Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1881-09-20
What of the Future:

WAYNE MAcVEAGH,
Attorney General.
s. J. KIRKwOOD,
Secretary of the Interior.
The president died at 1885 last night.
From what can be ascertained his death
was from sheer exhaustion. Mr.. Warren
Young. assistant to Private Secretary
Brown, brought the news from the cot
tage at ten minutes before eleven o'clock.
The first indication that anything serious
had occurred was the appearance of
messenger at tho Elberon hotel, who OBJ
tanned a carriage and drove rapidly off.
He had gone to summon tho members Of
the cabinet who left about half-hast nine
p. m.
Up to the last moment he showed as
true, tried courage as ever was seen at the
cannon's mouth. If ever man stared death
resolutely and valiantly in the face it was
James A. Garfield. About 10 o'clock At
torney General MacVeagh sent his dis
patch to Minister Lowell. At that time
the president was lying quietly. DR.. Bliss
had just left him and found his pulse 106,
with all the conditions promising a quiet
night. The doctor asked him if he was
feeling ut all uncomfortable, and he an
swered that he was not After that
he fell asleep DR.. Bliss then
retired to his room across the
hall, leaving General Swain and Colonel
Rockwell with the president. At about
fifteen minutes after 10 the president woke
up and said to General Swain, who was
the nearest to him, 81 am suffering,' and
then, after pause, with intervals between
each word, "grcat pain I-am-suffer-
ing-great-pain.' .
AS he spoke he laid his hand upon his
heart. Possibly he may have meant to in
dictate his lungs.
DR.. Bliss was Immediately called. When
he entered the room he found the presi-
den unconscious and substantially without
pulse. His eyes were open, however. The
action of his heart was almost impercepti
BILE. DR.. Bliss said at once that the presi-
dent was dying and directed that Mrs.
Garfield be called into the room and that
Doctors Agnew and Hamilton sent for.
He remained in a dying condition until
1885 when he was pronounced dead. His
death was scarcely expected by any men,
bers of the family excepting Mrs. Garfield
who had been warned to anticipate the
worst. She was with him, kneeling by
the bedside and holding his hand, as, with
the paleness stealing over him and smile
upon his lips, his immortal soul winged its
flight.
At ten o'clock Secretary Browns cot
tage was dark and deserted. a few Of the
more vigilant newspaper men sat talking
quietly in tho Elbcron piazza. DR.. Boyn-
ton was among them. At 1920 a colored
messenger called DR.. Eoynton out in the
dark and whispered to him excitedly. The
doctor turned to the group of reporters.
Tho president is sinking rapidly" he
said and disappeared in the gloom-tow-
the scene had changed. There was kur-
quickly sent the length Of Long Branch
1880 Captain Ingalls, came across from
the cottage slowly, as if nothing was
wrong, and when questioned answered
very quietly was just sent for by the
officer of the guard to send one of my men
to the camp surgeon for mustard for an
application to the presidents body"
The reporters went out on the lawn to
the guard lines to wait for tidings. The
report that mustard had been sent for led
to the report of another rigor. The re-
pOrters were nearly all out on the dark
lawn, and there was suspense. Sudden.
ly, with a rush the reporters came across
the lawn, their boots sounding upon the
hard piazza like horses stampeded. In an
instant the little telegraph office at the
E,beron was surrounded, and there was
a shower of bulletins thrown upon the two
paralyzed operators. He is dead'' was
all that could be heard. Warren Young
had brought the word. The president had
died at 1885. 1t was 1850 when the word
was received outside of the cottage where
the dead president lay. No one directly
from the cottage had been seen. Colonel
Rockwell and Gen. Swain, of the at
tendants, were by his side. The excite
ment for a few minutes was intense beyond
description. Fifty newspaper men were
on the hotel piazza five minutes after the
report of tho presidents death. Their car
riages surrounded tho place, and the
sounds of hurrying horses feet were heard
far up Ocean avenue, where the carriage
lights were seen in rapid procession. The
government at once was given the exclu-
sive use Of the telegraph Office at Elberon.
No personal dispatches were sent. Mr..
Young sent the first official announce
ment off to Washington and to Mentor.
The president had been dead half an hour
when, at 11:10, Window, Hunt and
James arrived frOEl the West End. They
went into tho hotel Office and were met by
MacVeagh, who led them away to the
cottage. 1t was then learned that the
president had not died in rigor. He had
suddenly shown signs of failing and mes
sengers were sent out for all of the doctors
and attendants. Every possible applica-
tion was used to revive him from tho STU
por which was apparently overtaking him.
The end was plainly at hand, and presently
he sank away. He was dead. The first
report was not believed. When it was
confirmed the messengers who hurried
away in carriages and on horseback were
called upon for confirmation of the dis
tressing news by people along the way
side.
Mollie Garfield went into the sick room
by permission to embrace her dying father.
AS she attempted to leave the room she
fell in a dead faint across the threshold.
cutting open her face and causing 4 great