Custer chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, Black Hills, D.T. [S.D.]) 1880-1890, 1885-12-05

Associated Press dispatch: Hon. Thomas
a. Hendricks, Vice-P President Of the United
Safes, died very suddenly at his residence In
indianapolis, Indiana, at i:45 O'Clock on the
afternoon Of the 18th, under circumstances
that were particularly distressing 90 his fam
lily and friends, insomuch as they had not an
ticipated q fatal termination Of bis brief III
ness, and nobody wGs with him when death
came. He returned from Chicago Saturday
before, and s!nce then complained Of pain IN
his head and breast. but nothing serious WAS
thought OF II. Tuesday might he aud Mrs.
Hendricks attended IA reception given at the
residence OF Hon. John j. Cooper, treasurer Of
the state. returning home in their carriage
about midnight.
"Wednesday morning he arose and ate quite
a hearty breakfast, saying tDat be 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 be had apparently regained Las
physical vtgor and cheertulness. An hour
later however ne began 10 be
TROUBLED WITH PAINS
in the region OF the stomach, and Mrs. Hen
bricks sent for the family physician, DR.. W.
&. Thompson, a lifelong confidential friend
Of the Vice President. AS the pains III TIE
stomach continued to increase. h was given
an emetlc aud afterwards HI injection, and re-
lief came In a natural way.
About 4;30 Mrs. Hendricks, who had been
at the bedside al! day, went To the parlor TO
SEE a caller, and sh. 'rmalned with him about
twenty minutes. Tom, u colored servant, and
Harry Morgan, Hendricks nephew, and page
III Washington remained with him. Tie ser
want went out and Morgan stayed. Hendricks
tossed u~neasily in his bed and complained Of
great pain, but suddenly IT seemed 10 cease
and he said to his nephew:
~ AN rREE AT LAST; SEND FOR ELIZA"
meaning his wife, and these were his last words.
for the young man, not realizing the urgency
OF the message, did not deliver 1t at once.
Just before 5 O'Clock Mrs. Hendricks came in
to the room and found that her husband wac
dead. The end OF u long and eventiul life had
come peacefully and quietly. he lay Ia the
bed outside the covering, only partially dis
rObed, with his eyes closed. as II he were in .
Gnu rJCSk. ch lax 4 NtIt Nv GIdNTb VI
pain or suffering, but n palior had come over
II that indicateo only too plainly that he had
passed away. 1t needed no close examination
10 tell thet he was dead, and Mrs. Hendricks
screamed and ran down stairs. A servant WAS
dispatched to the residence Of DR.. Thompson
adjoining, and. he came immediately, but by
the tim, he had reached the bedside The limbs
OF the die tirgui3hed dead were becoming cold
aud rpio, and TO Mrs. Hendricks pathetic sp-
peal, "Oh, doctor, can't you DO something
he was ooliged to answer:
"E IS TOO LATE"
Hendricks became almost distracted
erief, and Il was Oil hour or more before
che became sufficiently composed to give any
information about her last moment. When
the news WAS bulletined down town 1t was
generally discrcdited, and In a very few mo-
ments a hundred or more OF Mr.. Hendricks's
close political and other friends had hurried
to the house.
DR.. Thompson says that in his opinion Mr..
Hendricks
DIED OF PARALYSIS OF THE BRAIN,
and there will probably be a postmortem ex-
animation TO establish what the disease was.
For several years he had not been "a robust
man, and was subject To frequent 'bad spells,''
AS he called them, during which sometimes he
would be Frustrated for days at a time. About
two years ago he was confined to his room for
several weeks by a gangreDous afilictiOn OF the
foot, which at times WAS feared would result
in blood poisoning, and It was then thought
that the end OF his life was Gear at HAND, but
he apparently recovered and was in usual
health.
The news OF Hendricks death spread rapid
ly throughout the city and there was
GENERAL Es PRESTON CT SORROW
over 1t. Those who we're his political enemies
here, and TO everybody who called on him or
met him he had q pleasant word and greeting.
Ths1 were crowds around the Bulletin boards
low W all the evening, while In the Vi
cinity Of his residence there was another great
crowd, all anxious to learn the particulars of
his sudden DE- mise. The evening papers could
not get out extras fast enough TO supply the
demand he had been dead but q few minutes
when forces of men began draping the state,
county and city buildings In black, and
throughout the night similar emblems were
placed ON nearly all the prominent buSiness
houses and residences, so this. by morning the
city had put on a general gsrb OF mourning.
All the city ministers In their Thanksgiving
services made appropriate mention Of the
death Of the distinguished statesman.
Right Rev. Bishop Knickerbocker, bishop OF
the diocese OF Indiana OF the Episcopal
church, OF which Mr.. Hendricks was u life. '