Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1891-12-24
SENATOR PLUMB DEAD.
Sudden Death of the Senator In
Washington
His Indefatigable Indu Try Occasions .
Brain Trouble-He - Warned and
Death Follows Persist

Death Follows Persist
ence.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 21.-'Oh, my God,
my head, my head. my head ~ and Sem
ator Preston B. Plumb, who, as a rep
resentative OF the state of Kansas in
| 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 6:45 o'clock yesterday morn
| ing when he uttered this exclamation.
| A little more than five hours later the
broad-framed, powerfui-looking Kan
| sas senator was stretched out dead in
| his modest apartments on Fourteenth
| street
| Death came from apoplexv, 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
thro bling headaches became more and
more frequent. His physicians warned
1
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 acquaintances, 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 ill. Many persons who heard it
were almost incredulcus 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 a vio-
lent headache, but went to dinner at
Chamberlain's, given by ex-senator
Malone to a few friends 1t must have
been 1 o'clock or later yesterday morn
ing when he returned to his quarters,
|
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 a knock at his bed
room door. Senator Plumb told Mr..
Jennings he was very sick and re-
qrested him to come downstairs and
sit up with him. Mr.. Jenning saw that
the senator's condition was serious an d
| at o'clock DIR. 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 6:45 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 Il time. then the SEN
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 a few minutes Mr..
Plumb lapsed into slumber and later
into Inconsistencies.
About IL o'clock Mr. Fleunil,en, 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 cores pond
ence. Mr.. Flenniken noticed that he
was breathing heavily and stentorious
, ly. DR.. Wales was again summoned
: | He saw at once that the patient haC
been stricken with apoplexy. Mr.
| Plumb was unconscious and his tongue
was paralyzed- The doctor, Mr.. Elem
nihen and Dir. Jennings remained with
. him until the end came, at 1880. DIR
Wales said the immediate cause O
death was apoplexy brought on by fat
!, ty degeneration of the brain from over
! work and fatigue.
BIOGRAPHICAL
= | Senator Plumb was horn in Dalawar,
: county, O., October l., 1888. so that he was il
, | his 54th year at the the time of his death. HI
. | was not a college graduate, but left the com
mon schools for the printers case and il
= | pursuance of his vocation journ ey IN al
{ | printer. in 1856, in the bloody days of tn
historic and newly organiz-d territory O
Kansas, wake into that territory AMI witt
| the vigor and indefatigable energy whcl
throughout his life has been his chef char
:; ! act ristic, the young man pun .ed at ono
into the thick OF the hot polite al strife VIII ic
was then wagng the slavery Ques
ton. He at once went to the front anu wa
| chosen Il member of the Leavenworth con
t | s,itional convention in 1853 He wa- ad
. | mitted to the bar in le6l, when the place O
his adoption became state of the union
served in the legislature of 1881, was chair
man of the judiciary committee and sub-e
D | Quentiy reporter of the supreme court
o | When the WAT broke out he entered tn
army secon lieutenant in the El-vent
| kansi~ infantry and sCrvei success >iveIy I.
captain, major and lieuten ant-co onel c
t | that regiment and was commissioned a col
I | Onel of tn. same reg ment in iu.uS 49,.
. After the Mr.. Plumb returning {
'. Kansas was Gle, ted Il m--muer and SpeaSe
of the hons of representatives,, and in IS.
J. | was chosen Unite States senator to sue
= coed James NJ Harvey. repub lean. He TOO
his seat in 1877. and has rep esented hi
| state as a senator ever since ira timr- Hi
J. term of Office would have expired March
| $50.
Performed BY EX-Convicts.
ST. LOUIS, Dec. cot is stated thi
q morning that the police have obtaine'
S / ana&har claw tn the Glendal exn-os