Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1888-03-24
THE NATIONS SCAPITAL.
Death Of Chief Justice Waite,
Fourteen Years Of Valuable Ser.
vice in the High Office.
Tributes Of Honor and Esteem Paid Him
BY Distinguished Men at The
Capitol.
Circumstances Of the Fatal Illness Related
BY Dr.. WinsloX the Attending
Physician.
Both Houses Of Congress Adjourn and
President Cleveland Orders Pub
lie Demonstrations Of
Mourning.

WAsHISGTos, March %.
Chief Justice Waite died this morning at
6 O'Clock. The Chief Justice was in his U.S.
ual health, though exhausted by his recent
severe labors, until Saturday night, when,
on returning from Senator Hearst's where
with his daughter he attended a reception,
he complained of a chill. This feeling
passed of during the night, but he remained
in bed throughout Sunday. and until it was
time for him to 60 to court on Monday. Suf-
fering from vague indisposition he did not
read the opinion in the telephone case but
sat through the reading and then re-
turned home. He was wakeful Monday night
and Tuesday morning symptoms of acute
bronchitis appeared, accompanied by insom-
MIA and great restlessness. His condition
Tuesday was not alarming, but Wednesday
circumscribed pneumonia showed itself.
During Thursday night he was comfortable
and no particular alarm was felt, but at 6
o'clock Friday morning, the failure of the
hearts action was observed and at 6lO he
passed away.
His daughter, Miss Mary F. Waite, and
son Mr.. IL. c. Waite, vice president of the
Cincinnati, Hamilton & Dayton railroad were
with him when he died, Doctors Caroline
b. Winslow and Frank A. Gardner were in
attendance. Mrs. Waite left Washington
for California about week ago and is sup
posed now to be in Los Angeles. Arrange
ments have not as yet been made for the fu-
neral.
The Chief Justice will be buried in Tole-
do, Ohio. The supreme court and both
houses of Congress have adjourned as a
mark of respect to the memory of the de-
ceased Chief Justice. Associate Justice
Miller, senior member of the court, after
leaving the residence of the late Chief JUS
tice, sent invitations to his fellow members
to meet him at the consultation room of the
court, where they all assembled at eleven
O'Clock. remaining clOseted together until
noon. The attorney general and leading
members of the bar were present in the court
room when the court assembled, and seats
outside the rail were filled with spectators
The chair of the Chief Justice was draped
with Grape, but in no other respect did the
appearance of the chamber give any indica-
ton of the mOurnful nature of the occasion
When the court entered the chamber the
marshal announced 1.-The honorable associ-
ated justices of the supreme court" with the
usual formula BY omission Of the title of the
deceased. When the court and assemblage
were seated, Justice Miller announced the
death of Justice Waite, and thereupon the
court adjourned until Monday, April g
The following official notice of the death
of Chief Justice Waite has been issued by
the Department of State:
''To the people of the United States:
The painful duty devolves upon the Presi-
dent to announce the death at an early hour
this morning, at his residence in this city, of
Morrison X. Waite, Chief Justice of the
4 l.. Il
filled since March 4. 1874, with honor to
himself and high usefulness to this country.
In testimony of respect to the memory of the
honored dead. it is ordered that the executive
offices in Washington be closed on the day of
the funeral and be draped in mourning for
thirty days, and that the national flag be dis
played at half mast on all the public build
ings and on all vessels on the day of the fu-
neral.
BY the President.
+. +. BAYARD, Secretary of State.
WASHINGTON, March %, 1888"
Additional particulars of the illness of the
Chief Justice have been obtained from Dr.
Caroline X. Winslow, the family physician
for thirteen years. The immediate cause of
his death was the nervous failure of the ac-
ton of the heart. 1t came with such startling
There was not a symptom of heart complication
throughout the sickness. On Saturday night
the Chief Justice attended the authors re-
ception, given by Senator and Mrs. He arst,
but feeling slightly indisposed left the house
early. About half an hour after the arrival
at home he was taken with chills and imme-
diately retired. AT three A. NJ. DIR. Wins
low was called and found the Chief Justice
suffering from acute pain in the back and
bones. Later he felt somewhat better and
rested quite comfortably. At this time he
said to the physician in tone of inquiry tina;
he must attend Court Monday, and he was
cautioned to take no chances. He insisted
that he felt quite well enough to ride to the
capitol and return anticipating no unfavorable
results from a little outing.
Monday after his return from the Capitol
the phy sician called and found hum complain
ing of soreness in the right lung. When
asked to take a long breath, he said the
effort caused him pain. Examination show
ed part of the right lung, two or more
inches in diameter was hepatized. This was
accompanied with slight cough He was
very restless as he had been from the first,
with his face much flushed.
He was very wakeful Monday night. lying
on his right side most of the time As he rest
ed easier on that side. While his illness
was by no means regarded as critical, his
ply sicans on Tuesday suggested that his son,
c. C. Waite. be telegraphed for, which was
done. He arrived yesterday afternoon. The
Chief Justices condition remained much the
same Tuesday morning, he was very cheer
full. and laughingly remarked to those pres
ent that he didn't know how to be sick. But
later in the day symptoms of acute bronchitis
appeared, and Wednesday symptoms of
pne eumona made an appearance in his affect
ed lung. He breathed hard and with slight
proan. When asked if he was in pain. he
sm ngly replied that he was not, but really
did mot know how to be sick" There was
no material chat &c during the day. He re-
mained cheerful, talking pleasantly with the
nurses and a,tendants. During the hight Of
"Wednesday and on Thursday he was quite
comfortable, no one feeling any alarm,
though naturally anxious.
He was gettiug along well aud every one
believed, when st 10 O'Clock last night, as his
phy ysician was leaving him, he responded to
the latter's .'good night in as strong voice
as he did when in good health. His nurse
who remained with him during the night.
observed no change, not even in the express
sion of his face until six O'Clock this morn
ing, when he turned over on his back aud In
minutes was dead. On Monday when he
attended court he was accompanied by his
daughter who rook some wraps and bottle
of beef extract in case he should need them,
but as he from slight fatigue, he felt COM
paratively we'll.
AT the beginning of his illness, fearing to
needlessly alarm his wife, who was on her
way to California, in company with an inra-
lid sister, he cautioned those about him to
keep his condition from the newspapers.
He was not alarmed himself and be did not
wish that his wife's journey should be cur
tailed or interfered with BY his slight indis.
position. 1t was said by his physician that
4 vss the only severe illness that the Chief