The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1881-07-14
GEN. SHERMAN.

Washington Dispatch to the Now York Herald. 18th.
The general OF the army, in company with
two lady members of his family and gentle
man friend, were seated in the little garden
which fronts his comfortable mansion this
evening. when approached him to ascertain
his views regarding the attempted assassina
ton: = -
Have yqq been to the White House this evening.
Net this evening, but win 60 before mid
What j, is your idea of the presidents chances Of
Il have thought from the first that he will re-
1love to hear the general talk of this matter"
said the gentleman present, addressing the ladies,
he resp speaks and has spoken SO Confidently"
Certainly have" said the general. in q bluff,
hearty, encouraging way, "and now that he has
lived nearly four days perhaps. have companions
What caused you to think so, general?'' I in
well, when first saw the president upon tho
morning of the shooting, I saw no evidence in his
face or the complexion it wore to indicate that his
wound was fatal one. have seen good many
men struck in my day, and my experience has
ion it wears, for my guide in making up my opin-
ion Of the chances of life and death. don't know
e sy it
aeatn-hke appearance, as people generally phrase
it, that man dies"
Then, to your mind the face Of the president
when you saw him after the shooting didn't wear
that peculiar expression?'
No, sir; it did not The word die wasn't in his
race as far as could see You must remember he
isa man of remarkably fine physique, exception
ally robust and possessed OF large, well-knit
frame, naturally healthy and strong and muscularly
powerful l+ BESIDES his habits through life have
anything that would impair his health"
Then his vigor increases your belief in the
chances OF his recovery?''
Certainly it does. Had be been less muscular
or less healthy man, with nervous system some
what weakened, why then directly after the shoot
ing ms race e might wear the expression of which
SPOKE Will, or the exercise of it, has great deal
70 40 with these matters If a man has pluck and
plenty to live for, and the president has both in an
en- degree He don't die so easily and after
serious and yet not very painful he makes up his
mind to live, and half the battle is won -.
Have any opinions expressed by the attending
physicians strengthened your OWN" -
No, cant say they have exactly: that is not
positively; but you should bear in mind that they
giving any positive expression opinion. Quite
naturally they are tendsrfooted in giving their
views Their regulations are at stake, and none
better appreciate it than they do"
Have you heard anything encouraging from any
OF them that has not found its way into print"
was about to repeat what Gen. Barnes told me
yomted in the sense Of retching, that is what little
vomiting he has done has caused him no more pain
than 1t would you I to spit out some mucus
which we had easily raised by slight cough. Do
you catch my meaning? No pain accompanied the
vomiting. and according to Gen. Barnes it should
hardly be regarded as vomiting as the discharges
were slight and very easily made. That of itself
seems to be good sign" "1.
Vomiting, and excessive discharges at that, are
always incident to fatal wounds. have seen men
who had sustained gunshot wounds in the abdomen
and intestinal regions-and, indeed, in other por-
tons of the trunk aside from the region of the
heart-iying prone on the field, and I have OBJ
served that in such cases where the wound proved
fatal, suddenly or eventually, the vomited very
often and very much, rolling in it for that matter,
and seeming TO suffer great agony because of some
thing on his stomach which it wanted to be rid Of
Perhaps you have seen an extract reproduced in
this evenings papers from q talk with Gen. Grant,
who says that he obtained his commission rs first
lieutenant because his superior died from gunshot
wound similar to the one sustained by the president
There seems to be few instances Of recovery from
such wounds?"
II aware that the surgical statistics Of the late
WAT show such to be tho fact, but little reflection
will show yon that q Runshot wound, except in the
rarest cases. can scarcely he called similar another
however much It may resemble it in calibre and
shape OF the ball. strength Of discharge and location
OF shot. may be wrong. but as mems bodies are
wounded it is hard to say after a man lives few
days what is and what rs not fatal wound. And as
to similarity OF the wound, why q great many
things must be considered before yenturing an
exact opinion Men differ in build, in hardness Of
this o. that muscle in softness of this that por-
ton OF tho body, because of occupation, mode of
a'.sf, excses OF temperance: Besides. the exact
body at the time the ball strikes differs vastly, II
seems to me- because of the attitude or pose Of the
person. and this in its turn produces difference in
the danger of the wound" 49,.