The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1891-05-30
HAYES is Losing His Memory.


Especial to THE Observation-Disclosures Dispatch.
New YORK, May 29.-The World to-day
(F'r;day) says: Rutherford B. Hayes, ex-
President of the United States, suffered,
last winter, with severe attack of grip.
He was confined to his home in Fremont.
O., for several weeks, and when he came
forth again he was afflicted by mental dis
order 1t should be plainly stated that Mr.
Hayes Is not insane, that he is not inca
pacltated to take care of his ordinary affairs
but 1T is true his mind had become affected
to such an extent that his power of recol-
lection has almost completely vanished.
AS in cases of malignant fevers, loss of
memory in many instances followed some
OF the more severe attacks of the grip and
ex-Presldent Hayes is one Of the unfortu-
mates who have suffered in that way. In a
majority Of cases loss of memory conse-
quent upon an attack of epidemic disease,
IS comfy a temporary aff1ictlon, and MIR.
Hayes friends all hope that this affection
will not be protracted. 1t is a present
fact, however. that Mr.. Hayes cannot con-
verse for more than minute at a time
without absolutely forgetting the subject
under consideration. A cloud seems at in
tervals to obscure his mental vision, and he
must pause until it passes and leaves his
mind free again. Even then on most oc-
| caslons he has most completely forgotten
what he has just been talking.
Mr.. Hayes has aged perceptibly of late
years. His hair and beard have become
whittier, his step slower and his speech more
deliberate, but he is stouter his complexion
ruddier and his general appearance is
better than at any time since he left the
White House.
The board of trustees of the Slater fund
had adjourned when reporter met Mr.
Hayes in his apartments on the second
floor of the Fifth Avenue hotel one day last
week. He was asked to tell what had
transpired at the meeting.
In reply he said: 81 will give you an
account of what we have done as well as 1
can remember, but my memory is not as
| good as it was. | have had the grip and
the effect of that has been to affect nv
memory. 1t is nothing like as good as it
waS.n
The ex- Presidents voice was wonder
fully sad as he said this, and when he
bowed his head and passed his hand over
his forehead, the movement and the expires
sion were extremely pathetic 1t seemed
that he fully realized his mental weakness,
and when one saw and heard and reflected
he had once held the highest Office in the
gift of the American peaple, it was pitiful
although an honest conviction that the afflic-
ton is but temporary was always upper
most.
Mr.. Hayes action as he tried to
recall the doings of the trustees confirmed
his melancholy words. Passing his hand
rapidly over his forehead, he appeared to
be trying to brush away the cobwebs that
obscured his memory. Then he would
sr1ile as if with gladness that he succeeded
and for minute he would talk connectedly
and as nationally as formerally. Then the
cloud would come again, ana the ex ,Presi-
dent would seem to become embarrassed to
large and painful degree. He would 20
on then for few minutes, then stop short,
and when prompted, would forget all that
he bad formerly said on the subject and
would have to begin all over again. The
attaches Of the Fifth Avenue hotel noticed
that Mr.. Hayes talked and acted peculiarly
and for days the matter was freely COS
siped aDoet in the corridors.