The Portland daily press., 1893-09-29
DEATH OF NC. PeRolvAL.
The Imprisoned Cashier Dies Peacefully
in His sleep.

Lewiston. September 9s.-Ihe news OF
the death Of Marshall C. Percival in the
State Prison at Thomaston, al L d. H.
was received in Lewiston ana Auburn
early in the forenoon through a speclai
dispatch to the Journal.
The breaking of the sad inteiligehce 70
the widow and children OF the deceased
in Auburn fell to the lot of DR.. Wallace
K. Cakes, Mr. Percival's family physician
DR.. Cakes called on Mrs Perclval at her
home on Highland avenue, Auu..rn' a'
Though keenly affected by the announce
ment Mrs Perciyal had been somewhat
prepared for the blow, although 1t was
not foreboded to be so immlnent. ".
Cakes and other physicians who have
seen Mr.. Percival within rev Weeks,
have reported him in failing health, anu
thought the end might come suddenly DIV
last.
When the end came, it came, as oioen
it comes, unexpectedly sudden. An iron
constitution held him long, great LOT
titude REINFORCED his physical natuIe
He was phenomenon OF courage 70 oue
last and at times has been not Wltnouo
some expectation that he mlght i've W
rejoin the world and start again II !ile.
Last Mondayshe sent word TO MS relaCives
that he was suffering from nervous pros
tration and would advise them II ne
grew worse. Advices that next came
were death. Mr.. Percival retired on
Wednesday night as well as usual, Sleep
ing quietly, dying Of heart failure WIN
out awakening.
Mr. Percival leaves widow and two
very promising daughters.
DR.. W. K. Cakes of Auburn, MT. Ferci-
als-physician, has made frequent VISITS
to Thomaston during Mr. Percival's con,
finement there. He visited Mr. PerclVai
about ten days ago and considered bhat
he was then rather better, If anything,
than at his last call. On Wednesday OF
this week, DR.. Cakes received letter
ON Mr.. Perciyal, stating that ne was
feeling worse and asking him TO come
down. The doctor was planning to make
the trip either on Thursday or Friday.
Mr.. Percival has been in the prison hos
pitaI between three and four months,
and has had the best of care and treat
ment. DIR. Wright, the prison physician,
has been especially attentive. to the
patient, other than PROFESSIONALLY, =,
~ DR.. Cakes says that Mr.. Percival,s ill
ness was consumption of the lungs, and
that he has been gradually sinking from
the beginning of his imprisonment.
When Mr.. Percival came to Auburn his
physician considered him a well man.
He thinks that close indoor occupation
prior to the last few years, had much to
trouble. The old banking rooms were
damp, the location being such that the
sun could not penetrate. He contracted
one cold upon another and a chronic
disease finally fastened itself upon him.
Then, too, overwork had something to
do with it. Mr.. Percival worked the full
limit of the banking hours and then re-
81 o,,d xxyrrs yn1 off nr.
everybody else had gone out. 1t has been
said that he worked day and night,
which is practically true.
II knew said DIR. Cakes today,
"that Mr.. Percival was very sick man,
but was not looking for his death quite
so soon. am sorry that he could not
have died at home. Steps were being
taken to secure his release IN order that
this might be done. His attorney, Hon.
Seth M Carter who, it is said, is now in
Washington, had, as | am informed, been
working on the matter for some time and
with some assurance of success
You will remem ber," continued DR..
Cakes, that at the time of the hearing
before Judge Webb at Portland, October
10, 1881, that Dl. Weeks and myself testi-
fed that in our opinion Mr.. Percival could
not live over two years. Judge Webb
said, however, that this fact could not
tend toward the mitigation of the sem
tence.n
At the hearing alluded DIR. Weeks was
asked by Judge Symonds as to whether
confinement would shorten life, especial
ly if such confinement were in q prison,
and he replied: u should say most de-
cidedly that it would Further on in
the hearing, DIR. Weeks gave it as his
opinion that, under favorable circum-
stances Mr.. Percival would not live two
years.
There was large insurance on the life
of the deceased, partially for the benefit
of the widow and by her maintained and
partially, as Is understood, for the benefit
Of the Shoe and Leather hank. It is said
that the life insurance for the benefit of
the widow is about $4,000 with about
$40, 900 for the benefit of the interests
affected by the defalcation.