Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-03-28

"Warry, Shfft' He Muttered and He Fell
Asleep.
Walt Whitman. the poet, died at 6:43 o'clock
Saturday evening at his home. 32S Michel street,
Camden. NJ. He began to sinkas 4:30 and
grew gradually weaker until the end. As soon
as his attendants noticed that he was failing
they sent messenger for his physician, DR..
McAllister, who arrived at the house at 5.45
O'Clock. He Immediately saw that his patient
was dying aud that be could do nothing for
him
The end was very peaceful. The aged poet
when asked by the physician If he felt any pain
answered in an almost inaudibIe tone No"
About twenty minutes before his death he
said to his attendant, Warren Fitzsinger:
Wary, shift. meaning that he should turn
him over. These were his last words, and they
were uttered so low that they were hardly dis
tinguished His heart continued to bea. ten
minutes after there was any noticeable respl-
ration. He remained conscious until the last,
but, owing to his extremely weak condition. he
was unable to converse with his few faithful
friends who we're gathered around him in his
last hours There were present at the bedside
Mrs. Davis (his housekeepcr). Warren Fltz-
singer, Lawyer Thomas B. Harmed, Horace
Trouble and Or. Alexander McAllister.
Mr.. Whitman had been in bed SINCE the 18th
day Of last December when he was taken sick
with pneumonia. by which his death was indi-
recty caused. After several weeks of suffering
his physicians, DR.. d. Longacre Of Philadelphia
and DIR. McAllister Of Camden pronounced
him cured. The disease, however, left him
weak that it was impossible to predict wher he
might die from the failing Of his vital powers.
After recovering from the attack of pneumonia
ne appeared to be as well as he was before being
attacked, but he never gained strength enough
to be permitted to leave his bed.
At times he took no nourishment at all for
several days, and at other times he ate heartily
and appeared to enjoy his food, which con-
sisted mainly Of milk punch, toast, eggs,
champagne, oysters and occasionally bits OF
meat. On Thursday and Friday the only
nourishment he took was an occasional sip OF
milk punch When his attendant offered him
his milk punch Saturday morning he refused to
take it.
The remains Of the poet will be placed in the
recently completed tomb in Harleigh ceme-
terry, on the outskirts OF the city OF Camden. a
spot selected by Mr.. Whitman when he was
well and which he visited many times during
the construction OF the tomb.
The idea of the tomb was his own. He Sc
lected his own lot, which is in a portion OF the
cemetery known as Woodlawn. The tomb is
built in the side of the hill in grove. When
asked why he selected such q spot he replied:
Il would rather go in the woods
The tomb is substantial structure, built OF
massive rough granite blocks, some OF them
weighing ever seven tons. The door is OF
granite six inches thick. The tomb contains
receptaces for eight caskets or collins, arranged
in two tiers. They are constructed OF marble.
The top of the tomb bears the name Walt
Whitman
The poets wish was that the remains of his
mother, which are buried in Evergreeus ceme-
terry. and those of his father, buried in Brook
Ign, should be eShumed and deposited In the
tomb. I his wish will be fulfilled by his friends.
SKETCH OF HIS LIFE.
Walter. or. as he wrote his name. Walt Whit
man, was born on Long Island Y. u, on the
3lst of May, 1919. His father was English and
his mother Dutch. He was reared at his birth
place, but spent his early and middle age in
Brooklyn and New York. After following the
printers trade for number of years he taught
school. From lS44 to 1S4S he edited the Brook
iyn Ddity Eagle. He then went on q tour
through the middle and southern states, dwell
ing about a year in New Orleans, where he
worked on the staff of the Crescent Returned
to Brooklyn in 1850, where he began the publ
cation Of a weekly called the Freeman, which
was soon changed to a daily.
In 1886 he conceived the idea Of his Leaves
of Grass, and abandoning all Of his previous
employments he devoted himself to putting into
practical form the theories of that poem. Prob
ably never before was a book met with such
qualms, incredibly, anger and the charge Of
lunacy both In this country and in England.
Ralph Waldo Emerson, however, cordially well
coined the new poet.
He was a nurse in the military hospitals in
and around Washington during the war. At
the close OF the struggle he appointed to a
position in the Interior Department, but Sec
rotary James Harlan, his accession, sum-
mariiy dismissed the author of Leaves of
Grass" saying that if the President insisted on
| his being retained he (Harlan) would resign
from the cabinet. This proceeding being the
| cause of much talk and excitement the poet
was offered position by the Attorney Gen.
eral. which he accepted and in which he re-
| manned for several years.
| severe shock Of paralysis. The result was that
| he gave up his position in the Attorney Gen.
erals Office and removed to Camden, where
he afterward lived.
Whitman published a number of shorter
poems from time to time. his last collections
being November Days." 1885. and Sands at
Seventy" 1888.