Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1888-07-27
Sudden Death of Gen. ". G. Wickham.

>~~>NS~-'
Passers-by were shocked on Monday
afternoon. to see on the INDICATOR bull
letin about O'Clock, an announcement
that few minutes before Gen. w. G.
Wickham had died suddenly at his room
in the c. & o. Offices in Richmond. The
sad news spread quickly through the town.
and there was an universal utlerance of
surprise and grief. The deceased railroad
officer was special favorlte with the peo-
pie of this section. and had heen for twen-
ty years, ever since he was known by it in
connection with what was then the only
railroad that came to the city. So unlimi-
ted by locality had been his good deeds,
that hundreds of men this far from bis
home could tell and did tell of kind &C.
lions they had experienced from him. The
railroad men exhibited the deepest grief
for to them he had been true friend both
as man and as the head of his road. and
on every arriving and departing train the
employees were heard recounting his good.
ness and expressing their sorrow. The
Richmond Dispatch of Tuesday giving an
account of Gen. Wickham's death which
was occasioned by failure of the heart
says:
General Wickham came down on the Ches
apeake & Ohio early train yesterday morning
from his home, Hickory Grove in Hanover,
in company with his two sons, Messrs. Henry
T. and William Wickham. The latter, who
conducts his fathers farm, went back home
on the lilo o'clock train, and therefore was
not here when his father breathed his last.
Immediately upon his arrival in the city Gen.
eral Wickham repaired to his office and at
tended to his duties as usual, keeping himself
and all about him busy.
Shortly after IL o'clock the General COM
planned of feeling unwell and appeared to
suffer from nausea and cramp. His son and
some of the attaches of the Office suggested
that physician be sent for, but he declined
to have medical aid. AS the sufferer grew no
better his son sent out for DR.. McCaw, a fast
friend of the deceased, but he could not be
found, and DIR. Lewis Wheat was called in, ar
irving about 1880. He found General Wick
ham vomiting and purging and gave him some
stimulant, which seemed to have soothing
effect. and the patient laid down on settee
in the Office and was soon asleep, or appeared
to be so. This was at i o'clock, and twenty
minutes later Mr.. Henry Wickham noticed
that his father was looking very strange and
called the attention of DR.. Wheat, who at the
m oment was looking out of the window, te
the fact, and the latter upon turning and
looking said, ''He is dying" and he was, fol
he never knew anything more, and in less thar
five minutes more his soul and body had sep
arated. All efforts were made to resuscitate
the dying man, but to no avail. By this time
Drs. McCaw and Ross had arrived but death
had claimed this grand old man for its victim
and human efforts wera frI1itlaSS
Death was of course most unexpected; fol
although it was evident that the General was
an ill man there were no apprehensions Of
his approaching end, and just few minutes
before his demise he was engaged in CONVEX
sation with several gentlemen who had en-
tered his room.
His remains were taken to his home al
Hickory Grove. The funeral took place
on Wednesday. and two special trains
crowded with railroad employees ant
others, to the number of 200, went from
Richmond to it.
There were fully 5000 persons at the
funeral from the neighborhood and th'
line of the road. All the employees O
the road will wear mourning rosette To-
80 days.