Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1889-10-15
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DEATH MIR. SPREADING.

!
! James 4. SpladIlng died at o'clock
this morning. lie was taken suddenly III
at o'clock Oh Sunday morning last, first
with heart trouble, followed by nervous
prostitution, which culninated in edusion
of blood to the brain. In many respects
biz case is a very peculiar one. On Satur-
day morning Mr.. Spradling appeared at
! the New MEXICAN Office in his usual good
health and seemed particularly cheeNnl.
He Was about the Office till 9O'cock, when
| he repaired TO the federal builGingto enter
upon his days duties there as receiver OF
public MONEYS, and again at noon and at
o'clock he visited the New MEXICAN edi-
torlal room, each time chatting pleasantly
With the employees about The office rs
was his wont. About ! 80 Saturday
evening he went for q drive With his
children, and after an hour returned
home With them and took dinner. At
the table he complained OF not feeling
very well and ate sparingly. After dim
ner lie passed the evening pleasantly at
home WIKI the children till 10 o'clock,
when he retired.
Mrs. Spradling left home on Saturday
| the week previous, going with CCl. Frost
to Arkansas to take his infant son in to
be cared for by its grandmother, and
going thence to Springfield, Mo, for q
short visit. During her absence, Aunty
Slaughter, the kind old colored nurse, was
in charge OF the children and had general
supervision at Mr.. Spradling s home.
About O'Clock on Saturday morning
Aunty Slaughter was aroused aud found
Mr.. Spradling walking the floor OF his
bed room and rubbing his right arm.
She saw that he was i'll and was unable
to speak. Presently he spoke, however,
and asked to have his younger child
brought to him, at the same time saying
he was suffering intensely, and had once
lost his power of speech. He was very
nervous and seemed to be in momentary
fear of complete paralysis.
DR.. Harroun was summoned and applied
rastoratives which brought soBm1e re ao =.
and III cpudiri0p hnn~-"~ '''''ii 40 w NC"
"eaahht the hope OF an early recovery, the
doctor feeling that he had been called in
time to prevent brain trouble. But OH
Yesterday afternoon the patient became
worse, and remained in an unconscious
state most OF the day. At O'Clock his
younger brother, Mr.. Wood Spradling,
who had watched and cared for the sick
man as only brother can, became so
alarmed that he consulted with attending
friends and decided to have n consultation
OF physicians. Dr. Cowdry was called by
DR.. Harroun and the combined skill and
scientific knowledge of these two gentle
men was brought to bear upon the case.
Some slight changes in treatment, more |
heroic, ii possible, were directed still the
patient grew weaker. AT 8 O'Clock last |
night Ur. Harroun called and remained
till nearly midnight. Worn out by cease
less attentions at the bed side Mr.. Wood |
Spradling sought o few hours rest |
and left Professor Ladd and Judge
A. l.. Morrison to attend the sick. Their
vigil was kept up throughout the night,
but neither felt that death was far away.
Mr.. Sprading continued to sink, breath
ing heavily. and completely exhausted.
At 10 minutes to O'Clock this gave way
for slow and easy respiratlons and it
became evident to the watchers that dis
solution was near. The younger brother
was called and few minutes later death
had claimed lis victim.
The children were not disturbed, their
father was unable to recognize his loved
ones and tender thoughtful suggest
ed the propriety Of keeping them in ig-
noranCe OF their great loss, one which
hey are scarcely old enough to appre-
:iate, until tho night had passed. This
morning the sad news was gently con-
veyed to the little ones by loving friends
and they we're taken away soon afterWard,
10 be cared for until the heart-broken " lie ,
and mother can arrive upon the srene.
Mrs. Spradling leaves Springfield i'll the
and will arrive here probably
N triOay at noon.
Mr.. Spradling was native Of Edmun- I
on county, Ky, and was about 80 years I
i age. He received his primary educa-
ion in the common schools of his native +,
tate, and when quite young entered Il
newspaper Office, here he laid the foun- il
lation Tor that great store house of gen.
raj Wedge which was ever at his r
ommand throughout his busy life. His J.
rst newspaper venture was at Spring b
ED, Mo-, where he successfully edited Il r.
;eekly Republican journal for several a
ears. Later he gave up this to engage il
Il land speculation, which eventually led i,
i'm to make an exhaustive study !;
/ American land law, and for ~
time he travelled much :,
throughout the states OF Missouri, Kan ,'
as, Arkansas and Nebraska, as land at p
orney, being then a member OF the firm T. T.
Murphy, Prather d Spradling, with II
at Harrison, Ark. He was :.
ways ali active Repub lean and wher- =
yer he was located enjoyed the conf- =,
ence and esteem of the uDIest Republican " =,
,aders. But journalism had its charms =
" him, as for all those who have ever
cen initiated i'll this profession, and it is
OF long before we find him editing
ewspaper at LincolL, Neb.
From that point lie came to the south C
est, being attracted to Cerrillos by the D
pening OF rich mines there in 1879. lie.
)unty and spent q considerable amount >
money i'll mining ventures, and in -,
$50 he removed to Albuquerque and ~ v,
lere established that cily's first news u, ~
lper, the daily journal. Here his VI
MUS as a writer commanded universal
spect, and his paper proved a great Ii
ccess. One Year later he sold out at NJ
profit and went thence to Las u
ruces, where he established the Rio Sc
rande Republican, at present the leading III
ewspaper OF the Mesila valIeys Selling
1t there a year later, he returned to Har- al
son, Ark, and formed Law partnership tr
it'll Mr.. Armitage, under the firm name III
Spradling q Armitage, and there he c,
ccesslulIy practiced before the land VI
ices until lie came to Santa Fe in 1857
I'd purchased q controlling interest in :.
e New MEXICAN Printing company. ~ ID
Q Immediately entered upon his r.
tiles as managing editor, and us e. e.
.ch served until few months ago, ~
hen. in yeco,pition nj bis earnest and pc
~ '' " 10.