Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1891-02-07
DIED In IT'S CHAIR
Secretary Window Quietly Passes
Away at "a Banquet.
The Sudden and Unexpected News
Profoundly Shocks His Many As.
sociates, and the Whole Nation.

sociates, and the Whole Nation.
New YORK, Jan. 30.-Hon. William
Window, secretary OF the treasury OF
tho United States, died last night at
1905 o'clock in the banquet hall at Del
monico's, where he was the guest OF the
New York board of trade ana transport
alton. His had been the first toast OF
the evening. He had finished the re-
sponse, seated himself, swooned at once,
and died almost Immediately. Every
effort to restore him was made, but in
vain. He died OF heart disease. The
great assemblage at once dissolved. Mr..
Window had been ths only speaker.
In the early evening the members OF
the board OF trade and transportation
gathered in the reception parlors at
Delmonico's and welcomed the guests
and friends from near and far.
Perhaps the most prominent were
Secretaries Window and Tracy, OF the
treasury and navy respectively. Nova
Scotia had a representative present in
the person OF her attorney general, Mr..
Longley. Canada, too, was there. in
the person OF Hon. Wilford Laurier.
Mr.. Window, dignified OF mien, as us
ual, was apparently in perfect health.
All formed a jolly procession TO the
banquet hall, where the mem mbers and
guests were seated, the members at the
tables upon the floor and the guests
at the long table upon the raised plat
form. The aged Captain Ambrose
Snow, president of the board, was in
the center place. At his right he
seated Mr.. Window and upon his left
Mr.. Bayard.
The dinner was completed shortly
after o o'clock. and Mr.. Window. intro
duced by Judge Arnoux, responded to
the toast 'Our country's prosperity
dependent upon its instrument of com
merce." He finished his speech at o:55
o'clock. 1t had been remarked that he
was reading it off hurriedly from printed
copy, goi ~ faster and faster as he
neared the end, and az the last he
had requested the audience not to APP
plaud.
A quiver OF fear shot through the
assemblage like an electric shock as
the speaker finished. Mr. Window was
standing erect under the glare of the
gaslights, with the faces Of all turned
toward him. For q moment the secre-
tary stood silent while the banqueters,
equally silent, watched him. IL was
moment that no one who was present
will ever forget
Then Mr.. Window sat down quietly.
too quietly, many thought in his seat
and Toast Master Arhoux arose TO in
troduce ex-Secretary OF State Bayard as
the next speaker. He began a short
speech, but had not proceeded far when
Mr. Window gave q short, sharp moan
OF anguish and fell back in his chair.
His face grew purple. His lower limbs
stiffened and stretched out under the
table. His eyelids opened and shut
spasmodically, bnt there was no CLEAN
OF intelligence in the eyes which were
rapidly losing the luster of life. The
cigar which he had been smoking was
held between the grim elinch of his
teeth. For only a moment he appeared
thus. A cry went up from those sitting
near the guest table, Look, look at
Mr. Windoml"
Every eye was turned to the man
whose voice had just ceased. AS they
looked he collapsed in his chair, and
was falling TO the floor. His face was
CHASTITY and cry of horror arose from
the late festive banquetters. There
several doctors who we're present at the
dinner got there first and drove the
others back. They were Drs. Robin
son, Durant, Whitney, Fisher and
Bishop. DIR. Robinson bent down, and
making a close examination OF the pros
trate form, discovered that the heart
was yet beating, and with the assist
ance OF Judge Truax, Captain Snow and
one or two others, carried him into the
room behind the banquet hall and every
thing was done to resuscitate him. Mes
sengers were hastily dispatched for
electric batteries, and as many as four
were applied to his body, which was
rapidly growing cold. This was at ex-
actly 1905 p. m. For six minutes the
electric shocks were applied necessarily
but without success. He was pronounced
dead.
II would say that the cause OF death
was apoplexy," said DIR. Robinson. ''if
1t were not for the history OF heart dis
ease. i am inclined TO think that heart
disease killed him. Mr. Window was
subject to fits of heart failure. On
Tuesday last, he was siezed with an at
tack while on the steps of the treasury
at Washington, but he did not lose con-
sciousness and was able to take care of
himself"
AT l0:11 p. m. Judge Arnoux came
nut Of the room. whore lay Mr.. Win
dom, and announced to the diners that
Secretary Window, whom they had had
the pleasure OF hearing only few min
utes before, had breathed his last.
Judge Arnoux, on retiring with the
unconscious man, had announced that
Mr.. Window had only tainted, and Ii
was not thought by those remaining
that IL was as serious as it proved TO be-
When it was officially announced that
the secretary was dead, Secretary
Tracy at once went to the nearest tele-
graph Office and sent message TO Pres
ident Harrison, informing him OF the
untimeiy event and requesting him to
communicate with Mrs Window, and
have her start on the 1l:l0 train for
New York.
The scene that ensued when the death
was officially announced Is beyond des-
cription in mere words. Gradually the
excitement abated and the death certi-
flcate was issued, signed ty Drs. Whit
ney and Robinson, giving the cause of
the death as, first cerebral hemorrhage
and second, coma.
Undertaken Huyler, of Grace church.
was summoned and put in charge of the
remains. The body was taken to room
25 of the Fifth Avenue hotel, where
Secretary Tracy and Attorney General
Miller received it.
Later in the night President Snow
'le.raphed to President Harrison that
oody would be sent to Washington
Oh special train in the morning, in
charge Of q special committee.
The SAD News In washington.