Morning journal and courier., 1881-08-27
News by Telegraph FROM ALL QUARTERS. CLINGING TO LIFE The President Haltinq At
 Deaths Door. BATTLING WITH THE DESTROYER. With Scarcely a Chance to
 Conquer. A DAY OF DARK DESPAIR. The Cabinet And Doctors Com
 pletely Disheartened.
\ DAY OF DARK DESPAIR.
The Cabinet And Doctors Com
 pletely Disheartened.
THE PRESIDENT.

THE PRESlDENIs . At Deaths Door-A Desperate Strugg1
 for Lifeline Patient Holding On witt
 Wonderful Tenacfty-His Chances Wei
 Nigh HopeIess-The White House ln mates in Despair-OnIy the Little Wifi,
 CIinging to Hope-A DIs1na al Day i'm the Case.
 WASHINGTON, Aug. 26.-This has been tht
 most depressing day in the history of tht
 Presidents case. Hope and fear chased eacl
 other in alternate waves, and although al
 were anxious to believe there was yet pos
 sibility that the patient might pull through
 the outlook was too gloomy to afford ground
 for reasonable hope. All through the night
 the sufferer was evidently sinking, and the
 end seemed at best but question of few
 hours. During most of the night his pulse
 had been up to no. His mind wandered
 nearly all night, going over the story of his
 early life and political achievements.
 During the night Mrs. Garfield was sitting
 on one side of the bed while Mrs. Dr. Edson
 sat upon the opposite. The President
 aroused from his stupor for a moment and
 noticed his wife at his bedside, whereupon
 he suggested that she had better go to her room and get some rest She asked to be allowed to remain with him for while, and he then said: 'tIs it true that we must be separated soon? We'll, perhaps you had better stay, then" Saying this he relapsed into his drowsy state, breathing heavily. The morning bulletin was eagerly sought,
 but it gave no comfort whe@it came, half hour late. In general terms it spoke of 8 night that was bad, and said nothing of the parotid swelling or of the nourishment. The conditions of pulse and temperature were not materially changed. The bulletins only added to the gloom, which has not been measurably relieved by the developments in l the case today. The bursting of the abscess and the spontaneous discharge of pus through the ear were regarded as favorable symptoms and some slight encouragement was the result. The general feeling, how ever, was that this suppuration was only a 1 temporary relief, and that the cause of the abscess, that is the blood poisoning, still re- | mains.
 | SAD DAY AT THE WHITE HOUSE. 1 This afternoon was the saddest yet expe- rienced at the White House. The admission | by Dr. Bliss that there was but s'slim chance'' had depressing feeling on all, and | the information that came from the sick room indicated that the worst was not far | distant. Hope was revived again somewhat l by the 6:30 bulletin. Just before the dinner l hour Secretaries Blaine, Hunt and Lincoln spent few minutes with the doctors. On | their departure MT. Blaine said, ''There | seems to be no change" Secretary Hunt said, ''The doctors seem to feel better, but cannot see why" Secretary Lincoln said, My hope is by no means strong. I trust we need not give him up. We'll see how it looks later" Attorney General MacVeagh came in later. On what information he could obtain he said he ''could see no substantial ground for hope except so far as hope is al- ways associated with remaining ife."
 THE STRICKEN WIFE AND CHILDREN.
 Mrs. Garfield has been all day by the bed side watching every movement of the suffer- CT. She thoroughly understands her hus- bands condition, but is calm and resolute. Her vigil is attested by her pale face and set features. The children, too, recognize the crisis. Miss Mollie has moved quietly about the house to-day attending to little duties and waiting on her mother. Harry and James seem fully to realize the nearness of death. The former shows the strongest sense of anx- iety, but the latter does not underestimate the reality. So long as the mother keeps up heart the children will not give way to evi- dences of fear. Up to o'clock this evening at least it had not been decided to send for the mother of the President or his younger children.
 EXCITED CROWDS ABOUT THE WHITE HOUSE.
 During the entire afternoon the White House grounds were surrounded by excited crowds who waited for news from the sick room. The guards at the gates were in- creased and no one was allowed entrance un- less provided with a pass from Secretary Brown. This rule has not been rigidly en- forced during the past ten days. After the noon bulletin apprehension was felt that death might occur at any hour, and hundreds of people stood silently for hours awaiting the next official announcement. One incl dent of the day serves to show the excited state of the public mind. The Washington Light Infantry and the National Veteran Corps appeared on the street, and at once rumors were circulated that an attack had been made on the jail. This was dispe1led when the soldiers announced that they were simply going on an excursion trip down the river. Little business was transacted in the executive departments during the day. Dr. Bliss telegraphed to each of the Secretaries
  the clerks and heads of departments spent the day discussing the probabilities of the case.
 THE VICE PRESIDENT NOT SUMMONED.
 It has transpired that the Cabinet at their meeting last night considered the question of sending for Vice President Arthur. The dis cussion was attended with more than usual deliberation, and the gravity which prevailed in the Cabinet was the best possible indica- tion of the Presidents critical condi ion. It was the general opinion among the Cabinet officers that it was everybody's duty to hold up the hands of the Vice President in this trying time. It was admitted that the coming here of General Arthur, unless absolutely necessary to wait for the death of the Presi- dent, would occasion criticism. After an ex- haustive talk the physicians were called and informed of the subject under discussion. l mediate death, that anyway the President l would not die suddenly and that he might l live two or three days. Thereupon the Cabi- | net adjourned the question until this morn ing At their meeting this morning they had i another consultation with the doctors and | discussed the matter further. The physi- ! clans returned answer that there was no | prospect of immediate dissolution and the | question was again postponed until the even- ing meeting. Before o'clock all the mem- | bers of the Cabinet had arrived at the White | House with the exception of Secretary Blaine. |
 ANOTHER PHYSICIAN AhMosT IN DESPAIR
 Dr. Reyburn was asked at 5 p. m. what he | thought of the case ''The President is very | low" :" said he s'I cannot yet bring myself | to think he will not recover, but cannot say | that see just how he will recover.'' The | doctor also said that at that hour he felt | hardly as anxious as earlier in the afternoon. | ssAt one time since the noon bulletin,'' said | he, Cit looked as if the whole parotid gland | was going to slough of like an immense car buncle in a spongy mass. If that should oc- | cur the result would be very dangerous, for | the Presidents weak condition could poorly | withstand such a shock Later, however, it's | appearance changed and the process of sup puration bade fair to proceed regularly
 DR. BLISS BETWEEN DESPAIR AND HOPE.
 Dr. Bliss in an interview this afternoon said the condition of the President was very 1 critical even alarming; not entirely hope