St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-05-12

politan hotel, on its way down town.
Mr.. Roche seemed perfectly well until
the point indicated was reached. Then
he was seen to gasp and stretch his
arms forward. Passengers in the front
and rear turned to help him, but before
any assistance could be offered the out
stretched arms fell heavily downward,
the head dropped forward, and when
the train was stopped at the corner of
Fourth and Washington streets Hon
est John Roche was dead. Almost
everyone on the car knew him.
The conductor knew him well, so did
the gripman. All alike believed that
the seizure was one of faintness from
which recovery would be matter of
few moments. Willing hands bore the
inanimate form up the stone steps into
DR.. Dorion's residence, There they LAID
their burden on a couch, and waited
while hasty examination was made by
the gray-haired French doctor. DR..
Dorlon took one look at the ashen, pale
face, and tried but in vain to discern a
pulSation of the heart.
Gentlemen" he said, turning to the
others present, "Mr. Roche is dead"
The sad news spread quickly. In
very few moments a dozen of Mr.
ROche's associates of the city offices
were by his side. They could do moth
ing but gaze in awe at the remains of
him who but an hour before had been
among them, as hearty and cheerful a
man as the youngest, despite his sixty
two years. S. A. Ponthan, chief clerk
in the cOmptroller's Office, was one of
the first to whom the news was carried.
a ytr1,c inn HttfA at Et.s-T
Had Been So Well
all day, he said. Being at last con-
vinced of the truth, however, lie at once
telegraphed to Pennington to John
Roche Jr., apprsing HIM of his fathers
death, and to the Misses Susan and
Minnie Roche, who are at present in
Battle Creek, Mich. Among the first of
the city officials to arrive at Dr.DOrion's
residence was City Treasurer George
Refs. Then came City Attorney Law
Ter, r. L. O'COnnOr, Aid. John Gehan,
Mayor Smith, Chief of Police Clark
alI others. The news seemed hard to
believe. Almost every man who heard
it gazed at his informant in astonlsh-
ment. Not fifteen minutes before the
death scene in the cable car, Mayor
Smith met Mr.. Roche waiting for the
car near his residence. The two old
friends Saluted each other i'll familiar
style.
Where are you going tonight. all dressed
up like that!'' asked the mayor, jocuarly.
II am going to see my wife off 10 Farm
ington, replied the comptroller smiling as
he spoke.
lie looked then just as he always looked"
said Mayor Smith in speaking of the meeting
last night There seemed nothing at all the
matter with him. / went home and had just
begun supper. when the boys knocked at the
door and told me he was dead. 1t was
frightfully sudden end"
1t was found on inquiry that Mr..
Roche had arranged to meet Mrs.
Roche at the depot and see her off on
the o'clock train for Pennington. He
was on his way there when death over
took him. The wife doubtless wondered
why her husband, the prOVerbially eX-
act and punctual, had failed in his
promise to her. While she was still at
the depot he lay there cold and stark in
the doctors parlor. Owing to a misun-
derstanding of the remark made by the
deceased to Mayor Smith, that gentle
man supposed that Mrs. Roche was ex-
pected to arrive from Pennington on an
evening train, and went to the depot to
Break the News
as her husbands oldest friend. 1t was
not discovered until some time LATER
that the lady had but just taken the
train Mrs. Roche will be met at Farm
ington by her son, and to him will fall
the task Of telling his mother the sad
news.
At $50 Coroner Quinn ordered the re-
mains taken charge of by Mccarthy &
Donnelly. They were removed in a
on Wabasha street. In the absence of
the family. Mayor Smith will assume
charge Gf the preliminary arrangements
for the funeral. At $50 the body was
removed in casket to the council
chamber, where it remains with a guard
of police appointed by Chief of Police
Clark. This was done from the
fact that all the family were
absent and the residence locked up. A
telegram was received late last night
from John Roche Jr., of FarmIngtOn.
He will arrive in st. Paul at ? o'clock to-
day. Mis-. Roche will not be told of her
loss until this morning. The rooms of
Mccarthy & Donnelly were crowded
until the removal of the body. Every
man who ever held position in the
service Of the city came to look at the
face of his former associate. Every
where expressions of sorrow and regret
were to be heard. City Clerk Prender-
CAST stood among crowd of men who
had worked with Mr. Roche and knew
him. He was deeply affected at the
loss of his old FRIEND and his feelings
found vent in words that rang among
the cofins and thrilled every one who
heard them.
''Do you know what killed John Roche, all
Of you? Well. I'll tell you. He was killed
by the groundless and unmerited attacks OF
newspaper. - worried him terribly, all