Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-01-11

"kl ~N Yesterday morning he
Y lW) until his death he was
In agony. All through
the afternoon his suffering was intense His
pain continued through the night Just at
o'clock he seemed 70 arouse from his stupor
glass Of water. This request was the last that
he spoke. The words had hardly left his mouth
when he threw up his hands and expired. Mrs
kenna was the only other person besides Mrs
Jordan in the room when the end came. DIR.
Chiffon was in the next room, but the death
came so suddenly that he not summoned
The other members Of the family in the house
at the time were Mrs. Kenna's mother, Walter
Ashby. half brother OF the deceased. and the
children. During the latter part Of the illness
DIR. Sewers called in consultation DR. Busey OF
this city and DIR. Chew of Baltimore, besides
having the assistance Of DR.. Chiffon Of West
Virginia. who IVES in constant attendance.
mrs LONG ILLNESS.
The death Of Senator Kenna was a painful
announcement to all those who were acquainted
with him. Though it was known that he had
been critically Ill and that several times during
his sickness he bad been very close TO death S
door, still the recent information from his bed
side was OF a most encouraging character and
hopes Of his ultimate recovery were enter
genial, big hearted and generous fellow would
again be in his old accustomed haunts, but the
| news this morning of the fatal termination Of
his career brought tears to the eyes of many a
| manly acquaintance and suddenly dashed to
| pieces their fond air castles.
Senator kenna has been sick for many
months, but not until his growing malady
forced him to his bed would his indomitable
| will power admit that he was not as strong as
he was in his earlier days. Last summer he
began to show the signs OF failing health.
brought on BY overwork and too close appli-
cation to his senatorial duties. He was advised
to take rest but this acknowledgment of his
weakness he would not admit until forced to-
About the LIST of October he was taken sick and
pleurisy was developed. From that day he
never left his ROOM though at times he was
able to sit up. At one time it was thought he
could not recover from the plcurisy. but his
strong constitution allowed him to avoid death
but the heart complications which ensued were
not to be overcome. He would have a severe
attack of the heart. from which it was thought
that he could not recover, but each time he
would rally and his family and friends would
take renewed hope. The recurrence of these
attacks. in which he suffered in agony, finally
shattered his system until it was unable to
Withstand them.
The desk in the Senate occupied by Mr. Kenna
was draped in mourning today. His death
caused the greatest sorrow among his colleagues
in that body, for few have held the general love
and esteem which was accorded to him.
THE FUNERAL SERVICES
The funeral services will be held in the
Senate chamber tomorrow at o'clock. They
will be conducted by Cardinal Gibbons. as
sisted by Bishop Keane of the Catholic Uni
versity, according to the ritual of the Catholic
Church.
The remains will be carried from the late
residence, 100 B street northeast, under the
| rn-f nf 10,
marble room of the Senate at IL o'clock and
will there lie in state until / O'Clock, the ,ur
Of the funeral After the ceremonies the
remains siii again be taken to the residence
where they will lie until lilo p. IN. when the
congressional committee and the members of
the family will leave for Charleston, W. Va.
where the interment will take place on Friday.
The funeral arrangements are in charge of As
sistant Sergeant-at-Arms Charles B. Reade.
Senator kenna left wife and children,
four boys and two girls. The oldest of the
children is about seventeen and the Youngest
boy was just five years old yesterday. His sis
ter, Mrs. Jordan, and her husband were present
at the last moment, as was his half brother,
Mr.. Ashby, of West Virginia.
Mr.. KENNA's CAREER.
The career Of Mr.. Kenna has been ore of un-
sullied success. Never has the suspicion Of
anything but devotion to the interests of his
state and the country at large crossed his
public life. He was q politician Of unusual
resources and ability, but he was also poll
Although quiet and reserved he won n front
rank in the Senate, and was one of its most
popular members on account of his genial dis
position and good fellowship.
Senator Kenna was born at Valcoulon, Va
NOW West virginia.. April 10, 1s4S. Until the
war broke out he lived on a farm and made his
living in this manner. At the declaration of
hostilities he, like Cincinnatus, left his plow
and joined the confederate army as a private.
In that service he was wounded In 1854 and in
the following year was surrendered at Shreve-
port, La. At the close Of the war he estab-
lished himself at Wheeling, where he attended
St. Vincent's College, but later studied law with
Miller d Quarter at Charleston. On June 20,
1870, he Was admitted to the bar and has con-
tinued the practice of law ever since. He was
elected prosecuting attorney for Kanawha
county on the democratic ticket in 1872 and
continued to serve in that position until Janu-
airy l, 1877. In 1875 he was elected by the bar in
the respective counties under statutory provision
to hold the courts Of Lincoln and Wayne coun-
ties His first service in Congress was as a Rep
resentatIve in the Forty-ffth Congress- and he
served in the successive ones until he was
chosen Senator to succeed Henry G. Davis
dem }, ths father-in-law Of Secretary Of War
Elkins. He took his seat in the United States
Senate December 3, 1888, and was re elected.
His term Of Office would have expired March 3,
1885,
Probably no Senator was more devoted to
outdoor sports than was he. The rod and the
gun were his closest companions. and the hunt
ing parties which he would organize each fall
were always delightful affairs. Next to his rod
and gun he was interested in photography. and
the collection of views taken by him make an
interesting gallery.
At the age Of forty-ons Mr.. Kenna had been
elected to serve in Congress for a period that
embraced twenty years. He was for twelve
years the youngest member Of the House. and
was the youngest but one Of the members of
Senate. While in the Senate he made q num-
Der Of well-formed speeches. OF these two
were such excellent arguments and so well de-
livered that they brought to him additional
laurels. One was on the issue between Presi-
dent Cleveland and the Senate and the other
was his reply TO Senator sherman's assault on
the Presidents financial policy.
Throughout his congressional career he had
law partner at home and as far as his public
dr.ies would permit he maintained his connec-
tions with the bar. Success never warped his
kindly, generous nature or changed the courtesy
OF his genial manners. The secret of his con-
stituency, which stuck to him and swore by
him. was perhaps to be found not alone in the
discharge OF his public duties, but in his 10y
atty to every interest intrusted to his keeping
and in the unaffected nature which vas fnca ma