The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-04-20
wAsHINGToN's DEATR-BED.
The Last Hours OF the Old Hero De-
scribed by an Eye Witness.
From the Ne1v York World.

From the NelU York World
The following circumstantial account of
the last illness and death of Gen. George
Washington was noted by Tobias Lear on
the Sunday following his death, which
happened on Saturday evening Dec. IA,
1893, between the hours of 10 and II:
On Thursday, Dec IL, the general rode
out to his farms at about 10 o'clock and did
not return home till past 8 o'clock. Soon
after he went out the weather became very
bad, rain, hail and snow falling alternately,
with cold wind. When he came in l car
ried some letters to him to frank intending
to send them to the postofflce. He franked
the letters, but said the weather was too
bad to send servant to the office that
evening.
l observed to him that l was afraid he
had got wet; he said no, his great-coat had
kept him dry. But his neck appeared to be
wet, the snow was hanging on his hair. He
came to dinner without changing his dress.
In the evening he appeared as well as usual.
A heavy fall of snow took place on Friday,
which prevented the general from riding
out as usual. He had taken cold, undoubt-
eddy from being SO much exposed the day
before, and complained of having a sore
throat: he had hoarseness, which Increased
in the evening, but he made light
of it, as he would never take
anything to carry off a cold, always
observing, "Let it go as it came" In the
evening, the papers having come from the
postofice, he sat in the room with Mrs.
Washington and myself reading them till
| about o'clock, and when he met with any
thing which he thought diverting or inter
esting he would read it aloud. He desired
me to read to him the debates of the Vir-
ginia assembly on the election of senator
and governor, which did. On his retiring
to bed he appeared to be in perfect health,
except the cold. which he considered as
trifling; he had been remarkably cheerful
all the evening.
About or o'clock on Saturday morn
ing he awoke Mrs Washington and in
formed he was very unwell and had an
ague. She observed that he could scarcely
speak and breathed with difficulty. and she
wished to get up and cah a servant, but the
general would not permit her lest she should
take cold. As soon as the day appeared the
woman, Caroline, went into the room to
make a fire, and the girl desired that Mr..
Rawlins, one of the overseers, who was
used to bleeding the people, might be sent
for to bleed him before the doctor could
arrive. | was sent for, and went to the
generals chamber, where Mrs Washington
was up and related to me his being taken
| ill between 2 and 3 o'clock, as before stated.
found him breathing with difficulty and
hardly able to utter a word intelllgibly. |
| Flask and sent it with all speed. Imme-
| diately | returned to the generals chamber,
where | found him in the same situation
had left him. A mixture of molasses, vine
gar and butter was prepared, but be could
not swallow a drop. Whenever he at
vulSed and almost sutfocated Mr.
Rawlins came in soon after sunrise
and prepared to bleed him. When the arm
was ready, the general observing Raw
Inns appeared agitated said with difficulty,
Don't be afraid" d after the incision
was made he observed the orifice was not
large enough. However, the blood ran
knowing whether bleeding was proper in
the generals condition, begged that much
might not be taken from him, and desired
me to stop it. When l was about to unite
the string the general put up his hand to
prevent it, and, soon as he could speak said
| "Moren
| Mrs. Washington being uneasy lest too
much blood should be taken, it was stopped
| after about half pint had been taken.
Finding that no relief was obtained from
bleeding and nothing could be swallowed,
proposed bathing the throat externally with
sal volatile, which was done. A piece of
| flannel was then put round his neck. His
| feet were also soaked in warm water, but 1t
gave no relief. By Mrs. Washington's re-
| IT.
| Brown, at Port Tobacco. About 8 o'clock
| DR.. Craik arrived and put blister of can
| tharides on the throat OF the general, and
took more blood, and had some vinegar and
| hot water set in a teapot for him to draw in
| the fumes from the nozzle He also had
| tea and vinegar mixed and sused as
| a gargle, but when he held back his head TO
| let it run down, it almost produced suffoca-
| ton. When the mixture came out OF his
mouth some phlegm followed it, and he
| would attempt to cough, which the doctor
encouraged, but without effect. About IL
o'clock DIR. Dick was sent for. DIR. Craik
bled the general again; no effect was pro-
| duced, and he continued in the same state,
unable to swallow anything. DIR. Dick
came in about 8 o'clock and DR.. Brown ar
rived soon after, when, after consultation,
the general was bled again; the blood ran
| slowly, appeared very thick, and did not
| produce any symptoms of falntiHg.
At o'clock the general could swallow a
| little. Calomel and tartar emetic were ad-
| minstered without effect. About 4:30
| o'clock he desired me to ask Mrs. Washing
| ton to come to his bedside, when he desired
| her to go down to his room and take from
his desk two wills which she would find
there and bring them to him, which she did
| Upon looking at one, which he observed
| was useless, he desired her to burn it, which
| she did, and then took the other and put it
away. After This was done returned again
to his bedside and took his hand. He said
| to me: Il find am going; my breath can
| not continue long. / believed from the first
attack it would be fatal. Do you arrange
and record all my military let ers and pa
pers; arrange my accounts and settle my
| books as you know more about them than
any one else, and let Mr.. Rawlins finish re-
cording my other letters, which he has be-
gun"
He asked when Mr.. Lewis would return
| | told him believed about the Doth of the
month. He made no reply to it, The ply
sicians again came in between and
o'clock, and when they came to his bedside
DIR. Craik asked him if he would sit up in
the bed He held out his hand to me and
was raised up, when he said to the physi-
clans:
II feel myself going-you had better not
| take any more trouble about me, but let me
go off quietly; l cannot last long"
They found what had been done was
without effect; he lay down again and they
retired, excepting DR.. Craik. He then said
to him: doctor, l die hard, but am not
afraid to 60; / believed from my first at
tack should not survive it; my breath
cannot last long"
The doctor pressed his hand, but could
not utter word: he retired from the bed
side and sat by the fire, absorbed in grief.
About o'clock the physicians again came
into the room and applied blisters 70 his
legs, but went out without a ray of hope.
From this time he appeared to breathe
han hn had hFnf