The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1891-12-22
B. PLUMB
The Senior Senator from Kansas
Drops Dead.
FATTY DEGENERATION OF BRAIN
The Immediate Cause, Superinduced by Over
work-services Over the Remains in the
Senate-The Funeral Tra!n.

WASHINGTON, Dec. 21.-sOh. my God!
WY mead! my headF' and Senator Preston
d. Plumb, who, as representative of the
state OF Kansas in the United States Sen
ate since 1875, has occupied a prominent
place in the councils of the Republican
party, few minutes later fell unconscious,
never to regain knowledge of what was
going on around him.
1t was 40 last evening when he uttered
the above exclamation. A little more tuan
nve hours later the broad framed. power
Iul-looklng man was stretched out dead in
MS modest apartments in Fourteenth
street. His physician, DIR. Phillip Wales.
MS clerk, Is. w. Flenniken, and his land
iord, Mr.. Jennings, were with him at the
last. His wife aud two children are in
pa Deatn came from apoplexy, clear
iy the result Of overwork.
The Senator has been known for wears
as one of the most energetic mem bers of
tne SENATE. year ago he began to fail
ms brain became affected and throoblng
headaches became more FREQUENT. His
physicians warned him that the continu-
ance OF his labors meant death. but he re-
tuseo 10 need their warning. AS lar as
outward appearance went, be was most Wig
Acatlon OF health. He continued to work
win the energy of a steam engine, and
Today, when seemingly in full vigor. Cied.
Two weeks ago he was troubled by fail
ing memory and other symptoms which
medical men classed as ''aphcsia.u He
called DIR. Wales. The latter, after a care
1ul study, informed the Senator that his
SYMPTOMS inuicateo apoplexy, and that he
must quit work. But PlumU thought the
doctor unduly alarmed He kept up his
laoors both IN the Senate and at home. His
eyes then troubled him, aud also his kid
neys, and he had skillful specialists ex-
anime him. They reported there was
nothing the matter with those organs:
that IL was some other trouble, which cou-
hrmed DIR. Wales diagnosis
A few days ago Plumb went to Ph1laGel-
phia with Senator Quay to onsuIt with
DR.. Pepper. He returned, complaining of
a violent headache, but went to dinner
given by Ex-senator Malone 10 lew
friends. lie returned home about o'clock
yesterday morning, and about 2 O'Clock
called Mr.. Jennings, his landlord. who lived
ABOVE, and requested him 10 come down
and sit with him, as he was ill. MIR len
nings saw his condition was serious. and
summoned DIR. Wales. The latter ailevi-
ated the pain, and remained with tt @ Sen
auor until $3.50, when he went away. leav-
Ing Plumb sleeping souldly
flfteen minutes later Senator Plumb
aWoke, bounded out of bed TO a slcp lar and
began to yomit. When the vomiting ceased
ne raised his hands to his head and ex-
Claimed, "Oh, my God! My head My
headH his last words Mr. Jennings
stroked his head to relieve the pain, and a
lew minutes later the Senator lapsed into
slumber, and soon after into unconscious
ness.
About 10 o'clock Dr. Wales returned and
saw at once that the Senator had been
stricken with apoplexy. He remained uu--
conscious until the end came at II 80. Dr.
Wales said the immediate cause of death
was apoplexy brought on by fatty degen
Grafton OF the brain from overwork 1T
was clear case of overwork," said the
DOCTOR. If he had given up some time ago
1t would have been different, but no man
could stand what he was doing in his con-
dltion.n
News OF the sad event spread rapidly.
Within an hour Senator PETER was at the
bedside of his dead colleague, and Ser
sgeant-at-Arms Ballentyne, of the Senate,
assumed direction of the funeral arrange
ments. An undertaken was summoned and
emoalmed the remains, his haste in this
matter giving rise TO distressing incident
Shortly after the embalming was com
pleted dispatch was received from the
widow, who is in Emporia, Kan, request
AH5 shoS VIZ DOuy Dc HOG IL WAS
stated That last summer Senator Plumb
was, for two or three hours, in a state of
suspended animation and TO all appear
ances dead. Baying that crisis in mind,
Mrs. Plumb did not wish the body en-
balmed until there was no doubt of death
Inc receipt of this telegram too late caused
much unavalling regret. The undertaken
and doctor. however, are positive the Scr
ator was dead
A guard of honor, composed Of EMPLOYEES
OF the Senate, was detailed to watch over
the remains until they are removed to the
capitol. Vice President Morton and many
Senators called at the house during the
afternoon
Senator Plumb leaves a wife and five
children, two daughters and three sons.
He was born in Delaware county, Ohio.
October IL, 1887; left the common school
for the printers case, and in pursuance of
that vocation went tn Kansas in 1856. and
plunged at once into the thickest of the
strife then raging over the slavery cues
tlon. He at once went to the front and
soon became member of the Leavenworth
constitutional convention of 1859 He was
admitted to the bar IN 1861, went to the
legislature In 1862, served in the Eleventh
Kansas infantry through all grades from
second lieutenant to colonel After the
war he served again in the Kansas legisla-
ture, and in 1871 was chosen United States
Senator to succeed James NJ Harvey. Mr..
Plumb was wealthy man, and in addition
10 his senatorial duties, was actively con-
cerned in railroad and industrial enter
prlses and was widely known in financial
circles as all interchangeable promoter.