Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1886-02-11

i NEW YORK, Fed. 9.-MalOr- General
Hancock died at Governors Island at )
O'Clock this afternoon.
He had been i'll only week and II was
not until Monday that fatal termination
Of his illness was apprehended. On
january 27th General Hancock, attended
by Lieutenant Dapray, went to Washing
lston on private business and put up at
Wormley's. On Thursday, the 2Sth, he
called upon President Cleveland and then
upon the Secretary Of War and on Lieu
tenant General Sheridan. All that day
he complained to Mr.. Dapray of a boil
on the back of his neck. On Friday il
troubled him so much that he went TO the
United States aRny dispensary, where
surgeon 0'Reilly lanced the boil and
greatly relieved him.
He reached Governors. Island at $50
O'Clock that evening. On Tuesday week
the boil developed into carbunele and
for two days General Hancock was quite
i'll. On Thursday his symptoms became
favorable and on Friday he was at his
office attending to official business. On
Saturday, although he refrained from GO
ing to his office, he insisted upon giving
attention at his house to the official mat
tiers of any importance. Although down
stairs FOR few minutes on Sunday morn.
ing he remained in his room the rest Of
the day. During the night he alarmed
Mrs. Hancock by suddenly appearing in
her room, to which she had retired but a
few minutes before. He was fully
dressed and equipped for journey and
asked where his travelling bag was. He
was delirious.
i had
suspected, showed themselves on Monday
and DR.. Janeway, attending surgeon at
division head. quarters, called in Colonel
Sutherland, medical director of the di-
vision of the Atlantic. They decided
that the condition of their patient was
serious and warned Mrs. Hancock that
death might be near at hand. On Mon
day night, however, the general seemed
/ very comfortable and DR.. Janeway left
him in charge of Hospital Steward Rob
inson and of his orderly, Ward.
HIS LAST WORDS.
Mrs Hancock was in and out of the
room during the night and about O'Clock
Tuesday morning noticed change i'll
the generals condition. She ut once
sent for DR.. Janeway, who found the
general almost comatose. He sent for
Colonel Sutherland and for DIR. Daniel
NJ. Stinson of New York, and at once
gave hypodermic injections of brandy,
whisky, ether and carbonate of ammonia,
separately and combined, for the purpose
of restoring the sufferers strength.
Mrs. Hancock was terribly unstrung by |
the sudden change in her husbands con
dition and could not remain in the room.
As she left the bedside General Hancock
awoke for an instant.
''Oh, Allie-Myra,' he said, in weak
voice. Good"
He could say nothing more and re-
lapsed into the state from which he had
for moment emerged.
DIR. Stinson reached Governors Island
shortly after o'clock, and the three doc
tors held consultation. 1t was then
learned definitely that the general suffered
from diabetes. The depravity of the
blood caused by this disease had de-
yeloped the boil into the carbuncle from
which the general suffered. The COM
bined forces of the two diseases, the doc
tors decided, had SO weakened tine patient
that his case was hopeless.
General james b. Fry, an old friend of
General Hancock's, came to Governors
Island in the morning and was admitted
to the sick room. The general was then
in the comatose state i'll which he had re-
manned since his attempt to speak to Mrs.
Hancock. DR.. Stinson returned to New
York at l O'Clock, the other physicians
remaining, simply waiting for the end
which they were powerless TO put off.
DR.. Janeway was in attendance upon Mrs.
Hancock, who needed hls presence more
than her dying husband.
SINKING INTO DEATH.
General Hancock did not speak again
or even move. At 2.5S p. II. he simply
ceased TO breathe, dying, as DR.. Janeway
said, quietly, like man who had done
his work, and as easily NC a man going
down a flight of stairs" At the time
General Fry sat in q chair Between the
generals bedside and the west window of
the room. The news of her husband
death WAS at once broken to Mrs. Han.
cock. She remained III her room all the
rest Of the day, constantly attended by
her family and by DR.. Janeway.
THE FUNERAL.
Mrs. Hancock was too much overcome
by her husbands death to make any ar.
Judgements for the funeral. She informed
General Whipple, however. that she de-
sired simple ceremonies and no military
display. The interment will be at Norris.
town, Pa, where much of General Han
cocks boyhood was passed and where his
daughter Ada, who died nine years ago is
buried. General Hancock's remains will
be laid beside those of his father. General
Hancock built a handsome vault in Nor.
rlstown Cemetery several years ago. His
son, Russell Hancock, is buried in Belle
fontaine Cemetery in st. Louis. General
Whipple said that the funeral in defer
ence to the widows wishes, would lie ex-
pedited as much as propriety would allow.
Probably only six or eight officers of
General Hancock's staff and perhaps ten
soldiers would accompany the remains to
Norristown. Major William Hancock
Clark, Mrs. Hancock's cousin said that
there would be funeral service at Gov
ernors Island on Thursday or Friday in
the little chapel. It will be conducted
by the post chaplain, the Rev. E. II. @.
Goodwin. The remains will then be
taken without display to Norristown.
General Hancock died in plainly fur
nished room on the south. west corner Of
the second floor of his house. The face
of the dead soldier was calm and peace
full. His body, however, was much
wasted by his short though sharp sick.
ness. Had he lived until st. Valentines
day he would have been so years of age,
and under existing law he would have
retired from active service upon the same
date in 1888.
General Hancock leaves no property
real or personal, of any great intrinsic
value, having always lived generously
and spent his annual pay of 81, 500 as a
major-general. 1t is supposed, indeed.
that his wife's estate has become SO re.
duced that it will amount to compare
lively little.
Among the kilograms of coincidence re-
ceiyed by Mrs Hancock was the follow.
ing from President Cleveland:
EXECUTIVE MANSION, WASHINGTON, Feb,
9Th, lS56.-Mrs. w. $. Hancock, Gore noy's
Island, ". " Accept my heartfelt SWIM
pathy and confidence In your terrible
bereavement. The heroism and worth of
your late husband have gathered to your
side In this hour Of your affliction IA nation
OF mourhers. GROVER CLEVELAND.
The President also issued the following
executive order:
EXECUTIVE MANSION, WAsHISGroS. Feb. q
o'clock p. m.-Tidings of the death of
Winfield Scott Hancock, the senior major
general OF the army Of the United States.
have just been received. A patriotic and
valiant defender of his country; an able
and heroic soldier; u spotless and accom-
plished gentleman crowned alike with the
lalrels OF military renown, and the highest
tribute Of his fcllow-countrymen to his
worth as a citizen--he has gone to his re-
ward. 1t is fitting that every mark of pub
lie respect should be paid to his memory.
Therefore, ii is now ordered by the Presi-