News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1886-11-25
Ex-President Arthur Dead.


"A STROKE OF CEREBRAL APoPLEXY THE
IMMEDIATE CAUSE OF DEATH
Ex-President Chester A. Arthur
died at o'clock last Thursday morn
ing at his residence in New York.
He had been ailing for some time
from a complication of diseases, prin-
cipally a kidney affection. He had
spent the summer at watering place,
and it was supposed that this had
strengthened somewhat his enfeebled
constitution. His death was uneX-
pected, it not being supposed outside
! of his house that he was in any i'm
mediate danger. As soon as the
news of Mr.. Arthur's death was
made public, many flags on public and
private buildings were placed at half
mast.
Mr.. Arthur had lived at No. 123
Lexington Avenue, n. Y, for twenty
wears or more. A stroke of cerebral
apoplexy, sudden, but not wholly
unexpected by the attending physi-
clans, terminated his life. The stroke
came in his sleep between Tuesday
night and Wednesday morning, and
he did not rally thereafter. His death
was painless, the slow going out of
burned-down candle, and before the
end came he was unconscious to his
surroundings. His son and daugh-
ter, his sister, his former law partner,
Herman W. Knevals, and his closest
friend, Surrogate Rollins, were at his
bedside.
All reports to the contrary, Mr..
Arthur's health had not improved du-
ring his stay in New London, six
weeks ago and when he returned Oc-
tober 1st he was no better than when
he left the city. As time passed no
permanent improvement came and the
physicians feared some such sudden
stroke as the one to which he sue
cumbed. In his enfeebled condition
even a light stroke of apoplexy
would have proved fatal to the once
robust patient. But with the begin
ming of last week q marked change
for the better set in. Tuesday the
ex-President felt better and stronger
than at any time since he was taken
sick, and commented hopefully upon
the fact. 1t was after midnight when
his attendant left him alone in his bed
room, and nothing was heard of him
during the early morning hours. He
was not disturbed until his attendant
entered his room at s o'clock We'd
nesdav morning. He found Mr. Ar
thur lying on his side breathing heav-
ilv, and he could not rouse him. The
family answered his summons, but
failed to elicit any sign of conscious
ness or recognition from the expires
ident. In alarm they summoned his
physician, DR.. George A. Peters, who
has been in attendance upon Mr..
Arthur throughout his illness, and
who responded promptly, and at once
saw that he was suffering from a
stroke of cerebral apoplexy. A
small blood.vessel in the brain had
burst and paralysis of the right side
had ensued. From the moment the
discovery was made all hope was
known to be vain, but no efforts were
made to bring the patient back to con-
seriousness. They were all failures.
Mr.. Arthur lay motionless and speech
less all day. He knew what was
going on about him, for he squeezed
the doctors hand and put cut his
tongue partly when asked to do so,
but he never spoke or gave any other
sign of consciousness. At 6 o'clock
Wednesday night the enfeebled pulse,
more difficult respiration and other
signs of physical failure indicated to
the watchful eyes Of his physicians
that the end was drawing near. A
change for the worse came on rapidly
and his sisters and children gathered
at his bedside. DR.. William A. Val
entlne and Surrogate Rollins stayed
with them during the night. Mr..
Knevals went home at midnight. Mr..
Arthur's strength ebbed out slowly
and with 1t his life. 1t was 5 o'clock
when the end came. He had been
entirely senseless for hours and died
without a struggle.
Chester A. Arthur was born in
Fairfield, VT, October 5, 1880, and
was the eldest son of the Rev. Will
liam Arthur, Baptist clergyman
with large family and a modest in
come.
The ex-President had been a wild
over seven years, his wife having died
in 1879. She was Miss Ellen Hern-
don, daughter Of naval officer,
Virginian, who was lost at sea. OF
their two children, the son, Chester
Allen, is twenty-five years old. He
was graduated from Princeton college
year ago and is now a student in
the Columbia law school. His prac-
teal training he received in the law
Office of Knevals & Ransom, the firm
Of which the eX-President was
member up to the time of his election
to the Vice Presidency. The daugh-
ter, Miss Nellie, of whom Mr.. Arthur
was very fond, is fourteen years old.
Mrs. McElory, his sister, is a resident
of Albany, N. Y, and acted as. host
ess Of the White House during his
presidency, and brother, Major
William Arthur, is an officer in the
regular army, having distinguished
himself as a Union soldier during the
war. Another sister, Mrs. Haines-
worth, is also a resident of Albany.
The funeral occurred Monday morn
ing, and an immense throng tried to
get into the honse and church. The
remains were moved to the church be-
| fore nine O'Clock under an escort of
| four companies of federal artillery
The son and daughter passed out of
the house first behind the corpse then
the other relatives. President Cleve-
land, his cabinet, most of the Su-
preme Court Judges, Mr.. Blaine. Gen
eral Sheridan, and other prominent
people were present. The services
at the church were simple, and were
conducted by the late ex-President's
pastor, DR.. Parker Morgan. The re-
mains were taken to Albany by spec
ial train.
ACTION OF THE LEGISLATURE.
The news of the death of the ex-
President reached Montpelier Friday
morning. The flag on the Capitol was
placed at hali-mast and Judge Poland
addressed the House as follows -