The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1885-12-03
HENDRICKS DEAD.
The Vice President Dies Suddenly
of Paralysis of the Heart.

The Vice President Dies Suddenly
Of Paralysis Of the Heart.
( No One In the Room When He Dies-Hts
Last WOrds-A Special Cabinet Coun-
! cil-A Brief Biography.
! INDIANAPOLIS, IND, November 26.-Vice
President Hendricks died very suddenly at
his residence a few minutes before five
O'Clock yesterday afternoon. Mr.. Hendricks
came from Chicago early in the week and
complained of feeling unwell but nothing
serious was thought of it at the time. Tues
: day night the Vice President and Mrs. Hen
bricks attended a reception at the residence
+ of the Hon. j. j. Cooper, and after he came
home, he complained of pains in his side
and stomach. In the morning he was no
better and his family physician, DR.. ThOmp-
son, was called in. He gave him an emetic
and later in the day an injection. Mr..
| Hendricks stayed in his room all day, and
the most of the time in bed, although he
sat up at frequent intervals. MIR. Hen
bricks received no callers, but about five
! o'clock Mrs. Hendricks left his bedside to
! see caller for few minutes in the parlor.
1 She was delayed longed than she expected,
and when she returned 20 the room she
( found that Mr.. Hendricks was dead. The
end of a busy and eventfuI life had come
peaceably and quietly. His last words
were: Il am free at last. Send for
| Eliza" meaning his wife. There was
nobody in the Vice Presidents room
when he died, and only Mrs. Hendricks,
the servants and a caller were in the
house. Mrs. Hendricks was almost dis
tracted with grief and could not restrain her
feelings sufficiently to talk.
! When the President received the news of
the death of the Vice President he immedi-
ately called the Cabinet together and issued
an order that the National flag be displayed
at half mast on all public buildings OF the
United States; that the executive mansion
and the several executive departments in
the city of Washington be closed on the
day of the funeral, and be draped in mourn
ing for thirty days; that the usual mill
tary and naval honors be rendered, and
that on all the Legations and ConsuateS of
the United States In foreign countries, the
National flag be displayed at half mast.
The President telegraphed his coincidence
and sympathy to Mrs. Hendricks, and the
bereaved lady also received many other
telegrams of a similar nature from all parts
of the country.
Biographical.
Thomas Andrews Hendricks, Vice Pres
ident of the United States, was born
near GAINESVILLE, o., September Z, 1919.
When he was six months old his parents
removed to Madison, Ind, then the resi-
dence of his uncle, William Hendricks, who
was successively member of Congress,
Governor of the State aid United States
Senator. In 1882 he removed again, and To-
Gated homestead in the then sparSely set
tied county of Shelby, and the county town,
ShelbyYille, is upon part of the Old Hen
lricKs farm. In this home Thomas
4. Hendricks passed his bOyhOOd till
1881, when she entered Hanover College,
at Hanover, Ind, from which he was
graduated in 1871. He then went to Cham
bersburg Pa, studied law in the Office OF
his uncle, judge Thomas, was admitted
to the bar in 1913, and returned to Shelby
vile, to practice. His success in his pro-
fessiOn was phenomenal. In 1915 he
married Eliza c. Morgan. They have
no children, their only son having died in
infancy In the same year, at the age of
twenty-sX, he was sent to the State Legis-
lature, where he served one term, but he
would not accept a reelection. In 1851 he
was elected without opposition member
of the convention that was called to revise
and amend the State constitution of Indiana,
and was prominent and efficient in that
work. In 1851, and again in 1855, he was
member of Congress from the Fifth District
Of Indiana. At the close of his second
term he intended to return to his law prNc-
tice, but President Pierce appointed him
Commissioner of the General Land Office,
and he served in that capacity for four
a1r inn nf
Office with great ability. In 1860 he
was nominated as Democratic can
didate for the GovernOrShip of
Indiana, but was defeated by the Re-
publican candidate, Henry S. Lane, who
became Governor by 9,757 majority. In
the same year Mr.. Hendricks removed
from SheIbyville to indianapolis. From
1868 to March, 1869, Mr.. Hendricks
was a member of the United States
Senate from Indiana, and was regarded rs
Democratic leader in that body. He
served efficiently on the Committees on
Claims the Judiciary, Public Lands and
Naval Affairs. In 1864 he advocated and
voted for large appropriations TO bring
the war to close. and spoke eloQuently in
favor of an amendment to increase the
pay of the soldiers fifty per cent. because
of the depreciation of the currency.
Ii the Democratic National Convention
of 1868, in New York, on the twenty-first
ballot, he received 1872 votes as candidate
for the Presidency, standing next to Cen
eral Hancock, who received 1853; but on
the final ballot HOratiO Seymour was nolni-
mated. In the autumn of that year he was
again q candidate for the GOvernorShip OF
Indiana, but was defeated by 941 majority
by the Republican candidate, Conrad Baker,
who afterward became lawyer partner OF
Mr.. Hendricks. At the close of his Sen9-
tOrial term he returned to indianapolis, and
resumed the practice OF his profession.
In 1872 he was elected Governor of In
diana, defeating the Republican candidate,
Thomas NJ. Brown. by majority of l, l48.
In July, 1874. he was Permanent Chairman
Of the State Democratic convention at In
dianapoliS in the National Democratic
convention at St Louis in June, 1876, he
received 13315 votes for the Presidential
nomination, and when Samuel j. Tilden
was nominated he received 730 out of 73S
votes as candidate for the Vice Presidency.
In 1877. and again in 1888, accompanied
by Mrs. Hendricks, he made brief tour in
Europe as a relaxation from his arduGuS
professional pursuits. He was member OF
the National Democratic Convention at
Chicago in July, 1884, and in behalf Of the
Indiana delegation nominated Joseph h.
Mcdonald. of that State, for the Presidency.
After the nomination of Grover Cleveland,
William \. Wallace, of Pennsylvania, nomi-
mated Thomas 4. Hendricks for Vice Presi-
dent, and the entire sic votes cast for linn
made him the unanimous nominee of the
convention.