Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-07-23
IN THE SHADOWS.
GRANT SINKING RAPIDLY.
Yesterday at Mount McGreRor-fn Et-
tremes- Affecting scenes-Egor. of the
Doctors 90 Tide Him over.

increasing weakness. ne carry hVth"
ing hours at Grants cottage were cool
and refreshing.
At Oils O'Clock the members OF the
family and DIR. Newman were grouped
in the darkened room near General
Grant. Observing their evidences OF
feeling, the General said 81 do not
want anybody to be distressed on my
account"
Ala O'Clock Drs. Sands and Shrady
arrived by special train. which also
brought U. S. Grant, Jr., and
his wife. The newcomers repaired
at once to the cottage and met
with DR.. Douglas in consultation. A
occurrence at the cottage has
just been related by DR.. Newman as
having occurred at o'clock. At five
Of / the General asked the hour
of the day. Zone O'clock" spoke one
Of those near the General. Soon after
wards the cottage clock chimed twelve
strokes and the General counted them.
Then he wrote on his pad that he
observed the clock was wrong, and
indicated a desire to have it struck to
the right hour, which was done, and
the incident passed as one more Of the
remarkable episodes OF the Generals
later sickness. There had been re-
currence Of hiccoughs to-day. The
two physicians announced concurrence
in what DR.. Douglas had given to the
public. No one Of the staff was willing
to make any prediction beyond twenty
four hours, which period it was deemed
possible the General might survive,
though the probabilities indicated that
less space of time marked the limit
of the Generals life. A change for
the worse was anticipated as the
day closed. 1t was unofiicially stated
at O'Clock by some of the persons
surrounding General Grant that his
pulse continued above 100, and had
reached 1870.
MOUNT McGREGoR, July % p.
N.-General Grant is sinking.
The development of weakness Of
General Grant during the afternoon
was not particularly noticeable from
hour to hour, but between 3 and 6
o'clock p, NJ. there was a clearly if not
violently marked increase Of weak
ness. At 3 o'clock it was possible to
his pulse-beats, but at 6
o'clock one Of the physicians stated
that his pulse could not be counted.
There were two reasons existent for the
Of the doctors to catch his
pulse beats-they were so frequent and
so feeble. During the afternoon the
blOod-tide had so quickened that it
more rapidly wore the system and
exaHsted the frail basis, if any
upon which might be placed
a hope that the General would rally. A
point was reached at o'clock when
there was little to be expected from at
tempts to administer food. Soon after
6 O'Clock Harrison came up from the
cottage and told Drs. Sands and Shrady
that DIR. Douglas desired to see them at
the cottage. Thither went the Doctors.
They remained, however, but a short
time.
While the temperature Of General
Grant was nearly if not quite normal,
his respirations were nearly thirty per
minute. The family, beginning at 6
o. o'clock, came to the hotel to dinner in
twos; the others remaining at the cot
tage. The family dined in a private
room set apart for their use at the no.
tel, in order that at this critical time
-hev might be secluded from the Gu
rious. The closed and silenced cottage
mad all day suggested the enactment Of
he last scene in General Grants
earthly existence. While the physi-
clans were at dinner Harrison,;ame to
The hotel and called DR.. Douglas, who
went at once and alone to the cot
tage. Soon after another messen-
ger summoned Drs. Shrady and Sands,
and they repaired to the cottage.
closely followed by Rev. DR.. Newman.
The exits of the doctors and clergyman
from the hotel were, however. so
quietly effected that few knew that
they had been summoned to the cottage.
Arrived there, they found General
Grant evidently sinking. The General
seemed restless. Would you like
to lie down, father? asked Col
onel Fred. Grant, who noticed
his fathers restlessnesS. The General
nodded, and at the same moment essayed
to rise unassisted, but the effort was
too great. and he sank back into the
char, and the Colonel and nurse aided
him to arise and then supported him
TO the bed. where he was carefully
lowered to a reclining position, partly
on his face. DR.. Douglas then rolled
the chairs back, and one Of the physi-
clans afterwards remarked that the
General had now left his chair for the
last time. The belief was that General
Grant had at length lain down to die.
The family were all gathered beside
the sick man, and again Rev. DR.. New
man, at about the same hour as last
night, and at Mrs. Grants request, knelt
beside the General and prayed. Heads
were bowed, and tears were OH the cheeks
Of men as well as women. As the sun
went down a cool breeze as last night
sprung up, and the laymen thought
that the cool night would help General
Grant to rally. The doctors were pre-
pared to attend the Generals death-bed
at moments notice. The doctors
stood somewhat apart, and the family
was near its fast-Sinking head,
and then after an hour death seemed
little less rapidly gaining on the man it
has pursued nine months, for it was
Just nine months ago to-day that Gene
raj Grant walked into DR.. Douglass
office TO seek his professional aid
for the cancer that has done
what war could not. Then the
doctors and clergymen strolled out
upon the piazza and sat near the parlor
window. and Jesse Grant joined them
at times, but the other members of the
family remained in the sick-room and
watched and waited while the General
answered - Yes" and " No" to sew
eral questions.
Time passed slowly indeed, and at
length, at $40 O'Clock, DR.. Douglas
loft tho cattoCp