The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1883-03-31

/ From the st. Paul Pioneer.
This community was greatly shocked
at report which was spread rapidly
| from mouth to mouth about o'clock
| yesterday morning, that Cap. james r.
| Hatcher manager of the Opera house,
| was dead. But few even of Capt. Hat
| chcrs most intimate friends knew that he
was sick, and of these. those best &C
quainted with his condition hadn't sus-
pIcion that he was dangerously ill and
could hardly bring their minds to realize
| that death had actually overtaken their
| friend when there was no longer q chance
| to doubt the fact.
| Capt Hatcher had been confined to his
room in the Opera house block--tif,lt for
merly occupied by Col. Haines and wife
since Sunday last, his trouble being a
bad cold and attendant fever. DIR. Dorion
was called to him at once, but could see
no alarming symptoms, while his treat
ment seemed to afford relief to his cold
| and To check the fever. Indeed, so well
was he getting along that he declined to
have any attendance at night beyond that
his little son Benton, aged thirteen years,
| could give him. When Dr. DORM visited
| him Friday morning he found the captain
much better. but when he called about 5
1 O'Clock in the afternoon, he WIS some
what startled by the rapid fall of his pulse
| which had taken place since his morning
visit a fall from 104 to eighty with cor
responding " eal1ness of Temperature.
Com Davidson, who visited Capt. Hat
cher il the morning and again mt 3 in the
afternoon, said to the GLOBE reporter,
yesterday. that he was struck with the
wonderful change that had taken place
between the two. visits. just what that
change was tire commodore saidshe could
not explain, but as soon as he looked in-
to the captains face he felt that he was
in the presence of a very sick man, and
he Immediately had a room in his resid-
ence prepared for his accommodation,
calculating to have thesremoval made yes
terday forenoon He also arranged with
L. N Scott, a clerk in his office, to watch
with Capt. Hatcher during the night, an
made every arrangement possible for his
comfort and care. AT that time the COM
modore said he had no thought of Capt.
Hatchers death, but somehow the
thought was forced home upon his mind
that he was a sicker man than he appear
ed, and the impression thus created fol-
lowed him through the afternoon and
night.
In view of the decline of pulse and fall
of temperature as above noted, DIR. Dor
ion prescribed stimu'ants, and left IN
structions with Mr. Seoststo g we him his
prescriptions hourly, but should he be
sleeping at the time not to arouse him.
The first part of the evening Capt Hat
cher reclined upon a sofa in the room,
retiring to the bed about 10 O'Clock,
walking from one ia the other with scar,
cely any assistance from MIR. Scott, at the
time renarlIing he felt much better than
he had for several days, and thought he
should besable to be around all right in
day or two. Shortly after he sank away
into an easy and apparently restful sleep.
The last time Mr.. Scott gave him medi- |
eineswas at 4 o'clock iu the morning, at
which time he sat up in his bed upon his |
own effort, remarking as he laid back
after taking the medicine that he was
feeling all right. At about O'clock MIR. |
Scott, who was lying down and in little |
doze on the lounge, imagined he heard |
Capt. Hatcher move and got up to give |
him his medicine, but the captain not |
responding. and supposing him asleep, he |
returned to the lounge where he went to |
sleep, not waking until nearly o'clock |
when, upon approaching the bed, he was
horritied To find that the captain was |
dead.
From the appearance Of the body it Is |
evident that Capt. Hatcher died without
a struggle and that he himself was I'M |
aware of the approach of the messenger |
OF death-his end being so noiseless that
his little son sleeping in the bed with his |
father knew nothing of the bereavement |
that had befallen him until awoke by Mr.. |
Scott when he went to the bedside at z |
o'clock and made the startling discovery.
The captain was then found TO be lying
almost straight on his back, his face
slightly bent to the left, and the fingers
of his hands partly intertwined across his |
breast. His face wore calm and peace
full expression, and there was not the |
slightest indication that he had suffered
any pain.
Though mot positively known it is |
probable that death ensued at about o.
clock the time when Mr.. Scott thought lie
heard the noise, and went to the bed to
give him his medicine, but found him as
he supposed, asleep. The Immediate
cause of death was paralysis of the heart.
Capt. Hatcher was born in Louisville
KY, in 1885, and was therefore in the
forty eighth year of his age. At the
early age of fourteen he took service with
Com. w. f. Davidson, who was then en-
gagged in steamboating on the Ohio river,
as assistant in the office. He followed
the commodore when he transferred his |
operations totlle Mississippi river in 1855