The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1881-09-23
THE DEAD PRESIDENT.

The death of President Garfield
came at 1875 o'clock on Monday nigh
last. For two or three days previously
he had lost ground rapidly, being at
tackled by rigors on Saturday and Sun
day and again on Monday morning
attended with profuse sweatings, higl
pulse and other unfavorable symptoms
but after the morning dressing Monday
his condition became improved, and
hopes were still INDUCED that he nigh
pull through the crisis just as he had Sc
many times before. His death was
sudden when it came. The following
is the statement of Gen. Swain, who
was the only one with the Presiden
when he began sinking:
l had been with him a good deal OF
the time from 3 O'Clock in the after
noon. A few minutes before 10 O'Clock
| left Col. Rockwell, with whom / haC
been talking for some minutes in {
lower room, and proceeded up stairs
to the Presidents room. On entering ]
found Mrs. Garfield sitting by his bed
side. There was no other persons in
the room. l said to her: GLOW is
everything going?" She replied: ole
is sleeping nicely" j then said: "a
think you had better go to bed and
rest" / asked her what had been pre-.
scribed for him TO take through the
night. She replied that she did not
know. l then said: "If YOU will
wait moment will go into the doe
tors room and see what is to be giver
during the night" | then went into
the doctors room and found DR.. Bis:
there and asked him what was TO be
given during the night. lie answered
~ think had better fix mp n list and
will bring il in to you pretty soon."
then went back into the patients room
and had some conversation with Mrs
Garfield. She felt of tho Presidents
hand and laid her hand on his forehead
and said that he seemed to be in good
condition, and passed out of the room.
Immediately felt of his hands, feet and
knees. / thought that his knees seemed
little cool, and got a flannel cloth
heated it at the fire and laid it over his
limbs. j also heated another cloth and
laid it over his right hand and then sal
down in q chair beside the bed. was
hardly seated when the doctor came in
and felt of the Presidents pulse.
asked him how it seemed to him. lie
replied: at is not as strong as it was
this afternoon, but very good" | said
"He seems to be doing we'll" eyes"
he answered, and passed out. lie was
not in the room more than two minutes.
Shortly after this the President awoke.
AS he turned his head on awakening, ]
arose and took hold of his hand. was
on the left hand side of the bed as he
lay. remarked: "You have had a
nice comfortable Sleep" lie then said :
"Oh Swain, this terrible pain, "-plac.
ing his right hand on his breast about
the region of the heart. / asked him if ]
could do anything for him. lie said +:
"Some water" went to the other side
of the room and | poured about an
ounce and half of water into glass
and gave him TO drink. lie took the
glass in his hand, l raising his head as
usual, and he drank the water. | then
handed the glass TO a colored man who
came in during the time / was getting
the water. Afterwards took a napkin
and wiped his forehead, as he usually
perspired on awakening. lie then said (:
"Oh, Swain, this terrible pain; press
your hand on it," i laid my hand on
his chest. lie then threw both hands
up to his side and on a line with his
head and exclaimed: Oh, Swain !:
can't you stop thisa' and again: ooh,
Swami" then saw him look at mel
with q staring expression. Iasked him
If he was suffering much pain. Receiv-
ing no answer repeated the question,
with like result. / then concluded he
was either dying or was having al
severe spasm, and called to Daniel,
who was at the door, TO tell DIR. Bliss
and Mrs. Garfield to come in immediate-|
ly, and glanced at small clock haaging|
on the chandelier. / saw it was tenI
minutes past ten O'Clock. DIR. Bliss
came within two or three minutes. III
told Daniel 10 bring the lighted candle
which habitually sat behind a screen