The Sully County watchman. (Clifton, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1894, 1893-02-03
BLAINE is NO MORE.
The Eminent Statesman Passes
Peacefully to the Great
Beyond.
Incidents Of the Last HOurS---
Presidents Proclamation.
---The Funeral.


Friday morning.
The end came peacefully, the
ex-secretary passing from an uncon-
scious state into that of death. His
wife and children were at his bedside
An attendant stationed at the door
of the mansion to answer the
inquiries of the newspaper cores
pondents, made the announcement.
The news spread to the capitol and
through the city in a few minutes. IL
was everywhere expected, but when
the announcement came, the impress
sion was more striking than any that
has been created by similar news
since the death of Abraham Lincoln.
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 the public man have been his,
and have earned for his the peace
full ending of a career which closed
when life's candle made it's last
flicker Friday.
Mr.. Blaine, on his death-bed, was
surrounded, just as he has been
almost necessarily for weeks, by
those who were nearest and dearest
to him. In fact, it was only his
family and these very closely
associated with them that have been
permitted to see or even hear from
him during the last days Of his life.
Trained journalists, calling into
requisition every honest means at
their command, and resorting to
every possible means within the line
Of legitimate Journalism, have kept
a most watchful eye on every move
ment, without land as far as possible
within) the famous ''red house."
where the distinguished statesman.
BREATuED Ills LAST.
Naturally enough there has been a
disposition, both on the part of the
family and the attending physicians,
to either conceal or distort in some
way the real conditions existing in
the Blaine mansion, but from time to
time accurate information as to Mr..
Blane'S condition has been obtained
and faithfully reported. 1t is quite
safe to say that there are few if,
indeed, any journalistic experiences
since Gen. Grants illness, which
could furnish a more thorough
examp pie of watching and waiting
than has the case Of Mr.. Blaine.
HIS LAST HOURS.
Mr.. Blaine passed a restless night
and in the morning was languid and
weak, but nothing serious was noted
until shortly before nine o'clock,
when change tor the worse
occurred. Both physicians were
hastily summoned and remained at
the bedside until death. Mr.. Blaine
was conscious until few moments
before death and the end was so
quiet and peaceful that only the
experienced eye Of the physicians
could perceive that the great states
man had joined the majority. DR..
Hyatt said Mr.. Dlaine'S death was
due to sheer exhaustion. All the
immediate members of the family
and Miss Dodge were at the bedside
when the end came.
DIR. .IOTNSON'S STATEMENT.
TO reporter, DR.. Johnson said:
II was called to the Blaine resi-
dence about $50 o'clock and found
Mr.. Blaine in a very exhausted con-
dition. He had grown weaker
during the early morning hours and
about $50 o'clock the nurse observed
that his breathing was more difficult
and his pulse more feeble than it had
been. DR.. Hyatt was also sent for
and arrived there about ten O'clocK
After my arrival Mr.. Blaine con-
tinued to grow weaker very rapidly,
hlo puloC DCSOlllllsS iiiotC lCCOlC. liz
died at eleven o'clock. He was
perfectly conscious up to within a
few moments of his death and recog-
nized all those around him. He died
without suffering"
THE CAUSE OF DEATH
In answer to the direct question
"Did Mr.. Blaine die of Bright's
disease?" DR.. Johnston said: While
there has been during the last several
months evidences of chronic disease
of the kidneys, being form of what
is commonly known as Bright's
disease, yet this was not the sole
cause Of death. There were other
consecutive complications which
tended to exhaust him and to hasten
the end. The lapses which he has
had from time to time were due to
heart exhaustion; that is, feebleness
and irregularity of the action of the
heart, accompanied by difficult
breathing.