The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1881-09-24
HISTORY or THE LAST DAY.

TOMS Joy WIS everywhere visible. Like
a drowning man catching at 4 straw the
public eagerly grasped at these small i'll
dications, and built castles that were
soon to disappear i'll the air.
At o'clock this morning there was 4
happy gathering about the Elbcron of
government officials, newspaper men.
summer guests, who have stayed longer
than they expected. because an uncon-
trollahlc sympathy with the President
held them all waiting the appearance of
the morning bulletin, which the surgeons
had sent ont word would be very favor
able. Attorney General MacN eagh was
on hand. and sent brief telegraphic mes
Sages tn the other members of the cabi-
net at the West End, saying that every
thing looked well.
suddenly it was whispered about that
the President had had another rigo" of I,
very decided character. Private Secre-
tary Brown said it could not be So. and
Attorney General Macy eagh looked per-
fcctly aghast, and hurried off to ascer-
tain the truthtulness of the report. lie
came back within two or three minutes
with a look of perfect misery upon his
face, and said to the Baltimore SIN cor
respondent: 1T is true. the outlook is
very dark now
The news flew far and wide and from
all directions of Long Branch quickly
came carriages with SympathiZing friends
to ascertain the news. 1t was not long
until the office ard porchcS of the Elbe-
ron We're crowded with people discussing
the outlook. Gen. Grant was one of the
early callers. and expressed the utmost
sorrow at the news. lie saw one of the
surgeons Ior Il moment and then said. Il
get no comfort. | fear the nation will
soon be in mourning" lie drove away
ut once.
The cabinet did not appear early, but
were constantly advised as To the latest
symptoms by the Attorney General. who
kept up Il constant running between the
President $ cottage and the telegraph of
flee in the E!bercn. DR.. bliss. when he
made his appearance, was quickly snr-
rounded and piled with all sorts of ques-
tons. to which he gave ready answers
lie held ont no encouragement, and said
that he regarded death now as only Il
matter of Il few days. 1t would not be
immediate or sudden, but would come
only wien the last vcStigc of vitality was
gone. He gave in detail the history of
the case. claiming that the surgeons pre-
pared some time ago for the present crisis
and knew that it was coming. Dir. BoYn-
ton came from the Presidents cottage
soon after DIR. Bliss, and talked quite
freely to the correspondent. He said he
had remained up with the President the
latter part of the night. Dmrinw the
night the President : pulse remained
pretty constantly 1T l9n till Il \. NJ. when
it dropped to IFS. 1t remained at this
point until $50, when another chill oc-
Cured, when it went to l43 and became
very feeble The chill lasted about TWEEN
ty minutes and WAS quite severe. At /
o'clock las, night the President perSpircd
very freely. and the alcoholic treatment
WAS rc>nrteh to. which checked the per
Splratlon. lie slept nearly all night, but
was awakened occasionally by his cough.
During the night. when awake. he show
ed considerable mental disturbance. and
more or less aclirium. and almost com
pete proStration.
The enemata of deiibrinated beef blood
were continued, and beef extract was
also administered. In conclusion DR..
Boynton said: There is nothing encour-
aging to report so far. and | don't think
there is the slightest possible chance Of
recovery. ! can't predict when the end
will come. He has wonderful amount
Of vitality left, enough to sustain life for
some days unless some sudden and acute
complication manifests itself. but he has
not enough to carry him safe through the
complications now existing We will do
ali we can to prolong life. and while lie
continues to breathe | shall continue 10
hope
From early morning until the shadows
of night closed the porches of the Elbe-
ron fronting the Presidents cottage have
been crowded with people watching with
eager and Sorrowtul eyes the movements
OF those visible about the cottage. As
the surgeons came to and fro they were
met part way across the lawn by anxious
correspondents. who wanted to know
about any new change. During the en-
tire day the replies did not vary much,
and nothing but "gloor.y words were
given. There were a few persons still
buoycd up with hope that some great
change for the better would occur and
the President pull through But even
these became respondent when Dr. .
rev came from the President $ room
about n"Gl.. and said that the President
had gotten over ,i.8 Mprning rigor. but
that it had thoroughly sna&S,: him up,
and that he was more Frustrated than lie
had ever been. and that he did not see
noW how the President could pull along.
The liiemllerI of the cabinet all appeared
during the afternoon. hut remained only
short while, and th.E returned to the
West End fully impressed with tho fast
that the President had reached that point
where recovery scc'ued impossible. To
y ards night the gloom was partly lifted
by ti,s announcements that the second
chill had not .G"..2. ~, and that Dir. liam
ilton. VIII" had arrived fruu: \"w York
ut j o clock. had. after examining tie
President. said he did not consider the
case as absolutely hopeless. This made
things seem brighter for a while. but
every i,eYSaH was expecting soon to hear
that the dreaded ai,ili had come again.
The evening bulletin Eav" li.ii2 81 ~
comfort. except that it was evidence ,tid,
immediate dissolution was not to be eX.
pccted. and that 40 further bad systems
had set ill.,
he shot that struck the President
down 22t-2d no more establishment than
the sudden ai."0.. ncemcnt OF the death
oi the President at 1850 .C-ai."ht At
ll.1j Acknowledgement Mac\ eagh fun
niShcd the following particulars: Just
before 10 o'clock DIR. Bliss had seen the
President and found his pulse at lO6, and
the conGitiGEG urGmised Il quiet night.
The President said lie vas comfortable.
shortly after this tha it;'es,daL, fell
asleep and Dr.. Hiss retired 10 has .,Gol...
while Ten. swain ant: Col. Rockwell re
manned with the President. About 1913
the President awakened and said to Gen.
Swain that he was Sutferin" from pain
IN the neighboriIood Of his heart Dr.
Bis US called from across the hall. and
when lie en.l.Gtt he room he found the
President unconscious a,.i ~, ..tt-ntinlly
without pulse, and the action of the hear.
Indicated that the President was dying.
Mrs. Garfield was sent for and Drs. Ag-
new and Hamilton summoned. The
fre",oa.:tt remained in dying condition
until lu.j3. wne.. IF" was found To be
extinct. He died with sol,c Iio,,...il If
the heart, supposed to be neuralgia, al
though this remains to be determined
\ message Ga> Immediately sent to Vice
fres,n~t.t Nrthur and one to Secretaries
Blame and iIuco..., |ho are en- route for
Elbcron. The Cabinet did R0i si.s."h the
Elberon until Ills. and went irnmedl
ately across to the cottage. where the
G,..., President lay.
THE LAST HOUR OF hls LIFE
Judge Advocate General Swain. who
Was VII the President when he began