The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1886-08-11
SAMUEL j. TILDEN DEAD.
END OF A GREAT CAREER.
Death Comes Unexpectedly to the
Democratic Sage-A Magnificent
Bequestto New York-Resrets
Everywhere Expressed.

New YORK. August 4.-Ex-Govenlor SAM
ueI J.. Tilden died at his hcme az Greystone
at s:45 O'Clock this morning. Mr.. Tilden
had been in very feeble health. for some
time, vet his sudden demise this morning
was entirely unexpected. The end WAS
peaceful and quiet. The immediate cause of
Mr.. Tilden's death was the failure of the
and nausea. There were present at the lime
Mr.. Tildcn's niece. Miss Gould. and Doctors
Charles T.. Sinionds and Samuel Swift.
Paralysis and bodily i~nfirnities, Incident
TO old age, had reduced Mr.. Tilden 10 4 mere
skeleton aud his last days were marked
by extreme feebleness. Tue routine of daily
life for a year past al his beautiful residence
on the Hudson was about a. follows He
usually awoke in the morning abont $50
o'clock. An electric bell al the head II his
bed summoned his valet. who gave him his
melicine. which le ooh a regularly a. his
food. Afterwards lac would lie until about
; O'Clock, seemingly DOING. though when
his valet. thinking him asleep, approached
the bed, lac found his bright eyes open and
watching him. If he felt well he was as
sisted down to a 3 o'clock breakfast, which
usually consisted of milk and some rich
broth.
Owing to paralysis, Mr.. Tilden was unable
20 close his lips, and his mouth was con-
stantly open. His right hand. from the
sa,,a m NO apt;rai,- ,SaIas~ txn,hIina
all the time. He had not even the power to
raise il to his mouth. His left hand was
but slightly affected by the stroke of paraly-
SIS, and he had the partial use of it, In eat
ing he used his left hand To hold up his low
er jaw. His faithful companion, Miss Anna
Gould. who il the sister of the wife of Mr.,
Henry Tilden, placed to his mouth every
particle of food hat he ate. She generally
pun il in his mouth with a spoon. and he
was enabled To swollow II by raising his
lower jaw with his left hand and putting his
head back.
INTEREST IN PUBLIc AFFAIRs.
While at breakfast the morning papers
were read to him and notes made by his Sec
~retaries at his direction of any important
point or move in the political world. After
breakfast be usually went into his Office, ON
the right side of the hall, where he saw the
different employees of the place and heard
their respective reports. His walk was slow
and feeble, his paralyzed right leg moving
with, uncertain movement. He could not
speak above a whisper and his thin and fur
rowed face and lobored movements evoked
sympathetic comments from the Villagers
vino saw him leaning on the arm of his valet
or his companion. Miss Gould. a. he stepped
To or from the t. that took him on fine
days for a ride about the country. His melt
tai faculties, however, were bright and an
impaired up TO the last. He suffered much
from indigestion aud twice a week was visi-
ted by his physician, who often has spoken
lately of Mr.. Tilden's still robust intellect.
His memory was unusually retentive and to
the last he preserved the most exact method
in dealing with the concerns of his house
and farm. Each day he talked with mis- bust
ness managers and confidential secretary,
Mr.. George w. Smith, and showed a com
plete acquaintance with the smallest details
Of his business.
His medicine was administered with al
most mathematics exactness and il rarely
happened that his night doses were missed
at the regular time. And il was the same
with his food. Every ounce he ate was cal
culated, and weighed before it was prepared
and set before him. Rich soups in ~infinitesi-
NAL quantities were supplemented with small
draughts of creamy milk, the Latter the yield
of his famous Attorneys and Guernscys,
which together with the tenderest part of the
chicken or a morsal of meat. minced so rs tc
be readily m~asticated, made up his diet
These viands. temptingly cooked and carried
To his lips by his attendants, frequently fail
ed to rouse his appetite and were returned
almost untasted. 1t was a matter of com.
ment among his intimates that he should
have been able, on 50 little nourishment, tc
sustain life at all.
HOW THE END CAME.