St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1881-09-23
MRS. GARFIELD CALM.
FUNERAL ARRANGEMENTS.
President Arthur Continues the
Present Cabinet.
PRESIDENT GARFIELD's DEATH.

PRESIDENT GARFIELD'S DEATH.
President Garfield died on Monday
night at 1925 o'clock. At 1l:30 the
following bulletin was issued: "The
President died at 10:35 p. m. After
the bulletin was issued, at $50 this
evening, the President continued i'll
much the same condition as during the
afternoon, the pulse varying from l02
to LOG, with rather increased force and
volume. After taking nourishment he
fell into a quiet sleep about 35 minutes
before his death, and while asleep his
pulse rose to 100 and was somewhat
more feeble. At ten minutes after 10
o'clock he awOke, complaining of Sc
we're pain over the region of the heart,
and almost Immediately became I'M
conscious and ceased to breathe at
| 1895"
| 1t was learned that the President had
not died in rigOr. He had suddenly
shown signs of failing, and messengers
were sent out for all the doctors and
attendants. Every possible applica-
ton was used to revive him from the
sleep which was apparently overtak-
ing him. The end was plainly at
hand presently he sank away he was
dead. The first report was not believ-
ed, and the messengers who hurried
away in carriages and on horseback
were called for confirmation of the dis
tressing news by people along the way
side. The guests at the hotels who had
retired were at once aroused.
Attorney General MacVeagh gives
the following account of the death
bed scene: DR.. Bliss, at $50, went to
the cottage to make his final examina-
ton before he retired for the
night. He found that the pulse,
temperature and respiration were
exactly as they were when the evening
bulletin was issued. There had been
no change of any kind. There was
every promise of quiet night. All OF
the doctors retired at once for the
night, as did all of the attendants, ex-
cept Gen. Swain and Col. Rockwell.
They remained and nothing transpired
until about 1920, then the President
said ~ am suffering great pain,
fear the end is near" The attendant
sent for DR.. Bliss, who had retired tC
private secretary Browns cottage
DR.. Bliss came very rapidly. When
he entered the room he found the Pres
ident was in an unconscious state, and
the action of the heart had almost
ceased. DR.. Bliss said at once that
the President was dying, and directed
the attendants to send for Mrs. Gar
field and Drs. Agnew and Hamil-
ton.
A TRYING SCENE.
Mrs. Garfield bore the trying Ordea
with great fortitude and exhibited un.
precedented courage. She gave way
to no paroxysms of grief, and after
death became evident she quietly with,
drew to her own room. There she sal
a heart stricken widow, full of grief
but with too much Christian courage
to exhibit it to those about her. She
of course, was labOring under a terri
BILE strain, and despite her efforts tears
flowed from her eyes and her lips be
came drawn by her noble attempt tx
bear the burden with which she ha,
been afflicted. Miss Molly was natu
rally greatly affected, and bursts o
tears flowed from the child's eyes, not
withstanding her noble effort to follow
the example of her mother.
The death scene was one never to b,
forgotten. Perfect quiet prevailed
and there was not a murmur hearC
while the President was sinking. AT
ter death had been pronounced tn,
body was properly arranged by DIR. 5
n. BoyntOn. kilograms were imme
diately sent the Presidents mother il
Ohio and to the sons, Harry and James
who are now at Williams college, a
also to Vice-president Arthur and 9th
er prominent public men.
INCIDENTS OF THE LAST DAY.
Monday was a very gloomy day a
Elberon. The night was one of com
parative comfort. The pulse and TEN
. perature both indicated fever, whicl
would have been impossible had vital
ty been exhausted. The Presiden
sank into sleep, which was reall.
more like stupor than like sleep, AM
for the greater part of the night was il
that condition. They aroused hin
about midnight for the purpose of Civ
ing him nourishment. For a mOmen
he refused to take any, but after tn
blood enema had been given him h
was quite ready to take the nOurish
| ment that was offered. The night
after midnight, passed without Incl
dent, and in the morning the physi
clans thought that the President was
| little better. He seemed to have SOM
appetite, and no indication of any chill
or any disturbance was noted. Th'
insidious nature of these attacks wa
again made manifest soon after eigh
o'clock. The President had been yer!
quiet and seemed comparatively com
Portable. Suddenly he complained o
f chilliness, and although his body wa
wrapped in warm fannels, and within
half an hour he had been bathed in no
alcohol, yet it was found that his fee
and hands were cold, and in a mOmen
there was marked rigor. He SILVER
ed and every muscle in his body wa
rigid. The pulse went up to 140 ant
even higher, but it was so thready an,
feeble that it was impossible to cOun
the beats. After they had passed tina
figure there was great danger that b.
would sink into a comatOse state afte
the rigor had passed, and every exer
. ton was made to induce reaction. Thu
result was that a reaction was estab