Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1881-09-29
HIS OLD HOME.
How the News of the Presidents
Death Was Received at
Mentor.

CLEVELAND, O., Sept. 20.-The news
of the Presidents death came to Mentor
very tardily. At midnight of Monday
there was vague rumor that dispatch
had passed over the wires making the
announcement, but this was not credit
ed for the people of Mentor have clung
blindly to a hope which was almost a
superstitious assurance that Gartield's
good fortune would vindicate itself in
his recovery. DR.. j. p. Robinson, the
old friend and almost father of the
President, heard this rumor, and for
many hours kept vigil at the telegraph
office waiting for confirmation or denial
that did not come. At last . passenger
aligbting from belated train gave an
oral confirmation, and DR.. Robinson
drove to the Garfield home, awoke Jos.
Rudolph, brother of Mrs. Garfield, and
told him the truth. Joseph kept the
news from the two sons of the President
Irwin, aged eleven, and Abram, aged
nine. until they had risen and breakfast
ed this morning. This they did in COM
parstiye cheerfulness, and when they
left the table Mr.. Rudolph called them
TO him, and, with an arm about each,
said. "Boys, would you be surprised 10
hear that your father is worse to-day ?"
The younger looked mp in his face and
said nothing. The elder asked, as he
deadY" Yes" said Mr.. Rudolph, .-the
news has come" Then he attempted
some words of consolatioHs but Irwin,
with something of his fathers pride of
self-control. turned away for moment
Ia siience. Abram broke, down at'onceI
and wept bitterly, as did his brother a
moment afterwilrd esaa
A reporter sisite,l the house at ar
early hour in the morning and found the
elder Mr.. Rudolph in the familiar parlor
of which not an article of furniture. a
picture or an ornament had been chang
ed since the, days of =, year ago. Mr.
Radolph said: ave have as yet received
no word from Long Branch or Washing
ten, aud no one in Mentor knows more
than than the morning papers have told
of the circumstances attending James
death. We have been prepared for the
worst. while we hoped for the best, but
the blow Is terrible. People in Mentor
are kind and sympathetie-sympatlietic
as those would be who share as well as
feel for our loss"
Rev. Mr.. Henrick, clergyman of the
Christian Church and pastor of the Gar
field family, was present, and Mr.. Ru-
dolph. with an apology to him, contin-
ued Il can not see the hand of Provi-
dence in this thing. There is nothing
of good in it at all to compensate for the
evil and sorrow"
Both Mr. Rudolph and Mr.. Heurick
expressed surprise and incredulity at
the statement from Long Branch that
the Presidents remains will be inferred
in Cleveland. Why" said Mr.: Henrick,
"he had negotiations pending for the
purchase of a cemetery lot here which
were interrupted i'y this assassination.
He belongs here and TO US, as he had
counted on passing his days quietly in
this home. | am sure that he would
have wished to lie in his long sleep here
also. There ON that knoll overlooking
tie lake, on this very farm, is the place
tlat should he set apart for ever and
C ,nsecrsted as his resting place"
Invent to the detached Office, which
was the central point Of the campaign,
where every newspaper man has seen
the dead President so Familiarity. The
desks were pushed aside, the, books in
the eases were as he left them, and on
the door wers scattered in confusion the
toys OF the children.
At one o'clock this afternoon Mr.. Jos.
Rudolph received the following dispatch
from Secretary MacVeagh: !
LONG BRANCH, Sept. 20, 1881.
Mrs. Garfield wishes me to say that
t:,e President will be taken to Washing |
ton Tomorrow. On Friday he will be |
taken to Cleveland. from which place he |
will be buried. She desires you to see
that rrandma is cared for. She is hear
ing the sinH.k with heroisIn characteri> |
tic to noble nature Cincinnati Eu-
guirer.