The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1891-12-25
SENATOR PLUMB DEAD.
Sudden Death of the Senator IN
Washington
his IndefatiGable Industry Occasions I
Brain Trouble-He Is Warned and
Death Follows Persist

| ence-
! WASHINGTON, Dec. 21.-"Oh, my God,
my head, my head. my head ~ and Sem
ator Preston b. Plumb. who, as rep
resentative OF the state of Kansas in
the United States senate continuously
since 1876, has occupied 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
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
throbbing headaches became more and
more frequent. His physicians warned
him that continuance of his labors
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 acquaintance, 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 it
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.
He returned to Washington Saturday
night at o'clock complaining of vio-
| lent headache, but went to dinner at
Chamberlain's, given by ex-senator
Malone to few friends 1t must have
been 1 o'clock or later yesterday morn
ing when he returned to his quarters,
for his landlord, Mr.. Linden d. Jen-
nings, said that he did not retire until
nearly o'clock and 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..
| Jennings he was very sick and re-
quested him to come downstairs and
sit up with him. Mr.. Jenning saw that
the senator's condition was serious and
at 2 o'clock DR.. Wales was summoned.
The doctor alleviated the pain and ad-
ministered the proper medicines. He
stayed with Mr. Plumb from . until
$50 and then left his patient sleeping
quietly.
At Gas o'clock Senator Plumb woke
| and with spring 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 his hands to his head and
exclaimed: ''Oh, my God; my head, my
head" the last words he ever uttered.
Mr.. Jennings stroked his head to re-
lieve the pain and in n few minutes Mr..
Plumb lapsed into slumber and later
into Inconsistencies.
About IL 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.. Flenniken 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 Dir. Jennings remained with
him until the end came, at 11:SO. Dr.
Wales said the immediate cause of
death was apoplexy brought on by fat
ty degeneration of the brain from over
work and fatigue.
BIOGRAPHICAL
Senator Plumb was horn in Delaware
county, o., October IL, 1888 so that he was In
his 54th year at the the time OF his death. He
WIS not u COlstpc out leIt the COM
mon schools for the printers case and IN
pursuance of his vocation as n iourneyman
printer, in 1876. in the bloody days OF the
historic and newly organized territory OF
Kansas, walked into that territory AMI with
| the vigor and interchangeable energy which
throughout his life has been his oh. ef char
act ristic, the young man plum red at once
into the thiC ofthe hot polite a strife which
was then waging over the slavery Ques-
ton. He at once went to the front and was
chosen "a member of the Leavenworth con-
s:itional convention i'm 1859. He was ad-
mitted to the bar in le6i, when the place of
his adoption became state of the union;
served in the legislature of 1861 was chair
man of the judiciary committee. and subse-
Quently reporter of the supreme court.
When the war broke out he entered the
army as seconI Lieutenant in the Eleventh
Kansas infantry and served SUCCESSFULLY as
captain, major and lieutenant-colonel of
that regiment, and was commissioned n coll
onel of thu same reg ment in August. 1861.
After the war Mr.. Plumb. returning to
Kansas, was elected "A member and speaker
of the house of representatives, and in 1916
was chosen Unite States senator to sue
coed James NJ. Harvey republican. He took
his seat in 1871. and has represented mis-
state as a senator ever since that time. His
term of ofiice would have expired March ),
ls9.
Performed BY Ex-Convicts.
ST. LOUIS, Dec. Cot is stated this
L.