The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-03-25
Died After the Administration of Ether BY His
Family Physician and Another, Who In
tended to Make Surgical Operation.
Dangerous Symptoms Appeared After
Twoor Three Inhalations of the Drug,
And Though Powerful Restoratives We're Ap-
piled, the Colonel, After Partially Reviving,
Rapidly Sank Again and Passed Away.
VICTIM OF ETHER.

Col. Elliot #. Shepard Dies After Two or
Three Administrations of the Drug.
NEW YORK. March 24.-Col. Elliot Fitch
Shepard. editor of the Mail and Express.
died suddenly this afternoon at his home.
No. 2 West Fifty second street. His death
followed the administration of ether by
DE-. Charles McBurney and the family
physician, DIR. j. w. McLane. who were
about to make an examination to ascertain
whether the Colonel's suspicion that he suf-
fered from stone in the bladder was correct.
Colonel Shepard had been in good health.
About month ago he noticed symptoms
that led HIM to believe that he was afflicted
with stone in the bladder. He let it CO.
and did not consult q physician until q
week ago, when he went to DR.. MoLane
and told him of b is suspicious. The Doctor
confirmed them. and advised him to az
least submit to an examination and to un-
derRo 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 70 his business in the usual way.
He was at his Office every day. No one
there knew OF the contemplated operation
merely told his manager. A. b. De Freeze,
that he probably wouldn't be down on Fri
day. but that he would be there on Satur-
day afternoon. This morning, about o
o'clock, before the arrival of the doctor.
he complained of severe pains. and said
he thought he would 60 to bed.
But first he went to the telephone, called
up the Office of the Mail and Express. and
gave q number of instructions about the
future conduct Of the newspaper in Case
anything should happen him. As nobody
in his office knew he was i'll. these instruc-
tions caused considerable wonder. but 10
was never the habit OF any one IL the Office
to question anything that the Colonel did,
and not even any inquiries were made az
to what might be the matter.
After telephoning these instructions the
Colonel lay down awhile. The distress he
suffered left him, and when the hysicisns
and nurses came in later he was In good
spirits. He had induced his wife and nis
youngest daughters. Marguerite and Alice.
who were at home, TO 60 of Co Scarboro for
the day: HIS son, Elliot K. Shepard, jr.
was at home.
About / o'clock. Colonel Shepard said
that he was ready for the surgeons. and
they. with the nurses. began the work OF
putting him under ether. He had inhaled
the drug but two or three times when the
physician detected dangerous symptoms
and stopped the inhalation. Colonel
Shepard sank rapidly and for q time it was
feared that he could not be rallied.
Powerful restoratives were administered.
An the end of an hours work with
oxygen he wes restored to partial conscious
ness and he continued apparently TO rally
until o'clock. then without warning and
for no apparent reason he began rapidly tc
sink. The oxygen treatment was resumed.
but il was of no avail; at 4:20 o'clock he
died. He was unconscious and his death
was peaceful. The cause of the death given
by the physicians was Gdema of the lungs.
Immediately before Colonel Shepard's
ard announcing that he was very low. and
that he might not live. She reached the
house at o'clock. Immediate friends OF
the family soon began arriving. Cornelius
Vanderbilt was one of the first. Chauncey
M. Depew was the fourth or fifth visitor
A string Of carriages was continually &C
the Fifth-avenue side of the house all
evening At late hour no arrangements
had been made for the funeral.
Elliot Fitch Shepard was born in jamestown.
Chautauqua county. New York. July 25, 1928.
He educated at the University OF the City OF
New York, admitted to the bar In 1858 and for
many years practiced in New York city. In
1861 and 1862 he was aid-de-camp on
the staff of Gov. Edwin ID. Morgan
who was in command of the department.
OF volunteers at Elmra. n. V, ana aided
In organizing, equlpping and .Sfwardlng 10 the
field nearly fifty thousand troops. He was in
etrumental In raising the Fifty-first New York
Regiment, which was named for him-the Shep-
ard Rifles. He was the founder OF the New York
State Bar Association, in 1876. which has formed
other States. In March, 1883, he purchased the
New York M all and EXPRESS.