St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-12-21
A SENATOR SLEEPS.
Preston B. Plumb, OF Kansas,
Passes Away Suddenly Of
ApOpleXy.
He Falls Unconscious Shortly
Before Seven O'Clock, and
Dies About Noon.
SeriouslyAfteetedWith Throb-
bing Headaches for the
Past Year.
A Distressing Telegram From
Mrs. Plumb Received a
Few Minutes Late.

WASHINGTON, Dec. 2O.-"Oh. my God,
my head, my head, my head" and SEN
atOr Preston b. Plumb, who, as a rep
resentatve of the state of Kansas in
the United States senate continuously
since 1876, has occupied a prominent
place in the councils of the Republican
party, few minutes later fell uncon-
scious, never TO regain knowledge of
what was going on about him. 1t was
G:45 O'Clock this morning when he
uttered this exclamation. A little more
than five hours later the brOad-framed,
pOwerful-lOoking Kansas senator was
stretched out dead at his modest apart
ments on Fourteenth street. His
physician, DR.. Phillip S. Wales; his
clerk, B. W. Flenniken, and his land
lord, MIR. Jennings, were with him at
the end. His wife and two children
are IN Kansas. Death came from apo
pleXy, the result of exhaustion of the
brain. 1t was clear case of OverwOrk
and inattentiOn to the laws of nature.
The senator has been known for years
as the most pushing, energetic, hard
working member of the senate A year
ago he began to fail. His brain became
affected, and thrObbing headaches be-
came more and more frequent. His
physicians warned him that continuance
OF his labOrs meant death. but he re-
fused to heed their warning. He con-
tinued to work with the
Energy of a Steam Engine.
and today, when still apparently in full
vigOr ana with many years of life before
him, he died. The news of his sudden
death shocked and startled his friends
and acquaintanceS, of whom he had
great many in and out of public life.
1t being Sunday, many persons were at
church at the time of his death, and
none save those at his bedside knew
that he had been taken ILL., Many per-
sons who heard it were almost Incredu-
lous Of the accuracy of the report. But
all acquainted with the senator, as with
1ntultlve knowledge, asked the ques-
ton whether or not apOpleXy was the
cause OF death. A few of Mr.
Plumb'S most intimate friends knew
that he had been ailing for some time.
but none were prepared for the worst.
lie had been in the senate last week
and appeared to be as well as ever. lie
attended to his duties with his usual
a
he said to senate employee who con
graduated HIM on his appearance that
he was younger than the employe, who
was his Junior by twenty years. AS evil
dence OF his vitality he doubled I'D his
forearm. His blceps muscles were hard
and compact. He actively looked after
the interests of his constituents last
week, and probably lends any other
senator IN the number of bills intro
duced at this session. Notwithstanding
this activity and his own assertion of
his vigorous health, latterly he had
been
Complaining of SIeepIessness.
vertigo and symptoms which in medi-
cine are embraced in the term "apha-
STA" lie complained of the persistent
pains III his head. impairment of
memory, and growing inability to clothe
ms ideas IN proper and appropriate
words. The senator had previously
been remarkably fluent of speech. and
his words came so freely. cOpiOuslv and
rapidly that he was the terror of the
stenograDhers. 1t was not until two
weeks ago, however, that Dr. Philip S.
Wales was called in and asked for adj
wee as to the trouble. The doctor.
after careful study of the case. in.
formed the senator that his symptoms
Indicated apopleXy. and that he
must quit work and take rest.
But Mr.. Plumb was incredulous and
thought the doctor had become unduly
alarmed. He kept up his labOrs, except
when severe headaches forced him tenn
pOrarIly TO abandon his work. He had a
desk In the front room of his apartments.
ana another at the committee room at
the capitol. His eyes troubled him, and
Skllltul ocullSt examined them. HIS
kidneys were also examined by Spe-
clallst. Each of these persons reported
that the trouble lay not in the ewes or the
kidneys, and, by their report that there
was some other organic trouble, con-
firmed the diagOniS of DR.. Wales. A
few days ago Senator Plumb went to
Philadelphia with Senator Quay for the
purpose Of consulting DR.. Pepper. He
returnedto Washington last night at 7
O'Clock complaining of
Violent Headache.
but went to dinner at Chamberlin's
given by Senator Malone to friends. II
must have been after l o'clock this
morning when he returned to his quar-
tiers, for his landlord, Linson ID. len
nings, SAID today that he did not retire
until nearly o'clock. and that the SEN
ator had not yet returned. Shortly be-
fore O'Clock Mr.. Jennings was aWak-
ened by knock at his bedroom door.
Senator Plumb told Mr.. Jennings that
he was very sick and requested him to
come down stairs and sit ND with him.
Mr.. Jennings found that the senator's
condition was serious, and at 2
O'Clock Dr. Wales was summoned. The
doctor alleviated the pain and admin
lstered the proper medicines. He
stayed with Mr.. Plumb from 2 until
ESQ o'clock. and left his patient sleen-
ing quietly. At Gas Senator Plumb
awoke and with spring bounded out
OF bed to slop jar and began to vomit.
Ills head was aching violently. The
vomiting ceased after a time. Then
the senator tossed his hands to his head
ana exclaimed: 'Oh, my God, my
head, my head!' the last words he ever
uttered. Mr.. Jennings strOked his
mead 10 relieve the pain, and in few
minutes Mr.. Plumb relapSed into
Slumber and Inconsistencies About
10 O'Clock Mr.. B. W. Fleming. a clerk
OF the court Of public lands, of which
Senator Plumb was chairman. called as
was his custom, to assist the senator
with his correspondence. Mr.. Fleming
noticed that
EEe Was Breathing Heavily.
DR.. Wales was again summoned. Ht
saw at once that the patient had beer
stricken with apoplexy. Mr.. Pluml
was unconscious and his tongue wa:
paralyzed. The doctor. Mr.. FLEMING
and Mr. Jennings remained with hin
until the end came, at II: 80. DR.. Vale,
SAID This afternoon that the Asanaadia tt