New-York tribune., 1892-12-19
MR.. BLAINE SERIOUSLY ILL.
THOUGHT FOR 4 TINE TO BE DYING.
AT 4 LATE HOUR HE WAS REPORTED TO BE IN
PKOyING-HIS CONDITION STILL CRITICAL
EXCITEMENT ~ WASHINGTON.


Washington, Dec. 1s.-Ail day long the life of
James &. blaine has hung trembling in tho
balance For more than an hour III the forenoon
hope abandoned, and the end was momen-
arily expected by physicians, family and friends
hll stimulation was thrown aside in the apparent
imminent presence Of death, and the suppress ID
facts Of hi, iIIncss-thc lone-dencd bat now adj
mittcd Brights disease, the occasional intervals
II dcirium, the long hours when he has hin in
capable OF speech or motion las il is now said was
the case when Cardinal Gibbons paid him hrs
recent calll-thcSc and other distressing features
of his illness all incidental to the one ovcrpower-
Ing organic trouble, lright's disease, aggravated
as this has been of late by cold contracted
while ont driving two weeks ago. and by maarlal
fcycr and n1outcd by constitution impaired
by nclrly two years Of almost continual sickness
ill these facts are now tactly admitted.
Tn" physicians assert that there have not been
any hcmorrhaecs as has been asserted, but
this is almost the orly alarming symptom which
is now denied. The first crisis was reached Dc
tween 10 and II o'clock this morning wren Il
sinking spell set in, from which tie worst was
feared. His family were called round the bed
side and his physician sent messenger ai'er
messenger TO the nearest dug store WIN P''0
scripions requiring hasty attention.
TIE distinguished pdrirHl ld9 hH'"Hpl'''' 49,
TO all appcarancc-, dying. until shortly before
o'clock p. m, when slight rally SET III. Ills
pulse. which had almost ceased TO beat. be-
came AGAIN fcrceptiblc. and partial conscious
ness wa, restored At > o'clock his physicians
Drs. W W Johnston ami Hyatt considered him
80 much improved to render their constant
s,c,orcc N the lcd.idc unnecessary. While th"r"
had been no marked improvement, and no change
in his condition upon which hopes Of ultimate
recovery could be based the immediate Crisis
had ceased
At 80 o'clock this afternoon a reporter saw
James g. Blaine, jr.. NJ the family home. lie
said that his fathers attack this mornnc was
very bad and created the grav"st apprehension
nj, condition became 80 weak that il was feared
that in yic,y Of his cnfccblcl condition. a re-
currcncc must involve the gravcst cons" luenccN.
Mrs Hale. wife Of Senator Eugene Hale, ot
Maine. ore Of Mr. Blanc's closest friends, was az
thc nous. fos scycrll hours during In" day, ana
made . second call late in the afternoon ABOUT
, o'clock she went away AMI soon after senator
Hale called. Ills statement, a. II" cit tc HOUSE,
was that Nr Blaine seemed little more comfort
able than hc had lc"n earlier IN 'h" DAY o"' '''
his condition appeared TO h. critical
1T may be- H. ail. that he w!il recover
but tho-. who have M interest in him hav" r"a-
d 10 Ice I4dfi9'W IT - hs'ii' wv w '''
rrorhlc. Il i, general physical breaking up
When he takes = cold ii br.n;s on consuming
fever. aad he j., not in condition 10 withstand H.
Besides, ihor" are the ordinary comPn'a'i'h'' MS
minI j. perfectly clc1r'
The house WA, lighted mp carly thi, evening and
all the lower shutter were cos~i. Dr- llyati ana
" W Johnston WHO w"r" - meet At the house for
"a consultation botMc and s. were sent for
iu.t before > O'clock. Or Hyatt WIS the hi't 20
arrive. lie reached the hou~' about five minutes
after : o'clock. and was followed soon 10y Dr.
Johnston The fact that both DR.. Johnston ana
Dr. Hyatt were summoned gave ri'" to rnm"r
that the patient suffering from another attack
Of exhaustion THIS. however. proved f. be- an
error anl H." statement WIS authortativ"ly maze
at o'coc, that nothing of tie nat''ic OF rrap-'
hal occurred While the Improvement IN Nr.
Planes condition va, only sli-ht anl not Slli-
cont 10 afford any great amount Of "acourae"inrnt
TO hi- family. the r.. action seemed to nodiiN the
fo"ills of apprehension for ~" lmm"Il1t" iutur',
aud i. g. Elaine. r, and Walter Danros h. Tin"
! c\->ccr.tarl : sonn-aw, took a short walh down
the avenue.
Al day rcpica natives of ia" pres hay" -
trollcd Madison Place and carefully watched the
old red mansion. which has brcom" celebrated for
it- historical as~ociatione. and the fatality with
] "
From H.. >icklc--Kcy tragedy, which occurred
more than a third of a century ago, followed by
the attempted assassination Of Secretary Seward
i'm tie last year Of the Civil War; down TO
the present tine. the pail of l-fatc has hun,
over the mrn ion. Ddrinc th" ,'SS than four
years occupancy Of this ous" by the Bl1n" family,
hi, daughter. the wife Of Colonel Coppinecr. and
Walker Blaine aad Emmons Blaine, the cN->'crc-
iaif'S promising sons have died
Shortly after o'cloc; both doctors Lett the
housc. Ia Hyatt said that Mr. BaincH ccndi-
tion .howrd slight Improvement over the morn
ip.. They dill not consider il necessary t. issdc
u bulletin similng TO III" on" of last night.
lie thought there was no doubt that Mr. Blaine
would live through the ni4ht. but NJ th" sam"
fiu. lc WIS undoubtedly critically ~, and any
complication. that miaht ar,r would doubtless
cats, a fltil tcrmn1ton 10 his Illness.
: lit.lc after so o'cccl. James Il. Blaine. ir,
came oat and said to the reporters: W. think
that father s considerably better than he Wa, tli'
morning He was dangerously i'll duriag the
forenoon During the afternoon. however, he
.oc,ns TO have Iaci somewhat The physicians.
hav. been hclr th. evening. and W. now think
that h" viii live through the night, and We hopc
for the best. still, it must De said that he il
very dangerously ill.,
President IIari.on. accswpa9"d by Mr. Hal
ford. Malkcd over fom the White House to tie
cN- N-Sccrc.aIys rcaid'nco this evening, personally
10 expire, his sympathy, ard inquire TO Nj.
Hlauc'5 condition. lie expressed relief AMI graft
f,ation ~ being informed that there had been
some abatement of the mcIc alarming symptoms.
| The cNclrrlll"nt throughout the city was ntcnS
as the news Of Mr. Blaine, condition spread, and,
/ sunday though il Wa, tho newspapers issued
/ extras which found a rapid sale.
From intimate friend Of the family it is
| learned that il was only wLen Mr. Blaine was
! suddenly seized with the sinking spell thi'
nornine, wdich threatened for some minutes ~
! terminate in heart failure, that his family fully
! realized how near he 10 death. For few
/ seconds hc seemed I, b. dying and the watchers
! Lent anNoIsy over him. The emacia;el face Of
! the diving statesman white as marble, and
| liz ~.,,.,,. ,,cre s,dl, drawn N times hp