Evening journal., 1894-02-03


garded as hopeless case many Of his
friends had almost come to believe that
after all he would be able to pull through
and was already on the road to recovery.
The news OF his death spread like wildfre
20 an parts Of the city early this morning,
and today it is the theme of almost uni
versal conversation and a source Of great
est sorrow.
There were present at Mr.. Childs' bed
side when he died George c. Thomas aud
James W. Paul of the firm OF Drexel &
Co, Mr.. and Mrs. John Drexel, Miss Pc
tersou, niece Of Mrs. Childs; Miss Stanley,
companion of Mrs. Childs, and Colonel Ed
ward de Morrell.
His Last Illness.
Mr. Childs' last illness began with
fainting spell. which seized him while he
was iu his Office in The Ledger building at
. o'clock on the afternoon Of Thurday,
Jan. "a, jHst as he was putting ON his over
cost preparatory to going to his home at
Twenty-second and Walnut streets. He
was alone at the time, and when an at
tendant who heard him fall reached his
side he was totally unconscious. DR.. Da
Costa, his family physician, was hastily
summoned, and restorati ~ were applied,
was able to walk, with the assistance of
two strong men, to his carriage, which
stood at the door, He was conveyed to his
city home, and Mrs Childs, who was at
the country place in Wooton was sum-
moned
Dr. Da Costa called in Drs Lydy and
Morris, and these three issued a statement
that Mr. Childs' illness was nothing moro
than an attack Of vertigo arising from in
| digestion, from which he would soon re-
cover.
The news Of his illness brought hosts Of
nquiring friends from this city 90 the door
and hundreds of anxious inquiries by mail
and telegraph from those abroad. To all
was given the assurance that Mr. Childs
was not seriously ill., On the following
Sunday night, however, the physicians re-
J luCtantly admitted that paralysis of the
I lower limbs accompanied the attack, which
was in reality a second attack Of apoplexy.
From that time on there have been alter
mating periods of hope and fear. as the
/ semidaily bulletins announced changes for
the better or the worse, until at midnight
/ last night came the announcement that
hope was dead and dissolution imminent.
There is but little reason 10 doubt that
the immediate cause of the attack was
overwork and anxiety attendant upon his
Efforts 20 see that the memory of his life
long friend, the late A. j. Drexel was
properly honored. All Of the day upon
which came the attack was spent by Mr..
Childs in preparing for the Drexel memo
rial services held in the Drexel institute on
Saturday, jan. 20, two days after the fatal
Thursday. Twice during the day Mr..
Chids had gone in person to the institute,
and in.person he had seen that all neces-
saly arrangements were completed.
Has enforced absence from the ceremony
worried him profoundly, and to this fact
was largely due the relapse which occurred
on the night OF Sunday. Jan. q, since which
time there has been an uneasiness in the
minds of those who knew his condition
which amounted to almost acertainty that
he could not recover
His Wonderful Popularity.
Mr. Childs was probably as widely known
as any man in the United States, and there
ean he no doubt that he was by far the
best known resident of Philadelphia. Hi
popularity in this city was wonderful HI
was familiar figure on Chestnut street
from the fSitt that when he was in the city
he always walked to and from The Ledger
} Office, end 50 regular was he in his habits
that II be did not appear on tue street
about the regular time people began 70 in
uuire whether be was i'll.
The news of his last illness spread owe
the city In an almost incredibly short tim
after he was attacked, and inquiries as q
his condition began TO pour into The Ledg
er Office within a few minutes, and keel
interest was shown uril the hour Of hi
, death.
To ali appearances Mr.. Childs was 70
bust man, get his constitution was yer.
delicate. Be was of highly nervous tenn
oerament and with the attack whicl
proved TO be the beginning Of his last i'll
ness came almost complete nervous pros
tration. Those who knew him best be
lieve that hewas never thoroughly happ,
or contented man since the death OF hi
boom companion aud business partner
Anthony J. DreNel. Ih5y Were almost in
l Seuarnble in their com s1ntousLip and