The Portland daily press., 1888-03-24
CHIEF JUSTICE WAITE.
His Death at Washington Early Yes
terday Morning.
Sentiments of Affection and Respect
Expressed by Prominent Men.
The Peculiar circumstances of the
Appointment Recalled.

Tne peculiar circumstances OF tne
Appointment Recalled.
WASHINGTON, March 2S.-Chief Justice
Waite, of the United States supreme court,
died at his residence here at 610 this morn
ing. The Chief Justice was in his usual
health though exhausted by his recent severe
labors, until Saturday night, when on re-
turning from Senator Hearst's residence
where with his daughter he attended re-
ception, he complained of chill. This feel
ing passed off during the night, but he re-
manned in bed throughout Sunday and until
it was time for him to go to court on Mon
day. He was suffering then from vague
indisposition. He did not read the opinion
in the telephone case, but sat through its
reading and then returned home. He was
wakeful Monday night and on Tuesday
morning symptoms of acute bronchitis ap-
peared, accompanied by insomnia and great
restlessness. His condition Tuesday was
not alarming but Wednesday pneumonia
showed itself. During Tuesday night he
was comfortable and no particular alarm was
felt, but at o'clock this morning failure of
the hearts action was observed and at 6.10
AC f'uoccu away. Ills QuuSutCl, MISS 4udl
Il. Waite, and his son, Mr. G. G. Waite, vice
president of the Cincinnati, Hamilton and
Dayton railroad, were with him when he
died. doctors Carpline b. Winslow and
Frank A. Gardner were in attendance Mrs.
Waite left Washington for California about
a week ago and is supposed now to be In Los
Angeles. The Chief Justice will be buried
in Toledo, Ohio.
Associate Justice Miller, senior member of
the court, after leaving the residence Of the
late .tKasr ifNx
tions to his fellow members to meet him at
the consultation room of the court where
they all assembled at IL o'clock remaining
together until noon. The attorney general
and leading members of the bar were pres
sent in the court room when the court as
sembled and the seats ontside 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 indication OF the mourn
entered the chamber the marshal announced:
"The honorable associated justices. OF the
Supreme court" varying the usual formula
by the omission of the title Of the deceased.
When the court and assemblage were seat
ed Justice Miller announced the death OF
CHIEF Justice Waite and thereupon the court
adjourned until Monday, April I'd.
Both branches of Congress also adjourned.
Particulars Of the Illness.
w AbHlN0IONs udlCu Io.-AQQltlUudi par
ticulars of the illness of the Chief Justice
were obtained from DR.. Caroline r. Winslow
the family physician for thirteen years. The
immediate cause of his death was nervous
failure of the action of the heart 1t came
with such startling suddenness as to be abso-
lutely appalling. There was not the vaguest
symptom of heart complication throughout
his sickness. On Saturday night the ief
Justice attended the authors reception, CIV
en- by Senator and Mrs Hearst, but feeling
slightly indisposed left the house early
About half an hour after he arrived home
he was taken with chill, and Immediately
retired. At 3 a. M, DR.. Winslow was called,
and found the Chief Justice suffering from
acute pain in his back. Later he felt some
what better, and rested quite comfortably.
At this time he said to the physician, in a
tone OF inquiry, that he must attend court
Monday, and was cautioned to take no
chances. He persisted that he felt quite
well enough to ride to the Capitol and return
and anticipated no unfavorable results from
a little outing.
Monday, after his return from the Capitol,
the physician was called, and found him
complaining of soreness in the right lung.
When asked to take long breath, he said
the effort caused him pain. An examination
showed that part of the right lung, two or
more inches in diameter, was hepatized.
This was accompanied with slight cough.
The patient was very restless,as he had been
from the first. and his face was much flushed |
He was very wakeful Monday night, lying
on his right side most of the time, as he
rested easier on that side. While his illness
was by no means regarded as critical, his
physician. Tuesday, suggested that his son,
c. G. Waite, be telegraphed for, which was
done and Mr.. Waite arrived yesterday af-
ternoon The Chief Justices condition re-
NAMED much the same Tuesday morning.
He was very cheerful, and laughingly re-
marked to those present that they did not
symptoms of acute bronchitis appeared.
Wednesday symptoms of pneumonia made
their appearance in the affected lung. He
breathed hard with a slight groan. When
asked if he was in pain, he smilingly replied
that he was not but really did not know how
to be SICK There was no material change
during the day. The Chief Justice re-
manned cheerful, talking pleasantly with his
nurse and attendants. During the night of
Wednesday and on Thursday he was quite
comfortable, no one feeling alarmed, though |
his friends were naturally anxious. He was
getting along well, so every one believed.
When at 10 O'clock last evening, his physc-
ions left him, he responded to her, Good
he did in health. The nurse, who remained
during the night, observed no change, not
even in the expression of The face, until
O'Clock this morning, when he turned over
on his back and, in ten minutes, was dead.
Monday when he attended court, he was
by his daughter, who took his
wraps and bottle of hot beef extract in case
he should need them but, aside from slight
fatigue, he felt comparatively well. At the
beginning Of his illness the Chief Justice,
fearing to needlessly alarm his wife, who
was on her way to California in company
with an invalid sister, cautioned those about
him to keep his condition from the newspa-
pers. He was pot alarmed himself and was
unwilling that his wife's journey should be
curtailed or interfered with by his slight in-
disposition. 1t is said by his physicians
that this was the only severe illness the
Chief Justice ever had in his life, except
that of two years ago, when he suffered
sometime from erysipelas in the face and
hands.
Dr. Frank A. Gardner, called in consulta-
tion last evening. said today: II found the
patient suffering from croupous pneumonia
in the right lung. He was very ILL.,, but |
did not regard the case as hopeless. In crou-
pous pneumonia, there is always a well de-
fined crisis. In about FIVE days after the pa
tient is taken, the crisis comes and the fever
subsidies. Very often at this point, the
heart, although hitherto free from organic
disease, suddenly fails to perform its func-
tions and the patient is dead. This cannot
be foreseen and cannot be anticipated in
treatment"
Mo arrangements for the funeral can be
made until the wishes of Mrs. Waite are
known. ills the intention OF memDerS OF
the family to have the burial at Toledo, the
old residence of the Chief Justice, unless
Mrs. Waite shall signify different desire.
1t is probable the remains will leave here
Wednesday or Thursday for Ohio, Mrs.
Waite meeting the body there on her return
from California. The Chief Justice leaves
widow,.two sons, Edward I. Waite of Toie-
do, a lawyer, and G. G. Waite Of Cincinnati,
President of the Cincinnati, Hamilton q
Dayton Railroad and daughter, Miss Mary
Waite,
Announced by the President.
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 devolyes upon the President