The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1872-12-05


Horace Greeley, the great Journal
ist, Philosopher. Statesman and PHI
lanthropist, died at the residence of
DR. Choate, near Chappaqua, at $50
p. n. on Friday last. =
The Tribune furnishes the following
account of tho Illness and last hours
OF Mr. Greeley =: segs sss -LsH1
So far as any of his associates knew,
Mr.. Greeley was in almost as good
health as usual when on the day he
wrote the card announcing his re-
sumption of editorial charge of the
Tribune, His sleeplessness was
known to become greatly. worse: but
for a year he had suffered more or less
from the same difficulty, and as is
now clear. sufficient allo Nv anee had not
been made for the intense strain upon
him throughout the summer, especial
ly during the last month of his wife's
illness. But it soon became evident
that his strength was unequal to the
hard task to which he set himself. He
wrote only three or four careful ,arti-
cles, not one of them half column in
length. The most notable, perhaps,
was that s entitled tConclusions,p
wherein he summed up his. view of
the canvass. In all he wroteless than
three and q half columns, after his re-
turn, contributing 10 only four issues
of the pa per. Several times he handed
his ,assista saors articles, saying !:
.eThere is an idea worth using, but /
have not felt able to work it out prop
erly. Yoa had better put IL in shape.nD
= At last, on Tuesday, the 18th inst,
he abandoned the effort to visit the
Office regularly, and sent for the fam
[ ily physician of Mr.. A. j. johnson,
the friend with whom he was guest
and in whose house his wife died.
Every effort was made to induce sleep,
but he grew. steadily orse, till it be-
came evident that his case was critic
al. DIR. George @. s. Choate and 9TH
ers were called in consultation, and
finally il was decided to take him to
DIR. Choate's residence, two or three
miles distant from Mr.. Greeley'so own
country house at Chappaqua. Here
he received the uninterrupting atten-
tiena of. Dr., Choate; and here DIR.
Brown-Sequard, DIR. Brown and. 9TH
ers were called in consultation The
insomnia had developed into infiama-
ton of the brain, and under this the
yenerated patient rapidly sank. At
times he was deiirious, at other times
as clear headed as ever. He lost flesh
and strength with startling rapidfty,
and in flew days the possibility of
his speedy death forced itself into un-
willing recognition. 9i8
II was not, however, till Thursday
that his associates and family brought
themselves to admit it and even then
they still chung to his faith in the Wig
or of his constitution. On Wednes-
day night he failed very rapidly
Thursday afternoon and evening he
seemed somewhat easier. During the
night he'slept very uneasily, mutter-
ing occasionally, and frequently rails
ing his right hand. Toward morn
ing he was moregquiet, and between
eight and nine o'clock fell into near
ly unconscious condition,g which con-
tinued with some intervals through
out the day. He made occasional ex-
clamations; but most of them in con-
sequence of his extreme weakness and
apparent inability to finish what he
begun, a.were unintelligible. About
moon, however, he said, quite distinct
ly, and with some force, II know that
my Redeemer iyeth.D ze.a
During the day he recognized vari-
GUS people-his daughter many times
the members of his household at
| Chappaqu8, Mr.. John r. Stuart and
| Mr.. Reid. On the whole he suffered
little, and scanned to have no more
than the ordinary restlessles which
accompanies the last stage.of disease.
During the day his extremeties were
cold, and there was no pulse at the
| wrist. The action of the heart was
very intermittent, and constantly di-
minishing in force. He had not ask
ed for water or been willing to drink
it since his stay at DIR. Choate's; but
during Friday he asked for it fire.
queptly, and mp to within haitian hour
of the end he manifested in various
was his consciousness of what was
going, ,aon around him, and even an
swered in monosyllables, and ihtelli
gently, questions addressed to him.
| About. half past three he said, very
distinctly hItl is done,D and beyond
the briefest answer to questions this
was. his. last utterauce. His younger
daughter, Miss Gabrielle, was with
him through Thursday evening"
Throughout Friday the elder daugh-
ter Miss Ida, was in constant atten-
dance, as she had been during the
whole df his illness, and of Mrs. Gree
ley before him. Other members of
Chappaqua household were present,
with Mr.. and Mrs. John r. Stuart,
and q few other friends. Nothing
that science or affection could sug-
gest was wanting to ease the last
hours. lf..5 s.s9 ;4':s ,a
The wintry night had fairly. set in
when the inevitable hour came. With
out, sleighs were running to and fro,
bringing to Chappaqua, the nearest
telegraph station. the latest bulletin
which the thousands ofanxious hearts
in the great city near by kept demand
ing. Within,I the daughter and q few
others stood near the dying man, who
remained conscious and seemingly ra-
tional and free from pain, though now
too weak to speak. In the adjoining
room sat one or two more friends and
| the physician AT ten minutes before
seven O'Clock the W atchers drew back
in reverent stiffness from the bedside.
The great editor was gone. in peace
after SO many struggles in honor after
SO much obloquy. .a9sa a
The Necessity of a Change in