Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1886-02-12
GEN. HANCOCK DEAD.
ONE MORE GREAT SOLDIER PASSES
TO HIS LONG HOME.
His Demise Occurred at 2:53 Yesterday
Afternoon - An Apparently Insight
hrant Ailment The Wires Flash
Coincidence to his widow.

Coincidence to his Widow.
NEW YORK, Feb 9-The whole country
was shocked by the brief Geographic mes
sage from Assistant Acknowledgement
William l.. Whipple on Governors Island,
announcing the death at 2:53 this after
noon of Gen Winfield Scott Hancock,
senior major-general L. :. A. and com
mander of the military division of the
Atlantic. The sad intelligence was i'm
mediately conveyed to the remotest cor
ners of the country and us if by magic,
flags appeared at halfmHst on various
public buildings in the city. Within an
hour the telegraph wires leading into the
headquarters was burdened with mes
sages of coincidence and sympathy with
the bereaved widow, whose grief is over
whelming, and of tributes to the general 5
private and public virtues as II citizen, as
we'll as to his greatness as "A commander.
The news of his death was all the more
startling from the fact that few even of
his intimate friends had any knowledge
that his illness WAS considered serious. AS
late as Saturday last, he was in his private
office, attending TO his official duties.
When he went to Washington two weeks
ago lO-tldN. II Sll-lt tlHIJ' lOl VII us utCh
near the base of the brain gave him some
uneasiness, and the Inflammation in
creased so rapidly that on Friday, January
20, he had it lanced. The eruption con
tinued to discharge freely and the loss of
blood was such as to make Il very perCepti-
BILE difference in the generals usual rO-
bust appearance. Immediately after his
return to Governors island, Il week ago,
he sent for Dr. John II. Janeway who
soon perceived signs of earbuncle The
Il
worse, when decidedly unfaVorabie
symptoms set in, accompanied by de lirlum:
The malady had touched the brain and
there appeared good ground for the
opinion that his days were numbered.
The general chccrfully assisted his
physicians by complying strictly with
their directions. Although his condition
was alarming his pulse was regular and
he rested easily up TO last evening, and
during the greater half of the night so the
hope of his ultimate recovery was by no
means abandoned. Oliver Russell, the
generals brother-in-law, watched by his
bedside and did not notice any decided
change till at an early hour this morning,
between and O'Clock, the general
became restless and was unable to
ment. Physicians were Immediately
called and held a consultation to the eff
feet that the general was rapidly sinking
from exhaustion, caused by the loss OF
Vitality, lHCllttit W pONell VI uIdlIl upon
his constitution, made by carbunce com
plications and exaggerated by chronic
diabetes. The general soon fell into what
appeared to be IA quiet slumber. Daniel,
his young colored servant, some military
gentlemen and the physicians were in the
room watching and waiting when at {
minutes before 3, the final summons came,
and the great commander passed away.
On receiving the telegram announcing
the death of Gen. Hancock at Washington,
/, 4
at halt mast by the president, rs well us
those on all the executive buildings The
president also telegraphed his heartfelt
coincidence to Mrs. Hancock in her terri
BILE atfliction, as follows: Accept my
heartfelt sympathy and condolence in
your terrible bereavement. The heroism
and worth of your late husband, have
gathered to your side, in this hour of your
affection, a nation of moulners:"
Adjt-General :Whipple will assume
Lieut.. Col. Jackson till the president APP
pointed Gen. Hancock's successor from
Generals Schofield, Terry or Howard. The
general will probably be inferred at Nor.
ristown, Pa, where the news OF
his death had been received with great
grief, by many Of his old schoolmates
Gems. Sherman and Sheridan, Fitz-Hugh
Lee, w. II. English and many others sent
their sympathy to Mrs. Hancock 1t has
been decided that there will be no autopsy
The news of Gen. Hancock's death was re
celved with most profound sorrow all Ovel
the country. Mrs. Hancock has espresso
desire that the funeral shall be without
ostentation and therefore the general will
probably be buried without any military
ceremonies whatever. The body will no
be embalmed, unless ii lies in state which
is extremely doubtful.
New YORK, Feb. 10.-Funeral services
over Gen. Hancock will be held mex
Saturday in Trinity church, New York
The body will be taken there from Cover
nor's Island. The burial will occur Satur
day, afternoon at the family vault in Nor
ristown, Pa. The regular army will es
cort the body in procession, but no gen
eral order for parade will be issued to tn
militia. The funeral will undoubtedly b.
large. The island is crowded to-day b.
visitors, and the body is lying in state
After the service in Trinity church the re
mains will be escorted to NOrristown
by the local division of the military orde
of the Loyal Legion. Gen. Hancock's re-
mains will be placed in the family vaul
and "a brief service will precede the burial
In accordance with Gen. Hancock's wishe
the funeral will be of the simplest charat
ter possible.
Gen. w. ID. Whipple, who is now tn
highest military officer stationed at Coy
ernor's Island, has received large nun
Der of applications from military and civil
bodies for permission to take part III tn
funeral procession. Probably none c
these will be accepted as the processio
will not be II formal one. The eXecutiv
council Of the military service institutio
of the United States, of which Gen. Han
cock was president met to-day and passe
appropriate resolutions.
The following have signified intentio
OF acting rs pail bearers: Thomas
Bayard, secretary of State, Generals She
man, Sheridan, W. b. Franklin, w.
Smith, j. b. Frye, a. II. Kerry, job
Newton, Nelson Miles, f. A. Walker, NJ
b. NJ. Hartshorne and Col. w. p. Wilso
and Maj. w. ID. Miller.