Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1892-12-19
HAS RUN IT'S SPAN
BIaine's Vital Forces Have
Nearly Given Out.
ne MAY LIVE A FEW DAYS
Yesterday Morning Nothing bus Heroic
Irsatmsnt Pyevsntsd Dissolution
From Heart Failure.

ana nyett c8iteO ~ yno btotus uhueioo
~ ii o'clock. and found Mr. Blaine
doing % we'll that they told the family
that they had no apprehension OF dis
solution taking place within the next
twenty-fo four hours. After they left
the house the family retired for the
night At l:30 this morning the man.
sion is snroudsd in darkness, with the
exception Of the sick chamber, whore
adm light - burning.
WAsHIs0ros, Dec. ls.-All day long
the life OF James G.. Blaine has hung
trembling in balance. For more than
an hour IN the forenoon hope was
abandoned And the end Was momentar-
lily expected by physicians. family and
friends. All stimulation was thrown
a1de in the apparent imminent pres
ence OF death, aud the suppressed facts
OF bis illness, the long denied bur now
admitted Brlghts disease, the occas-
ional intervals of delurm. the long
hours when hs has lain incapable of
speech or motion tasi It IS said was not
the case when Cardinal Gibbons paid
lnm his recent friendly call aud these
other dlsIressng features Of his illness
are all incidental to the one ovsrpow-
erIng organic trouble, Brighfs disease.
Aggravated, as tnls has bsen OF late, BY
a cod contracted while imprudently
ventnring out driving two weeks ago,
at by malArial fever, confronted by =
constitution impaired Of nearly TWO
years continuous sickness, ali these
facts are tacitly admitted. Tho physi-
cIans assert that there have not been
aay hemmorhsges as mas been asserted.
but tnIs IS almost the only alarming
symptom not present
The Ftrst Crisis.
The first crisis was reached between
10 and III o'clock this morning. when =
sinking spell Get in, from which the
worst Was feared. His family were
called round the bedside and his ply
sicians sent messenger after messenger
TO the nearest drug store with pre-
scriptions requiring hasty attention.
The distinguished patient lay uncon-
scious and TO all outward appearances
dying. until shortly before 1 O'Clock
p. M. slight rally set in. His pulse,
which had almost ceased to beat, be-
came again perceptable. and partial
consciousness Was restored AT
O'Clock Eis physicians. Drs. w. w.
Johnston and Hyatt, considered him SO
much improved, ~ TO render their
constance presence at the bedside un-
necessary. While there had been no
marked improvement, and no change
IN his condition upon which hopes OF
ultimate recovery could De based, the
immediate crisis had passed.
At 2.30 this afternoon . United Press
reporter saw James G. Blame, Jr., at
tne family residence. lie SAID that his
fathers attack tnis morning Was very
bad and created the grnvest apprehen.
Sons. His condition became so weak
that II Was feared. IN view Of ms feebled
condition, . recurrence must Involve
tho grsvess consequences.
Physical Breaking Up.
Mrs. Hale, wife of Senator Eugene
Hale, one of Mr.. Blaine's closest
friends, WAS at the house for several
nours during the day and made sec
ond vIsi, late IN the afternoon. About
O'Clock she left and soon after Sena-
tor Hale called.
Mr.. Hale's statement as he left the
house as to Mr.. Blaine's condition was
that Mr.. Blame seemed . little more
comfortable than he had been earlier
IN the day. but that MS condition ap-
peared 20 be critical.
"it may be-" ne said, "that he will
recover. but those who nave an interest
IN him nave reason to be alarmed. In
fact his condition is alarming. 1t -
difficult To name the trouble. IL is 3
general physical breaking up. When
he takes cold it brings on consum-
ing fever and he Is not IN q condition to
Withstand IL. Besides there are ordin-
sry complications. His mind is per-
fectly clear"
The house Was lighted up early and
all the lower shutters closed. Drs.
Hyatt and William Johnson. VINO we're
to meet At the house for consultation
between and wero sent fol just be-
fore o'clock. Dr. Hyatt was the first
to arrive. He resened the house about
FIVE minutes after the hour And was
followed soon by DR.. Johnston. The
fact that both DIR. Johnston and Dr.
Hyatt were summoned gave rise to
rumor teas the patient was suffering
from another attack of exhaustion.
This. however, proved to be- an error
and the statement Was Authoritatlvely
made a. p. m. that nothing IN the
nature os relapse had occurred
Whtls the improvement in Mr.. BlsIne's
condition = bus slight, and not sesa-
eient to afford any great amount OF en-
coursgernent TO his family and friends.
the r-sctIon has seemed TO modify the
feeling OF apprehension for the inn
mediate future. James q. Blaine. Jr..
and Walter +. Dsmerosch. the ex-sec-
retsry's son-iu-lsw. walked down the
avenue this evening.
Cur>ea Hous-
All day representatives OF the press
have pstrnlied Madison place and
carefully watched the old, red man.
SION which has become celebrated for
its historical associations and the "a
tsiity with which misfortune nss fol-
loved re occupants, from the Sickles-
ksys tragedy. which occurred more
than q thIra Of a century ago. fol.
lowed ~ the attempted ASSASSINATION
OF Secretary S-vard during the lsst
yesr Of the dsvil war, down 20 the
present time the psll OF Ill fate has
hung over the mansion. During the
less than four years occupancy Of this
house by the Blame fsmllv his daugh-
ter. the vile of Colonel Copplnxer,
Walker Risine and Emmons Blame.
ihe secretsrY's promising sous. nave
died.
A little after o'clock both doctors