Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1891-12-24
SENATOR PLUMB.
KANSAS SENIOR SENATOR
Stricken With Apoplexy, Dies IN
Few Moments.


Plumb was stricken with apoplexy,
and short time later lay dead in
his apartments in Washington.
He had been seriously i'll since o.
clock, Sunday morning and his ply
stefan had been with HIM for several
hours until about $50 o'clock, when
he went home leaving the senator
sleeping quietly. Fifteen minutes later
Senator Plumb sprang from his bed
and pressing his hands to his head
exclaimed: "Oh, my God, my head,
my head, my head" and fell uncon-
scious to the floor. He fingered IN
this condition until IL 80 O'Clock, when
he breathed his last
His death was the result of exhaus-
ton of the brain due to overwork.-
The senator had been known for
years as the most pushing, energetic,
hard working member 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 and
Sunday when still apparently in full
vigor and with many years of life be-
fore him, he died. It 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 of Senator
Plumb's most intimate friends knew
that he had been ailing for some time
but none were prepared for the worst.
He was in the senate last week and
appeared as well as ever. He at
tended to his duties with his usual
briskness and vigor. He actively
looked after the interests of his con-
stituents last week and probably led
any other senator in number of bills
introduced at this session. Notwith-
standing this activity and his own as
sertion of his vigorous health, latter
ly he had been complaining of sleep
lessness, vertigo, and symptoms which
in medicine are embraced in the term
''aphasia." He complained of the
persistent pain in his head, impair
ment of memory and growing inabili-
ty to clothe his ideas in proper and
appropriate words. The Senator had
previously been remarkably fluent of
speech and his words came so freely,
copiously and rapidly that he was the
terror of stenographers.
Two weeks ago he called on DR..
Phillip Wales and asked his advice
upon his physical and mental condl-
ton. The doctor, after a careful
study of the case, informed the sena-
tor that his symptoms indicated apo
plexy and that he must quit work and
take a rest, hut Mr.. Plumb was in
credulous and thought the doctor had
become undulY alarmed He kept up
his labors except when severe head
aches forced him temporarily to aban-
don his work. He had a desk in the
front room Of his apartments and an
other In his committee room at the
capitol. He worked on his immense
personal business in the morning and
night after doing hard days work
on public affairs at the capitol HIS
eyes troubled him and sklllfuI occu-
list examined them. His kidneys
were also examined by a specialist.
Each of these persons reported that
the trouble lay not IN the kidneys,
and their report that there was some
other organic trouble confirmed the
diagnosis Of DR.. Wales"
The news of the sad event spread
rapidly. Within an hour after Sena-
tor Plumb's death Senator PETER was
at the side of his dead colleague.
Sergeant-at-arms Valentine and his
deputy, Charles B. Reade, were
promptly on hand and assumed the
direction OF the funeral engagements.
Vice President Morton was inform
ed of Senator Plumb's death early in
the afternoon. He called immedia-
tely at the home of the dead senator
and extended his good offices. Sena-
tors Henderson, Paddock, WaIthalI,
Cullom, Hale, Washburne, Teller,
Wolcott and many other senators call
ed during the day. They were mex
pressibly shocked and grIeved by the
sad event. The vice president at once
took steps toward the appointment Of
a committee of senators to direct the
obsequies and communicate with
Speaker Crisp in order that a cores
ponding committee might be appoint
ed in behalf of the house of represen-
tatives.
4 Monday funeral services were held
IN the senate chamber which we're at
tended by the United States senate,
| the house of representatives, the exec
utive and judicial departments of the