the
Sd Of October, and his spirits rose proper
tionately; but when six days later Ohio and
Pennsylvania gave large majorities for the Ad-
'ministration candidates, and while tie result in
Indiana was still in doubt, he becane utterly
despondent, and for the first time his most III
innate friends began to perceive that the defeat
in November might prove fatal to him. He
talked once Of offering the portfolio of Secre-
tary Of State to A1r. Charles Francis Adams, and
in the next breath he would lament large fall
ing off in the subscription list Of the Tribune
Such ontbursts Of incoberent expres-
aions, followed by expressions Of rage.
now become more frequent and sponta~
taneous. They came involuntarily.
IS it were, and always excited anxious appre-
tensions among his friends. But they were at
tributed to the fact that he was too much de-
prived Of sleep while watching beside his wife.
at length, on the morning Of Oct. 30, Mrs.
Greeley died. When the widowed husband WAS
informed Of his Wife's death, he wrung his
hands, cried like child, and said,
"Oh why didn't you let me sit
up with her." "Why did you
send me to bed" My poor wife," ''My poor
wife," Two days afterwards Mrs. Greeley was
buried Her remains we're followed to the grave
by large concourse Of people, all of whom no
ticed Mr. Greeleys grief. He returned after
the funeral to Mr. Johnaon's, and, instead Of in
teresting himself about his daughters and the
future, gave way wholly to detection It was
then he showed the first positive evidences Of
mental arrangement.
The November election seemingly did notinter-
esthim. His defeat did noteeemt to surprise him.
He deceived his friends by receiving the news
with perfect Indifference. It was noticed about
this time that he would tell bis private business
to every one with whom he was brought in con-
tact, and to each one he told different story of
his defeat, his troubles, and the infidelity
Of his supposed friends. He would at times
denounce the Democratic party, whom he would
accuse Of selling out to the Administration;
then he would violently criticise the course pur-
sued by the opposition newspapers, and especial
ly the Encouragement Of the Tribune, and his
fatal mistake in allowing his name to be used as
a candidate for the Presidency. Mr.. Alvin J.
johnson WAS his most intimate friend. One
evening, while holding his hand, Mr.
Greeley said to him, "a. j., do
you know I made a terrible mis-
take about 11r. Dana. He was right about
on to Richmond Yes, I am satisfied now
that he was right about it," Often after that,
when he WAS unable to sleep, and while his dis
ease WAS yet in it's incipiency, Mr. Greeley
would take Mr. johnson to his room, and, with
hands clasped, he would impart to him the
most intimate secrets of his heart. One
morning he said to h[r. Johnson, as
the latter Was leaving his house, &c Meet me at
the Tribune office at 2 o'clock this afternoon.
have private communication to
make to you" At the appointed
hour Mr. johnson Vas there, but Mr.
Greeley declined saying anything except Meet
me at Sam Sinclair's at 6 o'clock tonight. I
want to see you" Mr.. johnson went there
at the time, and found Mr. Greeley
asleep. h1r. Sinclair and Alr. George Ripley
we're in another room. Alr. Greeley slept for
some time, but when at length he awoke his
mind seemed gone. h[r. Sinclair begged him to
remain there; to go to bed. He quietly assented,
and then turning to Mr. johnson said, "a. j.,
take me home with you, won't you?''
Mr. Ripley also begged Mr. johnson to
do SO, but although it was even early in
the evening it Was midnight before they reached
FHty-seVenth street.
Some days before that, DR.. Edward Bayard,
the late Mrs. Greeleys medical attendant,
noticed that Ar. Greeley had restless and few
erlsh appearance. He is homnopathist, but
kindly prescribed for his old friend, as he cor
rectly 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 over his
shirt front, and when reminded what he had
done, said "Oh, never mind it; it's just rs good
outside as in" The following morning Mr..
Greeley was more restless and haggard in ap-
pearance than eyer. Mr. johnson sent for
his family physician, DR.. E. Kracko-
wizer, Chief Surgeon Of the German
Hospital. DR.. Krackow1zer recognized the case
as serious one, and at once resorted to the
most energetic treatment At first it seemed as
though the malady would yield to the treatment,
and at times the patient became gentle in dispo-
sition, perfectly rational, and in apparent
good health. 1t was during this Pc
riod that he wrote his card resuning the
editorship Of the Tribune, published on
Nov. Z. He .:was inexpressibly shocked while
reading the Tribune On the following morning
to find an editorial article headed tsCrumbs Of
Comfort" occupying as conspicuous position
as his card. This article, it will be remembered,
spoke Of the Tribune as having been used as "a
sort Of Federal employment agency" and said
that for the last twelve years *fevory red
nosed politician who had cheated at the
CAUCUS and fought at the polls looked to the
editor of the Tribune to secure his appointment
as Gauger, or as army chaplain, or as Minister
to France" and then closed with an insult to the
friends who had stood by AIr. Greeley during
the campaign. twas written under the super
vision Of lIr. Whitelaw Reid vho had |