Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1891-04-08
DEATH OF BARNUM.
The Prince of Showmen I"
Closes His Career.
OLD AGE wEAKENs HIS VITALITY,

anu ne fasses Away peacefully and
Painlessiy-A Number OF Friends and
Relatives, Including His Wife, Watch
the Vital Spark Die Outfits Funeral.
by His Own Directions, To Be strictly
Private and Unostentatious-AS sketch
of His Remarkable Life.
BRIDGEPORT, Conn, April s.-P. T.
Barnum is dead He passed away at 6:22
last evening in the presence of his family
and intimate friends. Among the sor-
rowing group in the room when the end
came We're Mrs. Barnum; Rev. L. p.
Fisher; Mrs. Thompson, Barnum's
daughter; Mrs. Clarke, of New York, a
granddaughter; Miss May Read, his
niece; Mrs. Bushtelle, another daughter:
Clinton IL. Seely, his grandson and prin-
cipal heir; Benjamin Fish, Mrs. Barnum's
brother; DR.. Hubbard; Mrs. Rikeman, the
housekeeper. and the nurse. Mr.. Bar
NUNS illness and confinement to the
house began twenty-one weeks ago and
during this period there have been fire.
quent fluctuations in his condition. The
change for the worse, which occurred
Monday night was so much more pro.
nounced than the previous attacks had
been that the attending physicians be-
came convinced that the great Snowman
had but a few more hours of life left.
Asked for an Easy Death.
Mr.. Barnum suffered great deal of
pain, and seemed to realize that he could
not live much longer, but he spoke of his
approaching end with calmness, and told
his physicians that when all hope was
gone he wished to be given sedatives,
which would allay his pain and make his
death as peaceful as possible. The first
sedative was given little after 10 yester-
day morning, and was understood by the
patient and his family to mean that the
end was near. Mrs. Barnum remained at
her husbands side throughout Monday
night At about 4 yesterday morning
the patient sank into n lethargv which
was . condition of stupor rather than nat.
urai sleep. 1t was very difficult to rouse
him from this state and faint CLEAN of
recognition in his eyes alone indicated
that he had any knowledge of his sur
roundlnSs. Thus matters went on until
about 10 a. m
Rift in the Death CIoud.
At that hour he was again aroused and
his mental faculties appeared to be
brighter than ut any time during the pre-
vlous few hours. All of his friends ana
relatives were in the chamber at this
time and the scene was a deeply pathetic
one Mr.. Barnum was fully conscious Int
unable TO speak, and the affectionate
messages he conveyed with his ewes to his
weeping loved ones were more expressive
than words. Rev. Me- Fisher bent over
him and spoke words of religious conso-
lation, to which Mr.. Barnum half nodded
his head IN assent. About Il O. clock an
other sedatlve was given him, and soon
afterwards he sank into a peaceful sleen
At half past three in the afternoon Mr.
Barnum sank into comatose condition
and from this condition he never rallied
and when the end finally came it was
peaceful and to all appearances painless
Directions for His Funeral.
The physicians say that Mr.. Barnum
had no organic disease whatever, the en-
feebled heart action which had been no.
ticed for the last few months being due in
the opinion OF his physicians to grad
ual failure OF his vital powers, resulting
from old age. Mr.. Bsrnum. in general
way, had prescribed directions for his
funeral. He wished it to be strictly pri-
vate IN character. He directed that the
lnterment should be in the Mountain
Grove cemetery, where several wears ago
he erected massive granite monument of
simple design The funeral services will
be held in the North Congregational
church on Friday, and will be conducted
by Rev. L. b Fisher, the Universalist pas-
Tor, assisted by Rev. Charles E. Palmer
OF the North Congregational church.