Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-10-24
DEATH HOVERS NEAR.


CONTINUED from First Pdge.)
some hopes are INDUCED that he may reach
| here today or tomorrow.
| The President has two brothers-Carter Har-
! rison of Tennessee and John Scott Harrison of
Missouri-and a sister-Mrs. Eaton-who lives
in Ohio. 1t is not believed that any of them
| will be here.
! Mrs. Mai. Parker who came this morning on
her usual visit, spent the day at the White
| House. Lieut.. and Mrs. John F. Parker were
also there all day.
| SPEECH CONF.
| DIR. Gardner was in the sick room once more
at o'clock. His stay was brief, for he could
do nothing but sympathize. When he left the
mansion he was Immediately surrounded by
number Of reporters, to whom he gave such in
| formation as he had.
To a STAR reporter he said ''Mrs. Harrison
| Is getting weaker every minute. Her weakness
| is such that she cannot either cough or swallow
| OF speak. When she wakes up she
recognizes whoever may happen to be
| at her bedside, but the power of speech
| is gone, probably forever. 1t seems certain to
| me that she cannot last more than three or
four hours II she were a woman Of ordinary
| physical force, my estimate would be one-half
that time, but the marvellous vitality
which is such prominent fes-
ture in the makeup Of the SCOTS upsets
all calculation. Treatment is now impossible.
Mrs. Harrison's breathing is labored, but l do
| not think it is painful. She is resting quietly
and lies on her back-the only position that Is
approximately comfortable"
At $40 DIR. Gadner said that Mrs. Harrison's
life was slowly ebbing away.
At times she is conscious and makes an effort
to speak. Her voice is. however. too weak to
be heard.
He sal hat ,;ph< y,v,iv ia
or, perhaps be prolonged for several hours.
A Sad Sunday.
Yesterday was a sad Sunday for the Presi-
dent, his family and the other faithful watch
ors by Mrs. Harrison's bedside. The green
lawns Of the White House grounds we're strewn
today with SCARED and withered autumn leaves,
and the dying aspect of nature was but typical
of the sad change in progress within the White
House.
DR.. Gardner up to 10 o'clock last night had
paid six visits to the sick room in the south
west corner Of the Presidents home, and each
time he could give no word of encouragement
to the anxious family. The history OF the day,
as gathered from the reports of the doctor, Is
one Of so steady and rapid decline in the little
remaining strength OF the patient that it
seemed the utmost limit of weakness co-existent
with life had been reached.
The change for the worse set in Saturday
night The previous night had been restful one,
but Saturday night Mrs. Harrison WAS uneasy
and very restless This continued Throughout:
the night, and as a consequence she grew much
weaker. She was already in at almost exhausted
condition, and the further loss of strength
made it questionable whether even her remark
able vitality could bring about another rally.
DR.. Gardner found no change other than
this great weakness In his early morning visit
about o'clock yesterday. 1t was. however, 80
pronounced that he was fearful that the end
WAS very near at hand. He visited her again
by noon and found that she had continued to
grow steadily weaker and could scarcely move
He said then that Mrs. Harrison, unless she
could again summon strength enough to rally
once more might pass away during the night or
even sooner. Her condition SO alarming
that the doctor repeated his visit within short
time, and. finding that all his efforts to rally
her had been unavairing and that her strength
continued steadily to ebb, he made yet another
call about two hours later.
Mrs. Harrison suffered from nervousness
during the day, and this helped to bring about
the exhaustion which fastened the decline that
was in progress all day. She slept about half
an hour at time and took very little nourish
ment This latter was restricted to a little pep
toniZed beef with a stimulant. So weak and
helpless did Mrs. Harrison become that she has
no longer strength enough to cough. She was
perfectly conscious.
NOTIFIED THE FAMILY.
DR.. Gardner at the end of the 10 O'Clock visit
last night notified the President and the mem
bers of his household Of the exceedingly pre-
carious condition of Mira. Harrison but said he
would not call again during the night unless
summoned by information Of a change in her
present condition.
DIR. Hamlin the pastor Of the Church Of the
Covenant, where the President and Mrs. Har-
rison have been accustomed to worship during
their residence in Washington. called between
9and 10 o'clock yesterday evening, accompa-
MED by Mrs. Hamlin. The pastor not in
yited to the sick room.
ANXIOUS INQUIRIES
All the members of the foreign legations on
their return from Chicago fastened to make
personal inquiries as to the accuracy of the
alarming news that met them on their arrival
Attorney General Miller, who ia now the
only member of the cabinet in the
city, called at the White House about 10
o'clock last night and was very much panied to
learn that Mrs. Harrisons condition was SO
much worse than when he left here for Chicago
Tuesday last. 1t was stated at the White House
that none Of the cabine. have been summoned
to the city in anticipation Of fatal termina-
ton Of Mrs. Harrison's Illness. Secre-
taries Tracy, Noble and Postmaster General
Wanamaker were still in Chicago. but
left there last night at II p. m. for Wash
vile, Ind. and will probably start for Wash
ington today. Secretary Rusk is in Wisconsin,
Secretary Charles Foster is at Davenport, Iowa,
and Secretary Elkins is in West Virginia.
MORNING WITHOUT HOPE.
Mrs Harrison did not show any sign OF rally
ing through the night and when morning came
the watchers near her could scarcely hope that
she would another sunrise. DIR. Gardner
was telephoned for about O'Clock and reached
her bedside few minutes later. He came
down stairs again to dismiss his carriage and
remained to breakfast with the family. He
said to a STAR reporter that Mrs. Harrison was
sinking rapidly. and that he did not think she
would live through the day.
Tho President and all the members OF the
family were up all night. the former only leav-
ing his watch by the bedside for a walk up and
down the corridor.
HISTORY OF THE CASE
DIR. Gardner's Account of Mrs. Harrison's