Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1891-12-24
PRESTON B. PLUMB.
Death of the Noted Kansas Sem
ator From Apoplexy.
VIOLATED THE LAWS OF NATURE.
His Indefatigable Industry Occasions q
Brain TrOuble-He is Warned and
Death Follows Persist
ence.


the United States senate continuously
since 1876, has occupied a prominent
place in the councils of the republican
party, few minutes after fell uncon-
scious, never to regain knowledge Of
what was going on about him.
1t was Gas o'clock yesterday morn
ing when he uttered this exclamation.
A little more than five hours later the
broad-framed, powerful-looking Kan
sas senator was stretched out dead in
his modest apartments on Fourteenth
street His physician, DR.. Philip Wales;
his clerk, B. W. Flenniken, and his
landlord, Mr.. Jennings, were with him
at the end. His wife and two children
are in Kansas.
Death came from apoplexy, the result
of exhaustion of the brain. 1t was a
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 mem
Der of the senate. A year ago he began
to fail His brain became affected and
throbbiDg headaches became more and
more frequent. His physicians warned
him that continuance of his labor>
meant death, but he refused to heed
their warning. He continued to work
with the energy of a steam engine, and
yesterday, when apparently in full
vigor and with many years of life be-
fore him, he died.
The news of his sudden death shocked
and startled his a,qraintances, of
whom he had a great number 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 i'll. Many persons who heard ii
were almost incredUlous of the ac-
curacy of the report. But all ac-
quainted with the senator as with in
tuitive knowledge asked the question
whether or not apOpleXy was the cause
of death.
A few days ago Senator Plumb went
to Philadelphia with Senator Quay for
the purpose of consulting DR.. Pepper
lie returned TO Washington Saturday
night at o'clock comp aiming of a vio-
lent headache, but vent to dinner al
Chamberlain's, given by ex-senator
Malone to a few friends. Itmust have
been o'clock or later yesterdaF morn
ing whe1 he returned to his quarters.
for his landlord, Mr.. Linden D. Jen-
nings, said that be did not retire until
nearly 1 o'clock ami the senator had
not yet returned.
Shortly before > o'clock Mr. Jennings
was awakened by knock at his bed
room door. Senator Plumb told Mr..
Jenniug> he was yer sick and re-
q"esie ed him to come downstairs and
sit up with him. Nr. Jenning saw that
the senator's condition was serious and
at ? o'e,ock DR.. Wales was summoned
The doct + alleviated the pain and ad-
ministered ihe proper medicines. He
stayed with Mr. = umb from > until
$50 and then left his patient sleeping
quietly.
At G:45 O'Clock Senator Plum b woke
and with a sFrin" bounded out of bed
TO slOp jar and began to vomit. His
head was aching violently. The vomit-
ing ceased after time, then the sem
ator tossed hi- hands to his head and
ex laimei: ''Oh, my God; my head, my
head, " the last words he ever uttered.
Mr.. Jennings stroked his head to re-
ieve the pain and in fe " minutes Mr.
Plumb lapsed into slumber and later
into uncoasciousness.
About II o'clock Mr.. Flenniken, clerk
of the committee on public lands, of
which Senator Plumb was chairman,
and his private secretary for some
years, called, as was his custom, to as
sist the senator with his correspond
ence. Mr. Flennil1en noticed that he
was breathing heavily and stentorious-
". DR.. Wales was again summoned.
He saw at once that the patient had
been stricken with apopleXy. Mr..
Plumb was unconscious and his tongue
was paralyzed. The doctor, Mr.. Elem
niken and Mr. Jennings remained with
him until the end came, at 1880. DIR.
Wales said the immediate cause of
death was apoplexy brought on by fat
ty degeneration of the brain from over
work and fatigue.
The deceased leaves a wife and five
children. Two daughters are now at
Emporia with Mas. Plumb. Two sons
are at school in Pennsylvania, and
third is confined to hospital in Phia-
delphia by a serious ailment
BIOGRAPHICAL
Senator Plumb was orn in Delaware
county, o., October l., 1888 so that he was in
his 54th year at the the time of his death. He
was not a coIIeg g graduate, but left the com
mon schools for the printers case and Il
pursuance of his vocation as iOurneyman
printer, in 1875, in the bloody days of the
historic and newly organic d territory o.
Kansas, walked into that territory an with
the vigor and indefatigabls energy which
throughout his life has been his ch ( char
act ristic, the young man plum ed at once
into the thick OF the hot political strife which
was then waging ov T the slavery ques-
tion. He at one went to the ront an was
chosen q member of tine lie venworth con-
itional convention in 1859. He was ad-
mitted to the bar in 1861, when the place of
his adoption became state of the union;
served in the legislature of 1852. was chair
man of the judiciary committee. and subse-
quentlY reporter of the supreme court.
" hen the war broke out he enterei / the
army as second lieutenant in the Eleventh.
Kansa~ infantry and served successiv ively as
captain, major and lieutenant-coionel of
tn u regiment and was commissioned a col
onel OF tn same reg ment in August. Is62
After the war Mr.. Plumb returning to
Kansas, was elected a member and speaker
OF the hous- of representatives., and in 1916
was chosen Unite States senator to sue
coed James NJ Harvey republican. H took
his seat in 1871. and has represented his
state as senator ever since that time. His
term OF ofiee would have expired March s,
lseA
THE DEATH OF PLUMB.
How 1t Was Received in the state Capital
-Asrirants for the Position.