The National tribune., 1892-10-27
MRS. HARRISON
PASSES AWAY
Death, after Long Illness, Comes to
Relieve the Suferings Of a Truly
Noble Woman

"Mrs. Harrison is deadl" was the message
sent over all the telegraph wires leading from
the Capital on Tuesday morning.
1t was at lao a. IN. that the dread summons
came. The last night WAS without special in
cdent, but late and early-so frequently that
he could have slept little if at all-the Presi-
dent was in and out of the sick chamber.
All the family in Washington were at the
deathbed except the three little grandchildren
and the venerable DR.. Scott, the father of Mrs.
Harrison. They were, President Harrison. Mr..
and Mrs. Russell Harrison, Lieut.. and Mrs.
Parker, Mrs. Dimmick, and Mrs Newcomer.
In addition, Mrs. Harrison's faithful maid,
Josephine, and her trained nurse Miss Davis,
were there.
Immediately upon emerging from the room
of death the President retired to his own room
and shut the door, there to remain long time
from sight.
kilograms conveying the sad intelligence
were at once dispatched to all members of the
Cabinet absent from the city, and to Judge
Scott, Mrs. Harrison's brother, who was already
on his way to Washington.
Dr. Gardner made last examination, and
passed. out The lights in the house were low
cred The last of the many questions put by
the waiting reporters were answered by Mr.
Halford, and the White House became even
more quiet than it had been for month past
Mrs. Harrison inherited tuberculosis, hut her
illness dates back to the Winter Of 1890. 81,
when she suffered from severe attack Of the
grip, followed by bronchitis, which latter lasted
some time At Cape May, in the Summer of
1891 she contracted a severe cold, aud with it
the bronchitis returned. Last Winter the
cough again made it's appearance. In March
there came another attack Of the grip and
pneumonia followed It,
In May there a severe hemorrhage of the
lungs, and DIR. Gardner was summoned in con-
suItation with DIR. Doughty, of New York. It
was decided then that Mrs. Harrison had tuber-
cuiosis Of the lungs in the incipient stage
Hectic fever set in, and Mrs Harrison lay in
a very distressful condition until July, when
she was taken to Loon Lake. Her improve
ment here was of short DURATION and after a
little while the cough returned. the fever in
creased. and the appetite failed.
Now the disease made rapid progress, and
early in September it WAS found that two
thirds Of the right lung had consolidated, al
though the left was apparently untouched.
But soon subacute pleurisy made its appear
ance with serious effusions into the cavity Of
the right pleura. The increase Of this fluid
demanded aspiration, and An operation was
performed Sept. 10, when about one and half
pints of fluid were removed but in 81 hours
second tapping was seen to be necessary, which
was made on the 14th, and about the same
amount of fluid removed. By this time the
disease had we'll firmly fixed itself in the left
lung Such an extreme degree OF nervous ex-
haustion accompanied all this that it proved a
serious complication.
1t was decided at second consultation of
the physicians that nothing more could be done.
So Mrs. Harrison was brought home while il
was yet not too late. Since that time. as has
been noted in columns, the disease has not
been stayed one moment in its progress. In
fact there was no hope in the minds of either
the physicians any of the Presidents family
H.. al. a..
ber The condition Of the patient at that time
was so alarming that it was considered not
proper to longer keep it from the public, and
the first official statement of the disease was
given out. The slight rally on Mrs. Harrison's
return from Loon Lake did for a day raise
false hopes. but the reaction which soon fol-
lowed left her even weaker than before, and
still nearer the end.
Caroline Scott Harrison was born in Oxford
O.. and was the daughter of John Witherspoon
| Scott and Mary Scott; granddaughter OF George
| McElroy Scott; great granddaughter OF john
! Scott and great great granddaughte OF Robert
Scott member of the Scottish Parliament
before the union Of the Crown. John Scott,
| Mrs. Harrison's great grandfather was Com
missary- General of the Pennsylvania line dur
| ing the Revolution. and rendered efficient
| service during the struggle for Independence
! Mrs. Uarrisons father who is now 90 years of
age, and was at the dcathbed, was pioneer
Minister of the Presbyterian Church, and be-
came the President Of ladies' seminary at
| Oxford, O., where Mrs. Harrison was educated
| While attending the Miami University at Ok
| ford, Benjamin Harrison met his wife, and
| when but Is years of age engaged to marry
her, which he did Oct 20. 1853,
In 1854 the young couple moved to Indian
| apolis, Ind, and began housekeeping in a very
| modest manner in three rooms as the young
! lawyer was poor. and had name and fortune
| 10 ,alyn Ia ba nj In ri
| son returned tn Oxford, where her eldest son,
| RUSSELL was born at that time Mrs. Harrison
was domestic woman and did her own house
| work and after two years Of economy and in
dustry on the part OF the young couple, they
| were able to move into more pretentiou
residence. In this house their second and last
child Mary Scott Harrison. was born.
In 1860 the President WAS elected Reporter of
| the Indiana Supreme Court, which position he
| occupied until he entered the service as Colonel
| of the 10th Ind. leaving his little family TO go
to the front Returning in 1865 he resumed
the practice Of law, aud in 1881 was elected
| United States Senator. hrs. Harrison accom-
panied him TO Washington, and during his term
of six years extended her sphere of usefulness,
her name being prominently associated With
charities and church work at the Capital of the
Nation. Garfield Hospital owes its present
success. in large measure, to her active inter
est as one of its first Directors.
In October 1880 Mrs. Harrison was elected
the first President. General of the Society of
the Daughters of the Revolution, and took great
interest in the organization. AT the Cont
mental Congress. held last February in WASH
ington Mrs. Harrison met the delegates from
all parts OF the country, and by her tact, cour-
tesy and prompt decision won all hearts. and
was again unanimously chosen President Gen
eral OF the Society by rising vote of the Con-
gress.
The room Mrs. Harrison occupied ever since
she was brought back from Loon Lake is in
the southwest corner, on the second floor, of the