The Bolivar bulletin. (Bolivar, Tenn.) 1888-1946, 1893-02-03
haustiOn.

Although death has removed from
the world a character that was prom
inent in rvthing he undertook, il
caused but little surprise. The news
of it had been so long discounted that
there remained but the line of an
nouncement at the head of this dis
patch.
Science and skill have furnished him
the weapons of defense for compara-
lively long time, but his death has fur
nished the end of the fight. He was a
doomed man for these many days past.
His mind has been almost blank for
weeks, his lucid moments having been
but few and at times far between; but
his physical frame has withstood the
ravages of wasting disease until now.
Dating from the cradle to the tomb
Mr.. Blaine's sixty-three years have
been active ones. All the trials and
tribulations that fall TO the lot of pub
lie men have been his, and have earned
for him the peaceful ending of career
which closed when life's candle made
its last flicker to-day.
DIR. Johnston was summoned to the
bedside of Mr.. Blaine early this morn
ing, but his presence was not known to
those outside until about 1880 when,
in company with DIR. Hyatt, he left the
house. Both physicians were unusual
ly pale, and when accosted by the
reporters for the latest news, the
significant look in their faces
answered the question. "He is dead" 3"
said DIR. Johnson, "and he passed away
peacefully"
The news of Mr.. Blaine's death spread
like wildfire. Crowds gathered on the
corner and visitors flocked to the house
DIR. Hamlin, who was passing the house
when the account of the death was
made, at once entered and remained
with the family for some time. Word
was sent to the president Immediately
after the death.
AT 11:25 President Harrison, accom-
panied by Secretary Halford and Lieut..
Parker, walked out to the Blaine man
sion. The president showed marked
signs of grief. Postmaster-General
Wanamal1er followed the footsteps of
the president.
The president received warning of
Mr.. Blaine's approaching end through
that Mr.. Blaine could not live through
the day. He Immediately had the sub
stance of the dispatch telegraphed over
the department wires to the various
cabinet officers. 1t was few
minutes later only that Mr.. Mont
gomery, the operator at the White
House, received another message ad-
dressed to the president. "Blaine
is -" was all he waited to hear, and
he started on a run for the room of
Private Secretary Halford The final
word dead" reached him as he was in
the hallway separating the telegraph
room from Mr.. Halford's office. The
cabinet was Immediately notified and
came to the cabinet meeting at the
usual hour fully prepared. Sec
retary John w. Foster, Mr.
Blaine's successor to the portfolio
of state, was st his residence in COM
pany with Mr.. Partridge, the solicitor
of the state department, preparatory
to starting at noon for Watertown, n.
Y, where he and Mrs. Foster had
planned to spend a week, when news of
the secretary's death was received at
the department Chief Clerk Chelton
lmmed1aUeiy UelepnOueu mr. OSper,
who went to the Blaine residence to
tender his condolences He postponed
his trip and issued an order closing the
department of state for the day.
The visit of the president and the
postmaster-general was quickly fol-
lowed by calls from Secretaries Elkins,
Noble and Rusk and Attorney General
Miller and Secretary Tracy, each of
whom remained for a few minutes and
then repaired to the White House.
Robert Blaine, the brother of the
dead statesman, who has,been faithful
in his attendance at the house of the
dying man. called with his wife about
1880 o'clock and remained with the
family until 1890, when they left in
tears
One after another. in a constant
stream. the more prominent people in
official life have stopped at the house
and left words of coincidence with MEM
bers of the stricken household