The sun. [volume] (Morris, Stevens County, Minn.) 1882-1895, 1885-12-03


A SHOCK TO THE NATION
INDIANAPOLIS Ind. Nov. 25.-Hon. Thomas
A. Hendricks. vice president of the United
States. died very suddenly at his residence in
his city ut 4:45 O'clock this evening. under
,ircum stances that We're par icularIy dis
.ressing TO his family and friends inasluuch
as they had not anticipated a fatal ternina-
lion OF his brief illness. and nobody was with
aim when the end came He returned from
Chicago last Saturday, and since then had
been complaining somewhat OF pain N his
1ead and breast, but nothing serious was
thought of il Last night he and Mrs Hen
bricks attended reception given at the res
ldence of Hon john J. Cooper, state treas
arer, returning home in their carriage about
midnight Mr. Hendricks had taken off the
heavy clothing which ne usually wore and
put on 4 dress suit of lighter material, and
before he got home he complained OF chilli
ness and certain degree of exhaustion, but
attributed ii to maiarial influences, He sat
Uv the fire for an hour or more before retir-
ng but declined to send fer Il physician,
although urged TO do so He slept restlessly
until about o'clock this morning when he
arose. dressed himself and ate quite
hearty breakfast, saying he felt much better
and intended to attend to cons s,derable de-
laved business during the day. He and Mrs
Hendricks walked out Tor nearly half an
1our. and he apparently
RECLAIMED HIS PHYSICAL yIGoR
and cheerIulness. An hour later, however,
ne began TO be troubled wi ii pains in the
gegion of his stomach and Mis-. Hendricks
sent for the family physician, DR.. ". c.
Thompson q lifelong ana confidential
friend OF the vice president As the p2lnS IN
the stomach continued to increase, he was
yiven an euetic and afterward an injection,
and relief came in the natural way lie arose
from his bed in which he had lain only few
minutes and read the morning papers, talk
ag cheerfully with his wife and IN I'd house
servant just before noon he had a relapse,
however, and the physician was again
summoned ana administered the usual
remedies, beside bleeding the patient,
and Mr. Hendricks again expressed himself
.S being greatly relieved. He remained in
MS room al the afternoon, occasionally
rising from his bed, to which ne waa COM
oelled 10 return bv the recurrence or tbs
Gains To ali callers who came, and they
Svere numerous. iia sent word that he was
ind.sposed but would be glad to see them
tomorrow About 430 o'clock Mrs. Hen
tricks. who had been at his bedside al. day,
went down into the parlor TO see caller
syho had come to consult with her reg q ng
the affairs Of refOrmatory institution. OF
which she was one OF the managers. "a he
remained with him about twenty minutes
Tom u colOred servant, aud Harry Morgan,
Mr Hendricks nepheH'. and page IN Wash
.ngton, remained with him. The servant
went out and Mr. Morgan staid. Mr.. Hen
drcks tossed uneasily in his bed and com
planned Of great pain but suddenly II
seemed to cease. and he said TO his nephew,
L am free at last. Send for Eliza" meaning
MS wife; and these were
HIS LAST WORDS,
for the Young man not realizing the urgency
Of the message did not deliver it at once
Just before ) o'clock Mrs. Hendricks came
into the room and found that her husband
was dead The end of a long and eventful
life had come peacefully and quietly. He
lay on the bed outside of the covering, only
partly disrobed, with his eyes half open as II
in a gentle sleep. On his face there We're no
races or pain, but pallor had come over IL
chat indicated only too plainly that he had
passed away 1t needed no close examina-
Jon to tell that he was dead, and Mrs. Hen
bricks screamed and ran down stairs. A
servant was dispatched to the resi-
1ence of DR. Thompson, adjoining, and
ne came Immediately, but by the
time he had reached the bedside, the
limbs of the distinguished dead man
were becoming cold and rigid, and to Mrs
Hendricks pathetic appeal, "Oh, doctor,
can't you do something?" he was obliged to
answer: 1T is too late" Mrs. Hendricks
became almost distracted with grief, and it
was an hour or more before she became
sufficiently composed to give any informa-
ton about her husbands last moments The
family servants. two of whom had lived
with them for years ran about the house
crying and moaning, and there was the
utmost confusion for time. When the
news was buIletined down town it was gehs
orally dscredited, and in a very few minutes
hundred or more of Mr.. Hendricks close
political and personal friends had hurried to
The house. Very soon
4 GREAT CROWD COLLECTED
around the entrance ON the street, and it
was found necessary to refuse admission to
all corners except the immediate relatives.
Dir. Hendricks died in his private chamber,
a large comfortable room in which he did
the most of his work. Near his bedside was
case containing legal and political works.
and on his desk We're his papers, memoranda
and large number of letters which had
been allowed to accumulate without an
swering for the last two or three days His
dressing gown and slippers were at his bed
side, and near by was small stand on
which were various medicines and a goblet
Of water. Portraits, landscapes and bric-a-
brac adorned the walls Of the $ropm. .sand
were in striking contrast with the sad
scene within DR.. Thompson says that,
IN his opinion, Mr.. Hendricks died of
paralysis Of the brain, and there Will prob
ably be post-mortem examination to estab-
Iish what the disease was For several years
he had not been robust man. and was sub
ject to frequent &bad spells, as he .called
them during which he would be prostrated
sometimes for days at time About two
years ago he was confined to his room for
several weeks by gangreneous affection of
the foot, which at the time it was feared
would result in blood poisoning, and it was
then thought that the end of life was near;
but he apparently recovered entirely from
this and was in his usual health While in
Washington during the last session OF con-
gress he was overworked and almost worn
out by the press of political matters and