Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1885-12-03
THE NATIONS LOSS.
Vice President Thomas Andrew
Hendricks Dead.
A Busy Life Peacefully Ends While
No Relative or Friend is Near.
Sorrow Throughout the Land.

o'clock this afternoon. He came home
from Chicago early in the week and CON-
planned of feeling unwell, but nothing
serious was thought of it at the time.
Last night he and Mrs. Hendricks at
tended this reception at the residence of
Hon. John J. Cooper, and after he came
home he complained of pains in his side
and stomach. This morning he was no
better, and his family physician, DR..
Thompson. was called in. He gave him
an emetie, and later in the day an iniec>
tion. Mr.. Hendricks stayed in his room
all day, and the most of the time in bed,
although be sat up at frequent intervals.
He received no callers, but about five
o'clock Mrs. Hendricks left his bedside
to see caller for few minutes in the
parlor She was delayed longer than
she expected, and when she returned to
the room she found that Mr.. Hendricks
was dead. The end of busy and event
full life bad come peaceably and quietly.
On lis face there was no indication of
pain or suffering, and his eyes were only
half closed, as if in gentle sleep. He
died of paralysis of the brain.
Another account says: Hon. Thomas
A. Hendricks. Vice President of the Uni
ted States, died very suddenly at his res
idence in this city at 4:45 o'clock this
evening under circumstances that were
particularly distressing to his family and
his friends, in so much as they had not
anticipated fatal termination of his
brief illness, and nobody was with him
when the end came. He returned from
Chicago last Saturday, and since then
had been complaining somewhat of pain
in his head and breast, but nothing set
rious was thought of it. Last night he
and Mrs. Hendricks attended reception
given at the residence of Hon. John J.
Cooper, treasurer of state. Returning
home about midnight, Mr.. Hendricks
had taken off the heavy clothing which
he usually wore, and put on dress suit
of lighter material, and before he got
home he complained of chilliness and q
certain degree of exhaustion, but attrib
uted it to malarial influences. He sat
by the fire for an hour or more before re-
tiring. but declined to send for physi-
clan. aalthough urged to do so. He slept
restlessly until about o'clock this
morning, when he srose,dressrd himself,
and ate quite hearty breakfast, saying
that he felt much better and intended to
attend to considerable delayed business
during the day. He and Mrs. Hendricks
walked out for nearly half an hour and
ne had apparently regained his physical
vigor and cheerfulness. An hour later,
however, he began to be troubled with
pains in the region of the stomach, and
Mrs. Hendricks sent for the family phys
ician, DR.. W. G. Thompson lifelong
and confidential friend of the Vice Pres
ident. AS the pains in the stomach con-
tinued to increase, he was given an
emetic and afterward an injection, and
relief came in the natural way. He
arose from bis bed, in which he had lain
only few minutes, and read the morn>
ing papers, talking cheerfGlly with his
wife and An old house servant.
Just before noon he had a relapse,
however, and the physician was agian
summoned and administered the usual
remedies, besides bleeding the patient,
and Mr.. Hendricks again expressed him
self as being greatly relieved. He re-
mained in his room all afternoon, occa.
sionally rising from his bed, to which he
was compelled to return by the recur
renee of the abdominal pains. To all
callers who came, and they were numer+
Gus, he sent word that he was indispos-
ed but he would be glad to see them to-
morrow.
About 80 o'clock Mrs. Hendricks, who
had been at bis bedside all day, went
down into the parlor to see caller who
had come to consult with her regarding
the affairs of a reformatory institution
of which she was one of the managers,
and she remained with him about 90 |
minutes. Tom, a colored servant, and |
Harry Morgan, Mr.. Hendricks nephew
and page in Washington, remained with |
him. The servant went out AID Mr..
Morgan stayed Mr. Hendricks tossed
uneasily in his bed and complained of
great pain, but suddenly it seemed to
cease and he said to his nephew: 81 am
free at last. send for Eliza" meaning his
wife, and these were his last words, for
the young man, not realizing the urgen>
cy of the message, did not deliver it at
once.
just before o'clock Mrs. Hendricks
came into the reem and found that her
husband was dead. The end of long
and eventful life had come peacefully
and quietly. He lay in the bed outside
the covering. only partially disrobed, and
his eyes half closed as If he were in
gentle sleep. In his face there were no
traces of pain or suffering, but pallor
had come over it, that indicated only
too plainly that he bad passed away. 1t
needed no close exami nation to tell that
he was dead, and Mrs. Hendricks
screamed and ran down stairs. A SER
want was dispatched to the residence of
DR.. Thompson, adjoining, and he came
Immediately. but by the time he had
/. cached the bedside the limbs of the