Los Angeles daily herald., 1886-02-10
GENERAL HANCOCK.
Sudden Death of the Gal
liant Soldier.
THE NATION MoURNs IT'S LOSS
A Malignant Carbuncle the Cause
of His Death-The Presi-
dents Coincidence.

Special TO .hs Herald Do the associated Press.
New YoRK. February 9.--General
Winfield Scott Hancock died at 2;35
o'clock this afternoon. The following
ratification Of the death of General
Hancock has been received;
GovERNoK's ISLAND, N. Y,
February 8, 1886.
= Maior-C Cenerai W. s. Hancock, U. s.
A.. died at 2:35 o'clock this afternoon.
w. d. WHIPPLE,
Asst Adjutant General.
General Hancock's death was the re-
suit OF a malignant carbuncle on the
back Of his neck, which had confined
him to his bed for several days. No Sc
rious alarm was felt, however, until
shortly before he expired. The news
caused the profoundest sorrow in com
mercial and financial CIRCLES as well as
among business men generally. When
the sad event was known at the ex-
changes and at the Custom House fiags
were Immediately ordered at halfmast.
II has not boen generally known that
the General was i'll, and his death was
unexpected. General Hancock was in
Washington week ago, and was
obliged to return without paying his re
spects to the President, the carbuncle
which caused his death having made its
appearance on the Generals neck at the
base of the brain.
The Commercial advertiser says: Gen.
Hancock has been ailing for some time
and has been unable ac lively to attend
to his military duties on the Island.
He suffered from a complication OF dis
eases, but still fought against his all.
ments; bat the recent development of
the oarbuncle while he was in Washing
ton compelled him to remain in his
house. From this attack he did not re-
cover. and his condition has been con-
sidered precarious for o day or two.
His only son died last autumn, and
since then he has not been given
strength to resist disease with the deter
mination he had previously exhibited.
When he expired his wife was beside
him. Upon the announcement OF his
death the flag at his headquarters was
displayed at half-mast and telegraphic
dispatches were sent to the army sta
tioas in the harbor, at the army build
iups at Houston and Green streets and
the Navy Yard. as well as to Washing
ton and other places. General Hancock
condition has been source of much
anxiety to the officers and men of his
department since the beginning Of the
year.
sHERIDAS's coNDoLEScE.
New YoHK, February 9.--The news
Of the Generals death had been flashed
abroad by wire but little while when
messages Of coincidence began coming to
the Island, among them this:
WAsHISoToS, February 0.
To Mrs. GeR. W. 8. Haacock.
have this morning heard of the death
OF Gen. Hancock and wish to express to
you, my dear Madame, my deep sympa-
thy and Incidence. The army has lost
a very distinguished and faithful officer
and the country one Of its best citizens
fSigned P. II. SHERIDAN,
Lieutenant General.
In front Of No. s Governors Island,
this afternoon, an orderly was pacing to
and fro. 1t was the residence of Major
General Winfield Scott Hancock, who
died in there at 2:l5 O'Clock. Ii the
General had lived until the l4th of the
present month he would have completed
his sixty-second year, having been born
in Norristown, Pa, February IA. 1924.
In second story front room, furnished
with soidierlike simplicity, lay the re-
mains OF the General who, as the guards
remarked, led his troops to more battles
than any Of his military contemporaries.
CAUSE OF HIS DEATH.
rt.t Al !. - = -.
a surprise to his family, but it was
a shock to them as to his friends.
Twenty days ago he started on a busi-
ness trip connected with the Department
Of the Atlantic to Philadelphia, where
he remained two days. He then pro-
ceeded to Washington. where he had
business. In Washington boil devel-
oped itself on the back of his neck. 1t
was lanced January 30th, and as the
General was much inconvenienced by its
presence, he returaed to New York sew.
eral days sooner than he had designed.
During the first week of February the
boil developed into malignant car
buncIe, which supFurated constantly
and prevented rest or sleep. DIR. Jane
way was called, and it was not until
marked weakness had resulted from the
presence OF the carbuncle that the sur
geon discovered that General Hancock
was suffering from diabetes and kidney
trouble. DR.. Janeway called in consul
tation DR.. Sutherland, a New York
medical man. They concluded that the
case was assuming very serious form.
At ten o'clock Monday night, before
going away, DIR. Janeway found the
patient in good spirits and able to assist
himself and lefthim apparently improved.
At $50 this morning Mrs. Hancock
dispatched an orderly for DIR. Janeway,
as the General was sinking rapidly. The
doctor came speedily and found the Gem
eral in a oomatose state, with a feeble
pulse, and all Of the premonitory symp-
toms Of death present. He summoned
the two physicians already named and
hypodermic injections Of brandy and
ether aud carbonate of ammonia and
brandy were administered. These, how
eyer, only alleviated the sufferings of
the soldier, who gradually sank away
until death was reached at 2;5l P. NJ.
As stated, when death came, three ply
sicians and the hospital steward only
were present. Mrs. Hancock was then
ia an adjoining room. The General
leaves his widow and three grand chill
dren, two girls and one boy, named
Mora, Ada and Gwynne, the issue of the
Generals son Russell, who died on De-
cember 26, 1884. and whose loss the
General has even since mourned bitter
ly. Major deaeral Whipple will assum e
command Of the department. supported
by Lieutenant Colonel jackson, until
the President shall appoint General
Hancooks successor from Generals SEQ
field. Terry or Howard. Orders in ref
erence TO the funeral ceremonies are ex-
pected from Washington tomorrow,
meantime the body viii be embalmed
by officers OF the post. In the
general orders tomorrow will be
promulgated the announcement of Gen
eraI Hanoock's death, when the regula-
tion mourning will be adopted. Flags
at once were haif.masted on the an
nouucement of death. The General viii
probably be inferred at Norristown, Pa.
THE SEws AT WASHINGTON,
A telegram announcing the dangerous
illness of General Hancock was received
by the President about o'clock to-day,
and was read to the Cabinet, then in ses-
sion. just after the Cabinet adjourned.
a second telegram was received convey.
ing the intelligence OF his death. The
dag on the White House was immediate.
y placed at half-mast, and the President
soon after issued the following:
ExEcUTIvE MANSION. WAsurNoToN
February o, 1856.
The tidings Of the death Of Winfield
Scott Hancock, Senior Major General a,
A.nt.4 " h. fs4