The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1886-11-25
Death CT Ex-president Arthur.


Chester Alan Arthur, ex.President of
the United States, died at his residence in
New ork. on the morning of the 18th,
aged 90 years. He had been alling for
some time from a complication OF dis
eases, principally kidney affection. He
had spenttife summer at Il watering place
aud it was supposed that had strengthened
somewhat his enfeebled constitution.
His death was unexpected, 1t not being
supposed, outside of his house. that he
was in immediate danger X ssioke of
cerebral anopleAy, sudden, but not wholly
unexpected by The attending physicians,
terminated his life. 1t came in his sleep
between Tuesday night and "Wednesday
morning, and he did not rally thereafter.
His death was painless, like the Slow go
ing outof the burned do@n candle, and
for hours before the end came he WAS IN
conscious to his Surroundings. lis son
and daughter, his sister, his former law
partner, Sherman W kmTaIs. and his
| CLOSEST friend, Surrogate Rollins, were at
his bedside. All reports to the contrary,
Mr.. Arthars health had not improved
dAllng his stay at New London six weeks
ago, and at his return on October 1st he
was no better than when he left the city.
AS time passed no permanent improve
ment came, and the physicians feared
| some such sudden stroke as the one to
which he succumbed. In his enfeebled
condition even a light stroke of apoplexy
would prove fatal to the once robust pa
tient. With the beginning of last week a
marked change for the better set in.
Tuesday the ex- President felt better and
stronger than at any time since be was
taken sick, and commented hopefully upon
the fact.
1t was after midnight when his atten-
dant 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
eight O'Clock Thursday morning He
found Mr.. Arthur lying on his side breath
ing heavily and could not rouse him. The
family answered his summons, but failed
to elicit any sign Of consciousness Or rec
ognition from the ex-President. In alarm
they summoned his physician, DIR. George
| a. Peters, who had been in attendance
upon Mr.. Arthur throughout his illness
and who responded promptly, and at once
saw that he was suffering from stroke
of cerebral apoplexy. A small blood yes
sci 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.spared to bring the patient
back to consciousness. They were all
alike failures. Mr.. Arthur lay motionless
and speeches. all day. He knew what
was going on about him, for he squeezed
his DOCTORS hand and put out his tongue
partly when asked to do SO, but he never
spoke or gave any other sign of conscious
ness. Thursday night at clock the en-
feebled pulse, more difficult respiration
and other signs of physical failure, indicated
to the watchfnl 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. DIR.
VIM. A. Valentine, DR.. Peters partner,
and Surrogate Rollins stayed with them
during the night.
Mr.. Knevals went home at midnight.
Mr.. Arthur's strength ebbed oft slowly
aud with it his life. 1t was o'clock Fri
day morning when the end came. lie had
been entirely senseless for hours and died
without q struggle. Mr. Arthur was
Sc years old. He had been a wild
over years. His wife died in 1879, She
was Miss Ellen Herndon before he mar
ried her, daughter of a naval officer a
Virginian, who was lost at sea. OF their
two children, the son, Chester Alan, is
twenty two years old, He was graduated
from Princeton college year ago and is
now student i'll the Columbia law school.
His practical training he received in the
law Office of Knevals u Ransom, the firm
of which the ex-President was q member
UP to the time of his election to the vice
presidency on the Garfield ticket. The
daughter, Miss Nellie, of whom Mr. AT
thur was very fond is fourteen years
old.
Ex-President Chester Alan Arthur whose
death occurred on the 18th. was 1fty-six years
VT. on the 9Th of oc tober 1880 being the eldest
of the family of two sons aud three daughte rs
born to the Rev. William Arthur, a Baptist
clergyman, who came to this country from An
trim, in the north of Ireland, at the age OF
eighteen. and died at Newtonville. near Al
respects remarkable man. He acquired ex- /
tended fame, not only in his calling, but also
in the domains OF authorship. His work OF
Family Names is highly priced by genealcgists. |
FROM 1888 to 1865 he was pastor of the Calvary
pulpits of Baptist churches at Bennington. |
Hine sburgs Fairfield and Williston in Vermont,
Iansngbnrg Hoosic West Troy and Newtog
vile, in New York. His other son made gall !
liant record in the war of the rebellion. and is |
now a paymaSter of the regular army, with the |
rank of major.
When lad young Chester Arthur enjoyed at /
home the tutelage of his father, whose thor
ough knowledge of the classics enabled him to |
lay broad and deep foundation for his sons |
England schooling, Chester Arthur entered |
Union college at Schenectady in 1915, being |
during which he supported himself by teach
ing. After teaching school for two years in |
his native State, being part of the time princi
pal of the North Pownal academy, having |
saved capital of some $500 or $500, MIR. Arthur
set out for New York, intending to practice the
law which he had studied.
While engaged in teaching at New York he |
continued his law studies in the Office of ex-
Judge E. ID. Culver, and then formed q part
nershlp with his friend, Henry D. Gardiner,
with whom he meditated settling in the west,
but after searching about for some time they
returned TO the metropolis and entered upon
successful practice. 1t was the good fortune
of the two Young advocates to pc, attain early
OF two most notable cases. In 1852 Jonathan
and Juliet Lennon, Virginian SHAREHOLDERS.
intending to emigrate to Texas, came to New
York to await the sailing of steamer. bring
ing eight slaves with them. writ of haheas
the question whether the provisions of the
1ugItlve slave law were IN force IN that state