New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-04-24
PRICE FOUR CENTS.
NEWS FROM WASHINGTON.
THE PRESIDENTS SICK NESS.
A STATEMENT OF THE FACTS IN THE CASE.

lBf TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNEI
WASHINGTON, April 23.-The chief topic in Wash
ington today has been the vexed question of tho
Presidents sickness. The statements of Secretary
Chandler and Private Secretary Phillips
were given at length this morning. On
the other hand the correspondents who
accompanied the President and returned with him,
and are trustworthy and experienced men. assert
the correctness of the reports sent by them from
the South. 1t should be noted perhaps that the
correspondents at no time represented that the
President had reached the point of actual danger.
and the matter has been brought into much greater
prominence by the denials than would have been
the case otherwise
The correspondent who accompanied the party
for THE TRIBUNE says "The Associated Press
dispatch sent broadcast last night discreditins.
upon the authority of Private Secretary Phillips.
the special dispatches from Savannah and
Charleston with regard to the Presidents
sickness. deserves plain, ungloyed explanation.
The correspondents who went on the trip are men
with due regard for not only their professional
character but for reasonably careful work. Tbrcs
of them have for some time held
responsible positions. and tho other.
a Philadelphia, is most conservative
aud painstaking writer. 1t would hardly have
been possible for one OF the four to entrap ths
others into a sensa ion even had he been 50 dis
posed aud it is simply absurd for Mr.. Phillips to
attemp. to make any ono believe that the fonr
men, after separate and deliberate inyestiga-
tion, which each made, would unite In starting
the country with baseless sensation upon .
subject OF vital interest. The news of the Presi-
dents sickness on Thursday night was so well kept
that until Friday afternoon only two three of the
ships officers knew of It, The correspondents
had been aboard an hour on Friday morning.
wholly unsuspecting, when one Of them, passing BY
accident to the starboard deck, was pat on tho
scent of something wrong by finding that tho
portion of the deck upon which the PreG-
dents room opened was roped in to
prevent the slightest noise reaching him. Even
then the three officers who knew the facts wero
retcent, and an hour of dilIgent inquiry needed
to bring out the truth. Then. toward DUSK. when
the President for the first time that day sat for
little while on the deck near his room, one of the
correspondents talked with him about his sickness
"The President was much surprised and evi-
IDENTIFY annoyed that anything should have leaked
out about it. but his admission that he had been
sick was frank and unequivocal Mr.. Chandler
also spoke OF it freely after he became satisfied that
silence was longer demanded. and while both
the President and he were naturally disposed to
make light of il as small matter, easily corrected,
the information possessed by the correspondents
was communicated to Mr. Chandler without dissest
on his part, except chafingIy. Indeed he was tree
10 say that Sc socitous was he for the Presidents
welfare that he advised strongly in favor OF remain
ing over at Savannah for several days. that
the President might not take chances OF
a railroad Journey i'll no respect unpleasant
except for its length. But the presidents
for the same reason anxious for speedy re-
turn that If he were to be sick he might have the
best surroundings, and his own solicitude mani
tested itself in a request to Mr. Chandler to return
with Mn, althcugl the President well knew thas
Mr.. CL 9nder had counted with much satis'acuoe
upon returning by sea. The statement or tae
events of tae night trip from Savannah Has
based upon the authority of more than one
person in the special car. Mr. Chandler sat no
Within call of the President until midnight when,
as was published, the President began to nap. NJ.
Chandler made no eoncealment that night that the
President was quite sick. although still, as on fs
day speaking on the brightest side, as was -
have been ex pected, and for which he was agly
credited all dispatches cent that night
1t was natural that the President and the party
should make light of the matter, but after tho
attempts in official quarters notably during Genei1
Garlieds sickness at bolsterlng up eyasinDs Win
regard to such matters due weight ought not to %
denied the statements Of persons interested only IN
chronlcling facts.
One of the correspondents who accompanied the
party says that the surgeon of the Tallapo0sa aie
not conceal the fact that he was for time aarfne9
al tho Presidents condition.