Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1892-10-25
AT REST.
Mrs. Harrison Died at
lao this Morning.
All Members Of Family Were
at Her Bedside.
President Harrison Nearly Overcome
With His Great Sorrow.
A Merciful Relief from the Terrible
Sufferings Of Past Weeks.
The End was Peaceful-The Whole Nation
Now Mourns Her Loss.
President Harrison Nearly Overcome
With His Great Sorrow.
The End was Peaceful-The Whole Matte
Now Mourns Her Loss.
Mrs. Harrison, wife OF Benjamin
Harrison. President Of the United States.
died Tuesday morning at lao o'clock.

WASHINGTON. Oct. 2i.--Last night
passed slowly for the srief-stricken watch
ers at Mrs. Harrison's bedside. The patient
was restless and nervous, with fluctuations
in her conditions that did not range far on
either side from the general average of eA-
IRENE depression and exhaustion, and the
terrible nervous strain on those who
watched was very apparent.
At dawn the vital force of Mrs. Harrison
was at the lowest ebb and the President 5
rnxiety became so acute that he felt the
need of some assurance from medical ait
thoritv. A messenger was despatched for
DIR. Gardner and the physician quickly re-
sponded, reaching the White House at :
O'Clock.
He found the patient in a condition to
warrant the gravest apprehenslons. and 50
hopeless was his report that the President
desired him to remain in the White House
for time. DIR. Gardner accordingly re-
mained. At . it appeared that the struggle
for life was to he prolonged some hours AT,
least. and the doctor left the White House,
after stating that Mrs. Harrison might live
until evening.
The invalid was lying on her back, aud
whenever she awoke from the troubled
sleep she was conscious. She coulu still
recognize her surroundings, and glance of
recognition greeted the physician when he
entered the sick room The fatal cough
was present, but in the invalid's enfeebled
state it was not pronounced.
Early in the morning there was revival
in the popular interest in Mrs. Harrison s
condition MANY bureau chiefs and other
emploves of executive departments went
ou, of their way to the White House and
asked for information regarding the pa
tents condition.
Mr.. Halford was admitted to the sick
room early in the day. and was prepared to
describe the situation. one of his first acts
was to telegraph a statement of the case TO
Secretary Rusk, who is in Wisconsin, and
Secretary Elkins, in West Virginia, and
suggest their speedy return to Washington.
Clerks were at their desks in the W Nhite
House during the day, but it was apparent
that they were oppressed by the general
gloom.
DIR. Gardner was at the patients bedside
nearly the entire forenoon. lie went away
two OF three times to attend to other duties,
but at no one time was he absent more than
half an hour. When asked about her CON
dition he frankly admitted that death was
very near and that remarkable as Mrs.
Harrisons vitality was, he did not see how
she could live more than few hours.
Mrs. Harrison at noontime was conscious.
At as he left the house. DR.. Gardner
said that he did not think that more than
four or five hours of life remained for Mrs.
Harrison. He said that most of the time
she was in a sleepy. semi-conscious condi-
~. hi Iult.
During these spells of wakcfulness she
recognized those around her, and some
times responded feeblv but clearly and in
telligently to inquiries made.
The doctor said that his efforts were de-
voted solely to making the patient comfort
able as possible in her dying hours. She
could not take nourishment of any kind
and frequent applications of stimulating
moisture to her parched lips was the only
treatment that afforded any relief. The
patient was most completely prostrated, and
unable longer to speak or cough.
Apparently she was conscious. There
was little change during the afternoon, but
every change was for the worse, and the
watchers were fearful death would ensue
about sundown. A number of messages of
coincidence were received.
DIR. Gardner made eight calls during the
dav. and when he came vn the last he sent
his carriage home and prepared to remain
until the end.
Apparentlv he noted some signs indicat-
ing a store of energy in the patient for soon
after he announced that the patient might
be expected to live until midnight.
During the evening hours the invalid be
,raved some signs of under standing and at
tempts were made to relieve her by open
ing her parchcd lips to receive the stimu-
lating iltSi applied to them. Not drop
could she swallow and the power of speech
had apparently left her forever. The ply
sician noted as evening wore on an increase
in difficulty of breathing which was re-
garded Ominous.
Respiration slowly sank from about - at
nghtfal. to II at midnight, The physi-
clan had said if she tided over that hour she
you'd probably survive until daylight
There was visible an air of relief when the
gong sounded u, and one critical point was
supposed to have been passed.
Atl2.45 Dr. Gardner after narrowly er-
amining the countenanee and feeling the
pulse of the dying woman. sorrOwfully an
nounced that all indications justified the be-
lief that she conld not survive more than
half an hour. The minutes passed with
frigh,ful rapiaity. and half an hour passed. +.
The almost pulseless form, however, still
retained the sacred spark
The resistance offered bY the constitution
of the patient was marvellous and surpris-
ing to the physician and all at the bedside.
There was no struggle, no exhibition of
pain, but simple, passive resistance that
was battling in its quiet intensity.
In a few minutes DIR. Gardner again took
up the feeble hand and felt the wrist. lie
shook his head and said brief Is minutes
must surely finish the struggle.
The agitation of the family could no
longer he controlled, and realizing his utter
heIplessness to longer cope with the form
idabe foe, and from consideration for
the .acredpess Of such grief as this. the de-
voted physician and friend bowed his head
and passed out Of the door.
Outside of the threshold he took his sta
ton and waited. It was not long time.
The minutes few like seconds and suddenly
there was an expression of heart-strieken
woe and the end had come. The President
was beside his dying wife, as he had been
for nine hours continually. and his was the
last of the loved features that her ewes had