Bismarck weekly tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1943, 1891-02-06
He Was Attending a Banquet at Del
monico's, Given by the Board
OF Trade.
After Making all Eloquent Speech He
Had Sat Down and Lit
a Cigar.
Suddenly He Fell Back in His Chair
and His Body Stiffened
in Death.
All Efforts at R~esuscitation Failed
His Death Caused by Heart
Failure.
\ Terrible Shock to His Family,

\ Terrible Shock to His Family.
New YORK, Jan. 29.-Hon. William
Window, secretary OF the treasury of the
United States, died tonight at 1905 o'clock
in the banquet hall at Delmonico's, where
he was the guest of the New York board
of trade and transportation. His had been
the first toast of the evening. He had fin
ished his response and had seated himself,
when he swoOned at once and died almost
was made, but in vain. He died of heart
disease. The great assemblage at once
dissolved. Mr.. Window had been the only
speaker, and the sentiment to which he
responded IA sour COuntrv's
Prosperity Dependent Upon its In
struments of Commerce. Window,
dignifed of mien as usual,
was not less genial. His face was bright,
his smile quick and his remarks and repair
tee were apt and keen. His meeting with
ex-Secretary of State Bayard was pleasing
and the informal gathering of guests and
their semi-formal reception was a pleasant
preparatory to the banquet. Then all
formed a jolly procession to the banquet
hall, where the members and guests be-
came seated, the members at a table upon
the floor and the guests at a long table
upon a raised platform. The dinner, which
began at + o'clock, was completed shortly
after 9 o'clock, and Secretary Window on
being introduced by Judge Arnoux, who
acted as POSTMASTER, arose to speak, being
tho fret SnooEor pf tho axyopirr HI - n
sponded to the toast, "Our Country's Pros
perity Dependent Upon its Instruments of
Commerce" He finished his speech al 9:55
o'clock p. m. 1t had been remarked that
he was reading it off hurriedly from print
ed copy, going faster and faster as he
neared the end, and at the last he had re-
quested the audience not to applaud.
A CULVER OF FEAR
shot through the assemblage like an cleo
trio shock as the speaker finished. Win
dom was standing erect under the glare of
the gas lights, while the faces of the most
famous body of men in the country were
turned toward him. Something was the
matter. They knew not what. For a mo-
ment the secretary of the treasury stood
silent, while the banquetters, equally
silent. watched him. 1t was a moment
that no one who was present will ever for
get. Then Window sat down quietly, too
quietly. many thought, in his seat, and
the POSTMASTER, Judge Arnoux, arose to
introduce ex-Secretary of State Bayard as
the mex speaker. He began a short speech,
but had not proceeded far when Window
gave a short, sharp moan of anguish and
fell back in his chair. His face grew pur-
pie, his lower limbs stiffened and stretched
out of their own accord, apparently under
the table. His eyelids opened and shut
spasmodically, but there was no CLEAN of
intelligence in the eyes, which were rapid
ly losing the luster of life. The cigar which
he had been smoking was held between
the grim clinch of his teeth. For only a
moment he appeared thus.
A CRY WENT UP
from those sitting near the guest table.
"Look, look at Mr.. Window" Every eye
vas turned toward the man whose voice
had just ceased upon the air. At the head
of the hall many stood up and many
echoed the cry. Window had collapsed in
his chair and was falling to the floor. His
face was CHASTITY and a cry of horror arose
from the late festive banquetters. There
was an immediate rush on the part of all
towards WINDOWS chair, but several doc
tors who were present at the dinner got
there first and drove the others back. They
were Doctors S. A. Robinson, Durant,
Whitney, Fisher and Bishop. DR.. Robin
son bent down, and making a close exam
ination of the PROSTATE form, discovered
that his heart was yet beating, and with
the assistance of Judge Arnoux, Captain
Snow and one or two others lifted him to
his feet deathly pale. He was carried into
a room behind the banquet hall and every
thing was done to %resuscitate him. Mes
sengers were hastily dispatched for Cleo
trio batteries n as many as four were
applied to his body, which was rapidly
growing cold. This was exactly 1905 p.
m. For six minutes
ELECTRIC SHOCKS WE'RE APPLIED
necessarily, but without success. He was
pronounced dead by Doctors Robinson and
Durant. Il would say that the cause of his
death was appoplexy," said DR.. Robinson,
"if it were not for the history Of heart dis
ease. I am inclined to think heart disease
killed him. Mr.. Window was subject to
fits of heart failure. On Tuesday last he
was seized with an attack while on the
steps of the treasury at Washington, but
he did not lose consciousness and was able
to take care Of himself" At 10 a. m,
Judge Arnoux came out of the room where
Window lay and announced to the diners
that Secretary Window, whom they had
had the pleasure of hearing only a few
minutes before, had breathed his last. "He
is dead,'' he said. This was the fearful an |
nouncement thatw was uttered in a voice
midway between a sob and a whisper |
through that gally bedecked banquet hall,
around which still hung like a funeral pail
Tho cnoka Of the after- dinnar ciuar -