The sun., 1892-01-07
BLAINES SUDDEN ILLNESS.

DhhlNL ~ " DODDLlN 1LLIN EAJDs
TAKEN SICK AND FAINT WHILE At HIS
DESK IN THE STATE DEPARTMENT.
Runors that He HaA Stroke or Apoplexy
Caused Much Exeitemeat-His Ph ysieiaus
Said it was Caused By Acute Indigestion,
and that He Would Soon be Well Agaia--
Nevertheless, it 10 Believed that He 10 =
Very Sick Maa, aaa the Harrison Poll.
ticians Think that N VIII Take Him
Out OF the Race for President.
WARRINGTON. Jan. 6.-Secretary Blaine was
seriously Ill for short time to-day. and the
fact caused the greatest excitement at his
residence. the State Department. the Capitol.
and. in fact. all over Washington. The secre-
tary was sitting in HIS private office at the
department, which is the long. ebony-fur-
nished salon. known as THE Diplomatic
Room" Just after IL o'clock. engaged with Mr..
John W. Foster. when he suddenly complained
that he felt faint and sick. He was assisted to
a sofa. and in five minutes the official force Of
the State Department was absolutely demoral-
lied. Telephone messages were sent to two or
three doctors. and Miss Hattie Blaine was
hastily summoned to her fathers side. The
Assistant Secretaries. Chief Clerk Brown. and
othcrs surrounded the Secretary. and the
clerks crowded into the corridor inside OF the
private Office The rumor soon went flying
about that Mr.. Blaine had suffered stroke OF
apoplexy. and In ten minutes the telephone
wires sent this message to every quarter Of
tho city.
DR.. st. Clair. chief OF the Consular Bureau.
was the first physician to arrive. He said that
Mr.. Blaine was suffering from an attack Of
acute indigestion. and he gave him a dose OF
warm water and salt. This caused the patient
to vomit after which he had a short dizzy
spell. followed by exhaustion He lay
on the sofa for an hour and was then taken to
his residence and put to bed. His wife was
not sent for. as there seemed to be no neces-
sity for her presence at the State Department
Drs. Van Reypen and McClurg OF the navy ar
rived at the department soon after DR.. ST.
Clair had prescribed. and said that there was
nothing further to be done.
The news OF tho Secretary's illness was
whispered about the Senate chamber shortly
after 3 o'clock. and while Senator Morrill, was
delivering his ispeech on silver his colleagues
were discussing the alarming reports about
the Secretary Of State. Before the Senate ad-
journed tho assurance was telephoned that
Mr.. Blaine was not seriously Ill. and the OK
element subsidized. In the House more inter-
est was attached to the news than In the
Senate.
The large number Of new members who have
never met Mr.. Blaine. and who have heard all
sorts Of reports about his health. were in
clined to think that his attack was really o
serious one. and for an hour or more before
the House adjourned they ia liked Of little else
but tho Secretarys illness and its probable
effect upon his political prospects.
During the afternoon there was constant
stream Of callers at the Blaine house on Madi-
IL
riages constantly in front Of the door. and
cards fell like snowfakes on the plate
in the hall. As soon as it was learned
that Mr.. Blaine's attack was not a
dangerous one every effort was used
by the physician. family. and friends to mako
light Of the matter and circulate the report
that there was no cause whatever for alarm or
even anxiety. James G. Blaine. Jr.. who was
about returning to Philadelphia. where he is
employed. when his father was brought home.
assured all callers that the sickness was
trining. and that the Secretary wo uld be all
right in IN hour-in fact, that lie would take
luncheon. This statement was made in tho
face OF the fact that tho patient was then in
bed. where he had been all the afternoon.
The physicians. young Mr.. Blaine said. had
expressed the opinion that the Secretary had
rather overeaten OF late and had taken too
little exercise. This. in his opinion. had
caused tho rumor which had so startled the
officials at the State Department.
At 5 o'clock in the afternoon a member OF
the Cabinet came out Of Mr.. Blaine's house
on,n,an A. R,o;na ,ras - sio,. r,aata -. i
opinion MT MT nia'ne was very SICK man IN
inc reports about Mr. Blaine's condition. and
az ~;otu ,nd ,ur,o.itr -, ~. .,,hi,. 80
the anxiety aho curiosity oi 'ne pubic wore
again aroused.
In snite Of all denials repardinp tbe nature
~. pI.t, ..s.,. s ~. w.. .a.N.o
OF MR.. baine attack To-Day. II Is TACT known
to all his fr lends that for the past week or two
his friends have been watching him with much
so1,nt"da M. onn"n,n" ia 'n rasnnna;h,a WV" n
work connected with the Chiian negotiations,
the bad weather. and the social duties that he
,o. sai+ oa,,od ,no, ~ narsn,no sino. ." NJ, @
mas lelt caiied upon 10 perform since New
Years Day have had a very bad effect upon his
general henlth. and his physical condition bns
50. s.". ~ 10 p"' S.N"- '''0
not been at all up TO the work.
The physicans statement, however. that