Richmond daily palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1876-1904, 1881-09-20
The Dead President.
How the News was Receiv-
ed in Richmond.
Church Rsells TOlllng. Women and
Children Crying. and q Night of
Mourning.

A little group of players and reporters
were standing in the lobby at. the Yves
tern Union Telegraph Office discussing
the opening of the Grand, when the OPP
orator, who was sitting al
the press instrument jumped to
his feet, and cried, my God, boys, he is
dead" They crowded to the counter,
and began to ply him with questions
about the time and circumstances of the
Presidents death, but the instruments
were mute, and all that had passed over
the wires was, She is dead" Two men
started on q run for the Presbyterian
parsonage, after the key to the
church, while another one rang
the telephone, and called up
the engine houses. Chief Engineer
Alexander had given orders to toll the
bells in the event of his death, and
the first intimation that the public had
that the Nations leader was dead was q
lpeal from the alarm bell in the tower at
the north engine house. Almost stimuli
taneously the great bell in the Presbyte
rian steeple began to toll and in a few
minutes all the bells in the city were
ringing. Lights began to appear at the
upper windows and in less than half an
hour after his spirit winged its flight to
another world very household in Rich
mond knew it, and was mourning with
the bereaved family. The wires were
idle for a few moments and then
the dispatches poured in thick
and fast. All the dailies made prepare
tons to get out special editions, but none
of them except the PALLADIUM could
obtain the official and Associated Press
dispatches.
The tolling was continued until the
gray streaks in the East indicated the
approach of one of the saddest days
that ever broke over the country. Knots
of men collected around the telegraph
office and on the street corners, where
they discussed the future administration
and waited impatiently for the extras.
Men with their wives on their arms walk /!
led up and down the streets in silence They
were too much excited to sleep and
too sad to talk of anything else. There
were literally thousands of wet eyes in!
the houses. The sound of the bells oni
the night air made people feel as thought
the dread messenger had entered their
own homes and taken away a loved one|
from among them instead of man whom!
8hey had never seen, hundred of milesI
ewsy by the sea. His noble manhood
(his gentleness and simplicity, and above[
Ill his months of terrible suffering and
death which were the result of his beingI
chosen to lead his people, had endeared
him to the hearts of everybody. Before1
midnight there was Grape on many doors |
and the merchants who congregsted
on the street corners decided that bust /
ness should be suspended to-day and that
stores should be kept open only when
lit is necessary, and then there will
|be no display in front of them. Arrange
ments will be made to hold services at !
will be has not been decided. A man
standing at the PALLADIUM corner at 81
O'Clock this morning said: 81 knew
some. terrible calamity was to befall US
when the great comet burst upon US be- /
fore the astronomers even knew of its
existence. Comets have been dreaded
for ages as the harbingers of evil, and
to kings and rulers. History
lis full of illusions to such superstitions,
and, true or false. they have had
much to do in shaping the destiny
|of nations and the fortunes of rulers J
The shooting of the President followed so
close upon it that could not help think /
ing that they were in some way connect !
ed, although had always looked upon ]
such things as idle fables and old wives
tales" these eleven weeks of torture
and pain have teen terrible to him." said
another, ''but they have been a blessing
to so, 600, 900 of people by whom the /
shock would have been much more keen |
ly felt and their treatment toward
the new administration will be more con +
siderate and sympathetic. At the NOM
emit they rebelled at the thought of any
one stepping into a place occupied by
one so greatly loved and honored IS
was President Garfield and some felt
that the men who would succeed him
were in some degree responsible for the /
but as time passed and the !
excitement wore away they saw how sb-
su-d such thoughts were, and they have !
come to recognize the hand of an ALL
wise Providence in his death. President (
Arthur now goes into Office with the
earnest support of his party, and there is
, disposition among all classes to stand !
off and give him q chance He has
proved himself man and. won the con-
fdence of his constituents during the
illness of President Garfield" Amidst
The universal sadness it was pleasure
70 see that all illusions to the future
we're of hopeful nature.