Madison times. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1884-1???, 1886-01-30
MR.. BAYARD'S SORROW.
Sudden Death of the Secpetary's
Daughter in Washington.
The Darkwlnged Messenger throws
Pail Over the Festive Season.

4
Miss Kate Bayard, eldest daughter of the
Secretary of State, died suddenly at her
home this afternoon about o'clock. She is
supposed by the doctors who were called in
to have died of heart disease, but beyond
this very little Is known of the sad affair.
Miss Bayard was expected 10 receive this at
terncon at the White House, all the ladies
in the families OF the cabinet officers having
been invited to assist Miss Cleveland, but
when member of the Secretary's family
went to her room to see if she was ready to
go, she was found living on her bed corpse.
| That much has been told to the friends who
crowded TO Mr.. Bayard's house as soon as
| the attic ciOn which had befallen him became
| known, but no further details were given.
A number of ladies and other callers were
| already at the White House. when the in
telligence of Mas Bayard's death reached
there, so that the news spread around in
society very quickly and great many peO-
pie went at once to the Bayard mansion to
leave their cards as token of sympathy
and gathered what could be learned as to the
cause OF the Sddden and unexpected event.
Orders were at once given at the White
House to admit no visitors, and Miss Cleve-
land dismissed the friends who were with
her. The President was also denied to all
visitors, and messages were sent out to
guests who had been asked to a dinner at
the executive mansion on Monday evening,
countermanding their invitations.
No lady in Washington was better known
than Miss Bayard. She was generally adj
mired and very popular, exceptional graces
of person and of mind justifying in her case
an unusual distinction among her sex. She
is represented by those who were we'll ac-
ordinary intellectual power and wide infor-
nation, SO that she was more Of a compan-
ion to her father than is often the case with
the daughter of public man. She was de-
voted to society pleasures, and it is general
ly fancied that her death may have been in
some degree due to the inevitable fatigues
of society lite in Washington, where there
is a ceaseless round of gayeties night and
day for a matter of two months after the
social season begins on the 1st of January.
Miss Bayard assisted her mother in receiv-
ing numerous guests at a card reception
last night, but all of these had left the house
by midnight and those who were there
during the evening say she showed no signs
of i'll health. She is said to have complained
little of cold but it was apparently moth
ing serious, and there was not the slightest
forewarning in her appearance Of the death
so near at hand.
This afternoon, as the time approached
for Miss Clevelani's reception that lady
and her guests. Mrs. Atlry and Miss Love,
who were also to assist at the reception,
were awaiting Miss Bayard'S arrival when
they heard the news of her death. 1t was
just five minutes to 8 o'clock, and the recPp
tiOn was to begin on The hour. The Marine
Dand was stationed in the main vestibule
and the leader was cOnversing with Col. j.
NJ. Wilson with regard to playing tune as
a signal for the opening of the reception.
Many callers had already arrived and were
waiting for the doors of the blue room to be
thrown open. The President was engaged
IN conversation with visitor In the library,
and Miss Cleveland and her guests We're
chatting with Col. Lamont in the parlOr on
the second floor, prior to descending to the
blue room, where the reception was to take
place. The absence OF Miss BayaTd was
commented on as singular, az she was
usually very prompt in such matters and
was mOmentarily expected to arrive.
While they were wondering at her delay
a messenger notified Col. Lamont that Mr..
Harry Bryan, private secretary to Secretary
Bayard, was in the Office and had something
important to communicate to the President.
Col Lamont excused himself ana went to
see Mr.. Bryan. That gentleman Informed
him that Miss Bayard was dead, and that
Secretary Bayard had instructed him to
communicate the fact to the President. Col.
Lamont at once informed the President,
who was very much shocked at the unex-
pected intelligence, and the two gentlemen
jOined the ladies and announced the sudden
death of their friend.
The immediate cause of Miss Bayards
death was disease of the heart. She had
been troubled with weakness of that organ
and had been treated b. the family physician
at intervals for several years. AT the re-
ception at her fathers house last night it
was remarked that Miss Bayard was unusu-
ally animated and exerted herself to the ut
most to entertain the guests. 1t is presumed
that the undue exertion may have preclpi-
tated the fatal attack. The young lady re-
tired about o'clock last night expressing a
wish to he left undiSturbed till noon. Be
tween and 9 O'Clock tn S afternoon her Sis
ter endeavored to awaken her and, struck
by the peculiar expression OF her face called
for assistance. As soon as the family re-
covered from the CONSERVATION into which
ihtned anc- rrtwtrruI resrtjratrvts. rrfrIutiffrg
electricity. were applied but in vain. The
physicians expressed the opinion that Miss
Bayard had been dead several hours when