The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1891-06-10
Surrounded by His Entire
Household.
Thirty Hours OF Continued I'm
consciousness.
Lady Macdonald Is Frustrated
With Grief.
Bells are ToIIed and Citizens Grieve
for the Dead.

OTTAWA, June 6.-Sir John Macdonald
who has guided the political destiny of
Canada for nearly half a century passed
peacefully away at 1915 tonight sur
rounded by the entire household. Lady
Macdonald, who bore up so bravely dur
ing the fatal illness, is now Frustrated
with grief. All the church bells are toll
ing and thousands of citizens are express
ing deep regret at the premier's demise.
For hours members of the household
had been watching at the bedside waiting
to see life depart. Although the physi-
clans declared last night that Sir John
could not survive until morning, they had
not made allowance for his marvellous vi
tality. He lost consciousness thirty hours
ago and had taken no nouTishment since,
save small Quantities of champagne,
which were administered with difficulty.
The premier, sick unto death, kept up
the unequal struggle until after 10 o'clock
tonight. For days, it is assumed, be re-
sisted the inevitable by the sheer force of
his powerful will, but yesterday conscious
ness left him never to return. In the en-
suing period nature, now no lorge re-
strained, asserted itself; life's fire, already
burning low, flickered and smoldered as
though the soul would leave its earthly
tabernacle at each successive breath. At
10 o'clock this morning hundreds who
called to make inquiries realized that
all hopes had now vanished forever; the
news from the sick room was more dis
a
leaden color Overspread his countenance
and his extremities assumed an icy cold
ness. No one would recognize in the dy-
ing man one vestiRe OF resemblance to the
great political leader. Tears trickled from
the ewes of the Rev. j. J. Bogart, rec
tor OF st. Adams episcopal church,
as he passed through the gate and Ell.
countered the throng of newspaper men.
He had just left the house where, assem-
bled in the parlor on the first floor, the
grief-stricken household had listened to
the reading of the offices of the visitation.
Once or twice the watchers at the bed
side thought that death had taken place,
and DR.. Powell holding the premier's
pulse discovered only faint trace of life.
Lady Macdonald for three hours before
the sad event never left the room for an
instant. The other watchers included
Mary. her invalid daughter, Hugh John
Macdonald. the premiers son, Job Pope,
Sir Johns faithful private secretary, and
near friends of the family.
At 10 p. N. a complete collapse set in.
In the succeeding few minutes the pre-
mier's breathing became more and more
labored, and only the slightest hutter of
the heart indicated hfe's presence. At
1915 the premier gave a few long and
heavy inspirations, and without a strug-
gle or the slightest evidence Of pain passed
away.
An undertaken was promptly notified to
prepare the body for embalmment. The
funeral is likely to take place on Tuesday
next and will be of a state character. On
that day the body will probably be re-
moved to the senate chamber and lie in
state for four or five hours. The inter-
ment will subsequently take place al
Kingston Ont, where the premier's first
wife and his father are buried.
Dr. Powell announces that no further
details will be made public until tomor-
row.
There has been a suggestion made that
the remains of Sir John Macdonald
should be inferred in Westminster Abbey
and il has given rise TO considerable dis
cussion. Referring to this suggestion the
Toronto Telegram says tonight: cot
tawa is in sense our political
Jerusalem, and enshrined on Parliament
Hill, a nations heart, the ashes of
Sir John Macdonald would sleep in
noble tomb. True greatness
will be secured to generation
after generation Of Canadians who
will 90 there to honor the memory Of one
of the founders of a nation that will en-
dure till the resurrection day.