New-York tribune., 1873-05-08
SALMON ?. CHASE.
DEATH OF THE CHIEF JUSTICE OF THE !
UNITED STATES
E-UEz-zEz-zn

down with a mortal disease in the heart Of this
busy city, and fingered all through one day, and
through the night and far into the next forenoon.
and died at last without the world receiving the
slightest intimation of his danger. The public
hangs with breathless eagerness upon the murder
ers chances of prolonGing his useless life by few
wretched days. The doings and conversation of the
charlatan are minutely recorded. But the first
knowledge people had that the Chief
Justice of the United States was in New
York was conveyed in the brief an
nouncement of his death. One week ago
to-day the last decisions were rendered in tie
Supreme Court and the Judges dispersed. Mr..
Chase left Washington on Saturday morning, and
reaching here that evening went directly to the
house Of his sou-in-law, Mr. William :. Hoyt,
No 4 West Thirty-third-st. he spent Sunday
quietly. riding in the afternoon TO Central Park.
On Monday morning, some of his friends, who had
Learned of his arrival in the city to pay their
respects and with one Of the most intimate and
trusted Of them. Mr. Hiram Barney he walked
down Fifth-ave and discussed in pleasant and
familiar way the topics Of the hour, and among them
Charles Francis Adams's oration on Mr. Seward. In
parting Mr. Chase urged Mr. Barney to come and
see him often and exacted promise that he should
come on Wednesday morning be did So and came
Just in time 70 him die. On Monday evening
there was not dscerniDle any shadow OF the dis
astrr so fas. approaching He seemed IN his usual
health and IN very good spirits, although com
planning = o little fatigue and entered into
animated conversation with those friends who
were present To one Of them he detailed
his plans for the coming summer This morning he
was 10 have gone % Boston, remaining there with
relatives two OF three weeks. Returning, his intcn-
ton was 10 stop In this city few days on his way TO
Washington and after completing mattorsOf business
and domestic interest there, 10 make the journey 10
Colorado Springs by easy stages visiting his friends
in Cincinnati and at other points along the route.
These plans he gave with the repeated and empha-
sized condition d" If liye' About ten O'Clock, his
usual hour Tor retiring, he said Goodnight" and
Ief. the ROOM These were the last words he spoke,
except perhaps that the next morning his servant
understood lin TO say Fire. in motioning toward
the fireplace.
On Tuesday morning AZ about half-past six oclOck,
his servant. entering the room. found him sleeping
quietly with his hand under his face. as he habltual
" lay. On approaching the bed, half-an-hour
later the servant saw that the Chief-Justice was
seized with 4 spasm the features being conyulsed,
and o slight foam appearing Oh the lips. Drs. John
c. Perry, Metcalt, and Clarke were at once sum
moued. and 1t pronounced an apopiectic at
tack with paralysis Of the left side The paralysis
of the attack Of June, 1870, of the right side,
and had virtually disappeared, there being still
very slight traces Of il IN the lips and right hand.
This attack was the moro unexpected from the tact
that Mr. Chase was assured by his physicians last
Summer that there was no louger any danger OF
recurrence Of a paralytic attack. From the time OF
the attack on Tuesday morning he remained entire
" unconscious. HIS head was mOtl0nleSS while the
rightarn was resessly active. Gheconvulsiye spasms
REQUIRED frequently during the day, and the doctors
finally placed their patient under the influence OF
chloroform which was applied on a handkerchief 10
the face whenever a spasm seen 10 be approach
ing. lis effect was Immediate. All the unremitting
attention aud care that affection could suggest
found no response. At few minutes after o'clock
Yesterday morning il became evident that he was
sinking fast. Hiss breathing became more and
more lab0red funJIl. at 10 o'clock precisely, II
ceased altogether. A spasmodlc twltchlng, begin-
ming with the lower portion Of the body, followed,
which lasted for few seconds, and then all was
still. There were presen5 in the room at the time
senator Sprague and Mrs. h c. sprague. the Chief
Justices eldest daughter Mr. W. :. Hoyt and Mrs.
Janet r. c. Hoyt, Mr Edwin Hoyt and Mr.. Hiram
Barney.
The shock # his death the greater from the fact
that his friends had to look upon bis health as
in a measure. established. The great blow of the
attack Of 1870, which had diminished hls weight
from 1870 or 100 pounds TO l6j. had seemingly been
overcome. Since that date his habits of diet and
exercise have been minutey regular. de rose at Z,
retired at 10 o'clock, and his meals were served az
fixed hours, varying sometimes according TO the
time Of year official engagements of course changing
the routine. Il is to this regularity and prudence
that his recovery from the first attack Is principally
due. He visited during the two years that have
Il vVqf ri a
recruit his strength among them being the ST. Louis
Magnetic Springs. at ST. Louis. Mich, and the
Bethesda spring at Waukesha Wis, but he always
asrbed the benefit derived to Diet air, and exercise
rather than to any curative properties in the waters
His modesty in speaking of his Improvement IN
health and his shrinking from anything Ike boast
fulness even with his most intimate friends, were
often pathetic. His residence II the country two
miles outside of the City OF Washington, made has
much-needed exercise o pleasure. Every me
morning, cold warm. he could Dc seen
walking 10 the Capitol, and the habit OF
walking he continued duriag his residence III the
city itself last Winter. His work IN the Supreme
Court vas not unusually heavy this term, though
several very important cases were decided Whleh
needed his vote His share of the work was, how
ever fully equal 10 that Of the other Judges as he
was too mpartal.to assign himself any less difficult
tasks than those he placed upon others But IN tue
mysterious blow that struck him down without warn
ing there Is no room speculation as TO Its causes
While it, suddenness is terrible, there are great
ameliorating circumstances connected with IL IL
must always be source Of consolation to hIsreiaiyes
and friends that he died surrounded by his family
This gathering here without previous agreement
seems more than fortuitous. Senator sprague the
only member lacking in the circle, arrived on Tues
day morning from the South. Iu few hours more,
but for this event. the family would have separated
fer the Summer.