Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1893-03-30
DEATH or ELIOT T. SHEPARD
Editor, and Son-in-LaW Of
William ii. Vanderbilt.
DEATH RESULTED FROM ETHER
Administered Preparatory to
an Operation


New YoRK, March 24.-Colonel Eliot
Fitch Shepard, editor of the Nal and
Express, died suddenly this afternoon at
his home, No. Q West Fifty.second
street. Ills death followed the admins.
tration of ether by DIR. Charles Nc.
Burney and the family physician, DIR.
j, w. McLanc, who were about to make
an examination to ascertain whether
the colonel's suspicion that he was suf.
fering from stone in the bladder was
correct.
Colonel Shepard had been in good
health, but nearly month ago he
noticed symptoms that led him 10 be-
licve that he was afflicted with stone in
the bladder. He let 1t go and did not
consult a physician until week ago,
when he went to DR.. McLane and told
him Of his suspicious. The doctor con
iirmed them and advised him to at least
submit to an examination, and to
undergo an operation should it be
deemed necessary. The colonel agreed
to this and to-day was decided on for
the examination.
Up to this morning Colonel Shepard
had attended 10 his business in the usual
10y ~ was tb no SllCt NNtIN NldN.
No one there knew of the contemplated
operation when he went home last even.
ing, He merely told his manager, A. b.
Dctrecce, that he probably would not
be down on Friday, but that he would
be there on Saturday afternoon.
This morning about o'clock, before
the arrival of the doctor, he complained
of severe pains, and said he thought he
would 90 TO bed. But first he went to
the telephone, called up the office of the
Mat and Express, and gave number
Of instructions about the future conduct
of the newspaper in case anything
should happen to him.
As nobody in his office knew he was
i'll, these instructions caused consider.
able wonder, but ii was never the habit
Of any one in the office to question any,
thing that the colonel did. and not even
any inquiries were made as TO what
might be the matter.
After telephoning these instructions
the colonel laid down while. The
distress he suffered left him, and when
the physicians and nurses came in later
he was in good spirits.
He had induced his wife and his
youngest daughters, Marguerite and
Alice, who were at home, TO 20 of 10
ScarbOro for the day. His son, Eliot +.
Shepard, .lr., was at home,
About o'clock Colonel Shepard said
that lie was ready for the surgeons. and
they, with the nurses, began the work
Of putting him under ether lie had
inhaled the drug but two or three times
when the physicians detected dangerous
symptoms ana stopped the inhalation.
Colonel Shepard sank rapidly, and
for time il was feared that he could
not be rallied. Powerful restoratiyeg
were administered. At the end Of an
hours work with oxygen he was re-
stored to partial consciousness, and he
continued apparently TO rally until
! about 4 o'clock.
Then, without warning and for no
| apparent reason, he began rapidly to
sink. Inc oxygen treatment was re.
| sumed, but il Was 81 10 avail At42o
o'clock he died. lie was unconscious,
and his death was peaceful. The cause
Of the death given by the physicians
WAS Qelcma Of the lungs.
Immediately before Colonel Shepard
death, messages were sent to Mrs.
shepard announcing that he was very
| low and that he might not live. She
reached the house at 4 o'clock.
| Immediate friends of the family began
arriving about $50 o'clock. Cornelius
Vanderbilt was ono OF the first. Or.
| John Hall came about z o'clock. Col.
Shepard was member of Dr. Halls
church, and was IN officer there
Chauncey NJ. Depew was the fourth OF
fifth visitor.
a string Of carriages was continually
at the Fifth avenue side of the house all
evening. At a late hour no arrange.
ments had been made for the funeral.
SKETCH or HIS LIFE.
Eliot Fitch Shepard was born in
Jamestown, Chautauqua county, New
York, July 25th, 1888. lie was cdu-
Gated at the University of the City OF
New York, admitted to the bar in 1855
| and was Tor many years in practice III
New York. lii 1860 he married
Margaret Louise, daughter of the late
William II, Vanderbilt.
In 1861 and 1862 he was alde.de-camr
on the staff Of Governor Morgan. liz
was i'll command Of the depot Of yolun.
teers at Elmira, N. y, and aided in
organizing, equipping and forwurding
10 the field nearly 10000 troops.
/ He was instrumental in raising the
5lst New York Regiment, which wa.
named for him the sheppard Rifles He
was the founder Of the New York State
Bar Association in 1876, which ha.
formed the model for the Organization
of similar associations in other States
In March, 1883, hG purchased the New
York MdR ami EFpreSs, Of which liz
continued editor and proprietor unit
his death.
Ills methods as a newspaper cOnduc
tor We're 80 novel that they secured fol
him and his paper an unusual amour
Of advertising, and il has often beer
qucricd whether they were not shrewdly
adopted for that reason.
The Bible text which daily headed hi.
editorial page was alone the cause OF
hundreds of columns of good advertise
ments in the rival journals which de
rided the custom. II is understood tina
he made the paper success financially
Colonel Shepard was an unCompro
missing pietst, an unyielding observe
Of the sabbath and Il liberal contribute
to the church work. lie was a membe
of the Presbyterian Church, and al
ulucHt auNoEhlG ~ inc OlInOuOH sue Of
the Briggs controversy.
He was reputed most liberal man
and it is said that scores of people viii
mourn generous benefactor's dealt
when they learn Of his unexpected dc
mise.
Struck for sic Per Week.
lynn, Mass, March 2S.--About 20 o
| tho tn1ghlFE and -, n
Martins morocco factory requested an in
| Crense Of WAges from $40 10 SD nor wnel,