The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-01-05
The Commodore's Last Hours Described by
DIR. Deems aud Dtberr.


The Rev. DR.. Deems, who was the Com
modore's spiritual adviser for many years. aud
who mad attended at his bedside every day but
eight from the Goth OF April last, said yester-
day that 1t seemed to him a week ago
Thursday that the aged sufferer was near the
pon' OF death. He continued to foil, with pe-
RODS OF rallying during the week, until Thurs
day morning. On Wednesday night he saw one
or two friends. with whom he conversed with
considerable animation about general subjects.
lie seemed then to be a little brighter than
usual. After his company departed the Com
modore fell to talking with his wife about re-
ligion. Sne asked him about the grounds OF his
religious Iath. He replied, " shall never cease
to trust in Jesus. How can l ever let that gol"
1hen the Commodore spoke OF his ignor nee
OF spiritual things. but he said his Ignorance did
not stand In the way Of his faith. lie believed
the BIBLE and tried to understand 1t. After this
conversation the Commodore's strength failed
grown much weaker, and at the first streak Of
daylight his children and bis pastor we're sent
for. DIR. Deems arrived at about9 o'clock. and
the city gathered around his bed. he now had
great difficulty In speaking. lie showed much
repeated to him from time to time. and after a
while he turned 10 his wife and said:
81 thought you would sing.
were then sung by the group around the bed.
lie listened intently to the singing, and when
the HYMN beginning, Come, We sinners, poor
and needy" was sung, he tried to Join IN IL with
his hoarse and failing voice. That hymn had
always been one OF his special favorites, and
during his sickness, when 1t was sung, he in
va.iaby tried to JOIN In II, and he usually added,
by way oi comment, after the hymn was fn-
ished,
am weak aud wounded sick ami sore.
After tho singing. DR.. Deems pro opposed prayer
and the Commodore, with seeming eladness. as
sentcd. The minister prayed that God would
give tho sufferer an easy departure out OF his
great fame INTO everlasting life" The Commo-
dore followed the whole prayer attentively aud
ionea in the benediction at i's close repeating
ing OF God Almighty, tho Father, tue son, and
the Holy Ghost" aud then his voice failed.
Afterwsrd he tried several times to speak, but
could not articulate distinctly. Later he turned
TO his wife, VINO sat close at his side, aud said
distinctly:
nat was good prayer"
These were the Commodore's last words.
YeS' & sa'd an M'. WgnaeTo''r eecan,e n eI-
modore nodGed, and spoke no more. The OBJ
structon IN his throat now seemed 10 become
less painful ana he closed his llps in way tnAt
was peculiar 10 him when In deep thought.
Then his deep sunken eyes frightened and he
Opened his lips. Closing his eyes, lie bre ithed
easily II few times ana died at nine minutes be-
fore eleven o'clock.
Capt. jacob Vanderbilt, the Commodore's
brother, and his sister, MISS Ph0be Vanderbilt,
were not III The house when tue Commodore
died. Not supposing that tue end was SO near,
the, had gone to the bedside OF the Com
modOre's eldest sister, Mrs. ElOsrt, WAC lay
dying on Staten Island.
Mr. Cornelius V. DE Forest in describing the
Commod Dfe's last hour said
The Cemnodure had very good night no to
hall past IL O'Clock this morning. At th / time
he stopped short In an anocdote relating to his
early life, saying: 'Curneil, | am tired; | Will
tell you the remainder another time. lie did
not seem TO be worse than early IN the nigh.
either then or at o'clock 50, at tho latter
hour. | went to the window and told the report-
ers that NJ WAS all rigut. At4 oClocA-I being
then alone with him. with the exception Of
one OF the tireless nurses, LizzIe, who tor sey n
months has lam, throughout the MINT, by the
COmmouore's bed, holding "a cloth saturated
with remedy for one Of his ailments against
bis body ne being unable TO endure the compress
sion of bandages-I perceived that he needed
he performed an operation that gave the Com
modore relief. Then he retired ag in, and the
Commodore seemed to rest. At o'clock per-
cviyed thal his life WAS waning fnst, | rOus
his mother-in-law, Mis-. Crawford, and she was
soon AT his bedside. She prObably reused Mrs.
Vanderbilt, for the latter soon came into the
room.
"A message was sent to Mr.. William H. Van
derbllt, and n teegr0m to every other member
OF the family, excepting ] believe, Cornelius
Vanderbilt, whose address was not known, he
having been travelling OF late. At about nine
o'clock nearly all " ere about tho Commodores
bed. DIR. Deems WAS among them. Dr. Deems
PRAYED. As the last words OF DR.. Deems's tear
ful interGossion reached his ears, the CommO-
dDTo said, That was beautiful prayer DIR.
Deems prayed again, and, bseve-I had gone
into the next room for u inoment-the Conmo-
oore made the proper responses. The family
then sang hymns.
" just before went out Of the room, I should
have previously said, the Commodore, looking