Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1892-12-19

WASHINGTON, D. c., December 1s.-
All day long the life of James G. Blaine
has hung trembling in the balance. For
more than an honr in the forenoon nope
was abandoned, and the end was mo-
mentarily expected by his physicians,
family and friends. All simulatlons
was thrown aside in che apparent I'M
minent presence of death, and the sup
posed facts OF his illness-the long de-
MED, but now admitted Brights dis
case. the occasional intervals OF de-
lirium, the long hours when he has
lain incapable Of speech or motion (as IL
is now said as the casa when CarulnaI
Gibbons paid him his recently trlendly
CALI these and other distressing lea
tnres of his illness all incidental to the
one overpowering organic trouble,
Bright's disease, aggravated as this mas
been of late by cold, contracted while
imprudently venturing out driving TWO
weeks ago, and by malarial FEVER, ana
confronted by constitution impaired
by nearly 5wo years continual sickness
ALL these things are now tacitly ad-
mitted.
The physicians assert that these have
not been any hemorrhages as has been
! asserted, but this is almost the only
alarming symptom which is now denied.
THE FIRST CRISIS
wos reached between 10 and IL o'clock
I'M
| in when the worst was feared. HIS
family were called around the oeoslde
and his physician sent messenger after
messenger to the nearest drug store
with prescriptions requiring hasty al
tentlon.
The distinguished patient lay uncon-
scious and to all appearances dying un-
tu shortly before l o'clock when
slight rally set in. At 2 o'clock his
musicians, Drs. W. w. Johnston and
HYATT. considered him so much I'M
nroved as to render their constant ap-
nearapce at the bedside unnecessary
while there had been no change IN his
condition, uyon which hopes or ultimate
rates yqrH eaalf be, be based but the immed-
At 2:3O O'Clock this afternoon q re-
|
family residence He said that his
fathers attack this morning was very
bad and created the gravest apprehen-
sion. His condition became so weak
that it was feared that in his enfeebled
condition recurrence must involve the
gravest consequences.
About 5 o'clock Senator Hale called.
When he left the house he said Mr..
Blaine seemed little more comforta-
bic than he had been earlier in the day
but that his condition seemed to be
critical. 1t is difficult to name the
trouble. 1t is general physical break
ing up. When be takes cold it brings
on a consuming fever, and he is not in
a condition to withstand 1t. Besides
there are the ordinary complications.
His mind is perfectly clear.
WHILE THE IMPROVEMENT
in Mr.. Blaine's condition is but slight
and not sufficient to afford any great
amount of encouragement to his family
and friends, the reaction has seemed TO
modify the feeling Of apprehension for
| the immediate future. James G. Blaine,
Jr., and Walter E. Damrosch, the ex-
Secretary's son-in-law, walked down the
avenue this evening. All day represen-
| tatives of the press have patroled Mad
ison Place and carefully watchsd the
/ old red mansion, which has become Gel
e0rated for its historic associations and
! the fatality with which misfortune has
| followed its occupants. From the Sick
| les-Keys' tragedy, whith occurred more
than a third of century ago, followed
| by the attempted assassination OF Sec
! retary Seward during the last year of
the civil war down to the present time
the pail Of ill-fate has hung over the
mansion.
A little after o'clock both doctors
left. DR.. Hyatt saying that Mr.. Baine's
condition showed slight improvement
over the morning. DR.. Hyatt said that
he thought there was no doubt that
Mr.. Blaine would live through the
night, but at the same time he is un-
doubtedly critically III, and any COM
plications that may arise will doubtless
cause fatal termination to mis- illness.
A little after $3.50 o'clock Mr.. j. G..
Blaine, Jr., came out and said to the
reporters: "We think that father is
considerably better than he was this
this morning. He was dangerously Ill
during the forenoon. During the after
noon, however, he seems to have rallied
somewhat. The physicians have been
here this evening, and we now think
that he will live during the night, and
we hope for the best. Still IL must be
said that he is very dangerously ILL.,"
President Harrison, accompanied By
his private secretary, Mr.. Halford, .
walked over from the White House 10
the ex-Secretary's residence this even
ing to personally enquire as TO his con-
dition, and expressed qualification at
being informed that there had been
some abatement of the more alarming
symptoms.
The excitement throughout the city
was intense as the news OF Mr.. Blalne's
condition spread, and though 1t was
Sunday the newspapers issued extras,
which found rapid sale.
Referring TO the alarming rumors
that were current, and some of which
had already got into print, DR.. John
ston was asked il he expected that
death would occur tonight.
Ell have no reason to expect It," he
answered.
At IL o. m. Drs. Johnston and hyatt
saw Mr.. Blaine again and gave out for
publication the following statement:
''Mr. Blaine
SEEMS TO HAVE RALLIED
entirely from bis weakness of /tbIs
morning and appear as