The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1882-01-12
THE Ex-ApoNIs OF THE SENATE.
He Is In Failing Health-Gossip About the
Supposed Reason Therefor and shrewd
Guess ms to what Impelled Him to Resign.

He Is In Failing Health-Gossip About the
Supposed Reason Therefor and Shrewd
Guess rs to what Impeiied Him to Resign.
WASHINGTON. January S.-For two or
three years ex-senator Conkling has not
been in good health. He has suffered very
severe attacks that have Frustrated him for
weeks at time. He has often been very
near the point of death. He is very sensi-
tive, however, on the subject of his health,
and has carefully concealed its true condi-
ton from everyone. But his most intimate
friends know the condition in which he has
at times been placed. Very few supposed
that the cause of his ill-health was any
thing more than chagrin and dlssp-
pointment first, over the scandal that
was so humilating to his vanity,
and, second, the disappointment which
followed the bunder he made
when he left the Senate. 1t appears, how
ever, that there is a good physical cause for
the weakness which has at times threatened
to be serious. A lady correspondent, one
of Mr. Conkling's admirers, contributes to
the columns ola Sunday paper to-day a
itN lllNlutIt III Ills Nultti. DIlt gives lllt
details of an accident hitherto unknown to
the public. This explains the serious i'll
ness with which the Senator has been sew
eral times afflicted. She says. in speaking
of him: Gle is not in the best of health,
but struggles against weakness and pain
with the same unyielding spirit of defiance
with which he has met other assaults.
by the way, the story of the accident,
which so nearly cost Mr.. Conklng his life,
has been known to but few. couple of
years ago recall an afternoon when, with
number of friends, stood In one of the
corridors of the capitol, watching the tide
of humanity as it ebbed and flowed over
the marble blocks, when Senator ConkliDg
passed. We remarked upon the peculiarly
regular step of the gentleman, and as far
ms we could see him. we counted the foot
falls. The ticking of the great clock was not
more exact. Some months later we met the
Senator IN nearly the same place,
and observed that the elastic step
and precise movement was gone,
and ne walked like an old man.
Long after the story was told us. 1t APP
pears that Mr., Conklng was passing out of
the building one day and came TO flight of
marble steps. Thousands of hurrying feet
had worn slight depression in the center
of the step, and, as the edge of II was wet
and slippery, when he set his foot upon it
he slipped and fell, striking upon his back
across the stairs No one was by except an
ompoyc of the building, who ran hurriedly
10 his relief and was eager to call for help
This he was forbidden to do and
the man had the most stringent or.
ders to hold his tongue. With the great
est difficulty the Senator got home, and
after time rallied littlo but his old ac-
tivity was gone, and YEARLY, painfully, but
with grim determination, he went about
his duties. More than once since that time
his life has hung by thread, and only |
those who know him best, and but few of
that number have any idea of the agony he !
has suffered, The greatest injury was Il |
strain which affected the kidneys, and only |
the most untirng watchiulness has kept |
the danger at bay. Apropos ofthe rcsigna |
ton of the New York Senators, it is Wills |
peTed that IL was after Il Sleepless night spent !
together that the two Senators walked into |
the Senate chamber. Senator Conkling is |
strictly temperance man, save on cham |
payne, and was with his colleague and |
trusted friend on this eyenttul night. |
The two had been sitting in Senator |
Conkling's rooms,with acase of the choicest |
brand at their elbows They had talked |
long and earnestly over the political situa- |
ton, and with their very souls on fire with |
q sense of what they felt to be an injustice |
they went TO the capitol. Senator Conkliug |
was worn out with pain and mental anxiety, |
anu, being the stronger spirit of the two, |
carried his friend with him in the sudden |
plunge. Mr.. Arthur, who knew all of the
circumstances, was deeply panied at the |
act, and, as he knew il to be the al,iost |
desperate dash Of man in frenzy of |
physical suffering and wounded pride, |
stood by them to the last, and stood with |
all OF the power within his grasp to close
the breach and avoid the crash. fall of |
the hidden springs of human action could |
be laid bare to our eyes, we too might stop |
and reason before we so rashly condemn or |
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