Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1886-11-25

unexpected by his more intimate friends. For
two years he had been suffering from compli-
cation OF Brights disease of the kidneys and an
enfeebled and enlarged heart. 1t was this latter
disorder that weakened his robust constitution
and prepared the way for tho rupture of the
blood-vessel in his brain which caused his
death.
The beginning of Gen. Arthur's illness dates
back to the latter part of his administration at
Washington. On leaving the national capital
he at once placed himself in the care of Dr.
George A. Peters, his old family physician, and
every effort within the reach Of medical skill
was employed to rebuild his disordered system.
The treatment did him no apparent good, and
II was thought last spring that he had only Il
few days to live. With the warm summer
weather, however, the patient seemed to rally.
Early in June he was removed to a cottage at
New London, Conn., and there his health and
spirits gained perceptibly.
On Oct. /, Gen Arthur returned to this city
much benefited by his stay at New London, but
it was not long before DR.. Peters saw that his
patient was falling and soon the President
found himself too weak to leave his house. He
had his bed moved into the frCnt room on the
second story, and so arranged, with the foot
board toward tae windows, that he could look
out and watch the clouds when he did not feel
hrs
mind was clear and his spirits hopeful. He sat
up chatting with friends, and in the evening
wrote number of letters and signed some legal
papers. At midnight the nurse looked into his
room and found him sleeping quietly.
Wednesday morning when the attendant en-
tered the sick mans room he was breathing
heavily and was unconscious DIR. Peters and
DIR. Valentine were at once called, and hasty
examination satisfied them that General
Arthur was near his end. He had suffered O
stroke of apoplexy which ruptured a blood
vessel in the brain, causing paralysis, and this
in turn produced unconscousness. Restora-
tives were applied, and after some hours the
dying man regained his mind. He was unable
to speak, but when the doctor called his name
he pressed his hand family, and later he put
out his tongue when asked to do SO by his
physician. The family was then told that
the sick man could not live more than a few
1aWH and nNannG g0fTAx
sent to General Arthur's friends. Mrs. McElroy
and Mrs. Cav, the eX-Presidents sisters, and
his son, Chester Alan Arthur, Jr., with the
daughter Nellie, were constant in their attend
ance.
At O'Clock Wednesday afternoon it became
evident that death was very near. As DR.
Dr. Peters and Mr. knevals at this hour entered
tho apartment of the dying man he seemed to
recognize his old friends. He followed them
with his eyes and took the doctors hand, but
his speech failed him. Most OF the family
gathered in the dying mans room and sadly
watched through the long hours OF the night
At midnight DIR. Peters observed that the pa
tient was no longer conscious, and listening for
n moment at the sick mans breast no detected
the unmistakable signs OF the approaching
end: This he made known to the watchers, and
feeling that his friend was beyond the reach Of
his skill he left the house and went to his home.
From midnight on the dying man lay quiet
upon his bed, breathing slowly, but apparently
in little pain. Toward early dawn the curtains
in the room we're lifted, but the patient gave
few signs of life save the severe and now some
called the daughter Nellie and the son, who
bears Gen. Arthurs own name, ana his two sis
ters, Mrs. McElroy and Mrs. Cav, with his
nephew, Mr. Masten, to g. o bedside Of the dying
man, and then left the apartment overcome
with grief. Tie ex-President continued to sink
rapidly, and at o'clock Thursday morning he
died
The young daughter OF the dead man was
overwhelmed with grief When she was led to
the death couch Of her father she wept bitterly,
and was led away inconsolable. The son, who
ha n father.
tears
Chester Alan Arthur, the son of an Irishman
named William Arthur, born in Fairfield,
VT, on the 5th of October, 1880. After the Gus.
tomary New England schooling he entered
Union College in Schenectady in 1856, and was
| graduated high up on the list four years later
| Mr. Arthur supported himself while in college
and served his apprenticeship in the humble in-
closure of a schoolhouse. After two years in
| law school, and brief service as principal OF
the North Pownal Academy, in Vermont
Mr.. Arthur came to New York and en-
tered the law firm Of Culver, Paister
! q Arthur after which, and until 1885, he was
/ associated with Mr.. Henry ID. Gardner. The
| law career Of Mr. Arthur includes some notable
cases. One Of his first cases was the celebrated
| Lennon suit. In 1852 Jonathan and Juliet
| Lemmon, Virginia Shareholders, intending x
emigrate TO Texas came to New York to await
the sailing of a steamer bringing eight slaves
with them. A writ OF haboas corpus was OBJ
tanned from Judge Paine to test the question
whether the provisions of the fugitive-slave Law
were in force in this State. Judge Paine rem
1
and ordered that the Lennon slaves be liber
| ated. Henry l.. Clinton was one OF the counsel
| for the shareholders. A howl of rage
| went up from the South, and the Virgins
| Legislature authorized the Attorney General o
| that State to assist in taking an appeal. William
| NJ Evarts and Chester A. Arthur were employ
/ ed to represent the people. and they won theii
| case, which then went to the Supreme Court
| of the United States Charles OConor here es-
| poused the cause OF the Shareholders but he, too
| was beaten by Messrs. Evarts and Arthur. and
n long step was taken toward the emancipation
| of the black race.
| At the outbreak OF the war Gov. Morgan ap
| pointed Mr.. Arthur Engineer-in Chief, then In
| spector General and In 1SC2 Quartermastei
| General. No higher encomium can be passed
| upon him than the mention Of the fact that, al
| though the war account of the State of New Yorl
was at least ten times larger than that of AM
| other State, yet IL was the first audited and al
| lowed in Washington, and without the deduc
tion of q single dollar, while the Quartennasters
accounts from other States were reduced from
81, 600 600 to $4,000, 900. During his incumbency
every present sent TO him was immediatell
| returned. When he became Quarterma ster bI
was poor when his term expired he was poorei
| still
The nomination for the Vice Prcsld ency OF
| the Garfield ticket was made in tho evening
| session of June TO- 1880. Following the SUGGEST
Of his ticket in the fall Of 1880, Gen Arthur wal
| sworn in and took his seat presiding of1ce
| In tho Senate on the 9Th Of March, 1881. On tn,
| death OF President GARFIELD Mr.. Arthur becam,
| the twenty FIRST President OF the United States
being sworn In at two o'clock i'm the morning o
September 20, 1881.