Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-02-06

| ALTHOUGH A FATAL END OF HER ILLNESS FAD
BEEN PREDICTED, YET WHEN IT CANE II WAS
| GREAT sHocK-arMISiscxScEs OF HEB
LIFE IN WASHINGTON.
Mrs Whitney, the wife OF e1-secrstary Of the
Navy Whitney, died Of heart trouble ct 8
O'Clock yesterday morning at the residence Of
| her husband, No. West 57th street. New York.
For years Mrs. Whitney had evinced symp-
toms of heart trouble. Slight attacks Of ILL
ness from this cause frequently startled her
and occasioned her family grave anxiety.
For about three weeks the patient had been
| guarded from disturbing influences and almost
| entirely confined to her bed. She was con-
stantly attended by the family physician, DR..
Charles Mclean. On the night before the A.
tack that was the beginning Of her fatal illness
| Mrs. Whitney gave one Of the dinner dances
that are the fashionable fad Of this season. She
was in q weak condition at the time, and the
| tertainment Of her large party superinduced
| the attack.
| week ago Saturday evening sinking spell
| occasioned Mrs. Whitneys family and friends
| the utmost concern. When their fears had
grown almost unbearable she rallied. By DR..
Charles McBurney. the specialist on heart
/ troubles.
| Mrs. Whitney's physician realized Saturday
/ morning that the end was very near, but she
rallied somewhat during the afternoon and at
midnight her husband and children, who were
watching by her bedside. we're informed that
| she would surely live until daybreak.
| DIR. Mclean and DR.. McBprney left the house
after committing their patient to the charge Of
| her trained nurses and the lights were turned
down in the sick chamber.
| The quick eye Of one of the nurses detected .
[ fatal change at tan rninutes hefore q N. o'clock
The family were haStily summoned, and at 8
O'Clock Mrs Whitney passed quietly away, un-
conscious to the last.
Dorothy. Mrs. whitney's youngest daughter,
was the only one of the children absent when
| the end came.
! Telegraph'c messages Of coincidence poured
in all day. All of Mr.. Whitney's associates Of
| Clevelands fret cabinet, nearly every member
of the United States Senate, President-elect
Cleveland and Sir Julian Pauncefote were
among those who telegraphed.
| MOURNING IN WASHINGTON.
It can be said very truthfully of Hrs. Whit.
ney that there are none who knew her but who
also deeply mourn her death. Mrs. Whitney
was a brilliant woman. Comparatively a
stranger when she emerged from private life to
| become a lady Of the cabinet circle, she came
to this city with limited acquaintance and
left it the most sought after and the most ad-
mired woman who has ever figured here in
official life.
1t took more than her wealth to bring about
this state Of things. That she WAS queenly in
her conception Of what Official entertaining
meant, and almost prodigal in carrying out all
her ideas. everybody understands, but the fact
that all she did was dictated by genuine good
heartedness and wish that all might enjoy
what 1t was SO easy for her to purchase made
what she did q pleasure in every sense. II
society in this city went into real mourning to-
| day and retired absolutely from the gay round
it would be only the tribute which she deserved
at its hands, but one which she would be last
| to expect or desire.
| No cabinet home or, in fact any other official
or private residence in this city had ever before
| witnessed the lavish style Of entertaining for
which she set the fashion. There seemed no
| limit to her ingenuity in keeping society NOV
ing at given pace, but there was also no limit
to her bounty to those whose share of this
| worlds goods was small
| HER CHARITABLE WORK.
| All the charities which fashion ordinarily
looks out for received new impetus from her
helping, and her benefactions to the many
more that had no social Endorsement we're lust
as generous. Her private charities of which
keeping with her big heart and kindly thought
| OF the poorest.
| Her superb health here was a matter Of fire.
quent remark. There was scarcely dav when
she had not INDUCED by noon in long walk or
/ horseback ride.
| HER HOME AT GRAssLASDs.
She encouraged all the outdoor amusements,
| and her life at Grasslands, where the simpler
pleasures Of a country house we're welcome
| relief after the drawing room attractions be-
| came little trite. often referred to by her
as a great enjoyment.
Mr.. Whitney was just as fond of it as herself,
thlfr A.
children for their Christmas and New Year din
/ ners. In the spring Grasslands was the pendez-
vous Of all their friends after their late drives
On the DAYS OF the paper chases the social world
| thronged the old-fashioned mansion, and none
| were happier than the host and hostess
The dates of the important social occasions
| In her own house when Mrs. Whitney was max
| ing the private residents of the. until then
staid capital wonder at her magnificent hospi-
tally, are events never to be obliterated in the
minds OF those taking part in them. There are
hundreds now figuring prominently in society
| who had never seen her, and to whom the mere
mention Of her name will never cease to excite
| interest.
| Mrs. Whitney's dinners and luncheons fol-
| lowed each other in rapid succession. She was
| the first to make the after-dinner dance and the
| after-reception dance popular. Each winter
she gave a series Of weekly receptions. The
| invitations were sent out literally. Those
| whom she knew best we're always asked to re-,
main for the after-midnight dance. and to this
number was always added many others to whom
| she knew the unexpected invitation would give
/ unbounded delight. Her tables were ALWAYS
| laden with the best food and drink that money
! could buy. There was no discrimination all
| Jared the same.
CHILDREN's INrERrArNMEN Ts.
The christening tea for Baby Dorothy on
| Easter Monday, 1887, was an event such as
Washington had not wit messed up to that date
The Christmas tree party the winter before on
Christmas eve for the little friends Of her chill
| dren and the no less picturesque scenes enacted
when the children OF st. Johns Orphanage we're
| the guests few days after are samples Of
| the contrast which the famous ball room at her
l street house have witnessed.
WHERE MRS. POTTER WAS MADE FAMOUS
| In this ball room Mrs. James Brown Potter
| then in the heyday Of her success as an amateur
actress, recited the poem which created for
her such notoriety that her future career be-
| longed to the public.
| Mrs. Whitney left Washington with intense
regret but was as firmly decided never again to
return here as official resident. Her extreme
! self-possession could not stand the strain to
which her friends subjected it the lastfew days
after the 4th OF March, 1889. The good-byes
were tenderly said but they hurt acuteiy. They
we're probably the only sad moments she had in
this city, 30 far as the world could judge.
Walking through the rooms the last day
| with a friend, she said: Il only hope that the
! next occupant Of this house will have as happy
i u