New-York tribune., 1876-08-21
THE DEAD SPEAKER.
THE DEATH OF MICHAEL C. KERR.
SCENE AT HIS BEDSIDE IN THE HOUR OF DEATH


sf-rNE At HIS BEDSIDE IN THE HOUR OF DEATH
DISPATCH FROM s. S. cox.
RocKpRIpGE ALUM SPRINGS Va, Aug 2o.-The
Hon. Michael c. Kerr Speaker of the House of Rep
resentatiyes whose death has been hourly expected
,luring many days past, at 90 minutes past o'clock
Yesterday evening Just as the was going behind
the hills. breathed his last During the past week
or two of his illness his sufferings have
been intense, and all efforts to lind him
relief have been almost wholly unaVailing.
On thursday last he telegaphed his twin brother
at Ttusvillc Penn, saying: 1.-The end of my life Is
near at hand. j suffer the most intense
agony. / send my last love to you and yours.
He bore his pain with great fortitude, but fire.
ouenly expressed fears that his last hours would be
accompanied with great physical anguish. But
these fears of intense suffering at the close OF lie
were not realized. The last half hour III which he
lived was without PAIN and was passed IN peace
Near his bedside in these moments his weeping
wife and son. Mr.. White and Mr.. Scudder his secre-
taries. and S. s. Cox and wife. Montgomery Blair,
who has been with him during the larger part of his
illness. contributed much TO give the dying Speaker
what little comfort was possible in his last hours
Though the end has been gradually approaching
for many days it was evidently more near at 4
o'clock Yesterday afternoon than ever before. lie
sank for moment into an apparently unconscious
condition, his breath became short and weak and
his pain seemed greater. But he rallied and recog-
nized his friesds, and at times the word suiioca-
tom could be heard from his lips. His pulse be-
came weaker; he pressed the hands of Mr. BlalI ana
Mr. Cox, saying 10 Mr.COx, Good bye, dear friend
God bless YOU" His limbs became cold, but MS
breathing in a moment seemed stronger and by =
o'clock his pulse beat with its former force, ana IL
was evident that with great fOrtude he was making
another eXcrtfbn to recover strength. one hour
later Dr. Pope, who had been sitting at his bedside
oonyersing at times with MIR. Kerr, spoke to the
diving man, asking if he suffered any pain. He
turned his head as if to'answer NO. when DR..
Pope again spoke saying "Do you feel easier now =
70 which he nodded his head. His eyes turned to
the ceiling and remained there steadily, his breath
ing the while being natural and regular again. II
was now past o'clock, and the sun, which was
rapidly approaching the Western hills, threw It's
light upon tine scene. The breathing became fainter.
1t was evident the dying hour had come. The fare
wells were exchanged, Mr. Kerr being able to speak
only in whisper His eyes fixed upon the cell
ing and became more steady in their gaze; the sun
sank from view and his spirit was away
In his last hours Mr.. Kerr expressed a complete
resignation tohis coming death. With Mr.. Cox he
conversed freely about the future world and ITS eX-
peetations with great calmness. His hopes were
In conversation with his son he impressed upon his
mind the views he had himself entertained of life
and Its responsibilities. Last evening, shortly after
Mr. Kerr died, Mr.. Cox sent the following dispatch
to the press: "Our friend Mr.. Kerr died at about
o'clock this evening. l have been by his side Tor
two days. His last hours were painless, as he so
much desired. His composUrc was as remarkable as
it was heroic He was thoroughly content and pre-
pared for the unseen world. He was conscious and
intelligent, gentle and brave to the end His dis
case was consumption of the bowels but toward the
last the lungs were involved. He has been for days
past. in fact disembodied intellect-a mere ske-
eton. Everything possible to be done at this re-
mote spot to soften this blow 10 his family by
throwing the tenderest care around his dying bed
has been DONE and the last Offices will be performed
with all the thoughtfulncss they could ask. We
have sent to the officers of the House at Washington
for an escort. His body will be taken to New
Albany on Monday. ;. ;. CON-