Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-02-03
HE TRANQUILITY DIED
Mr.. Childs' Passing Away Charac-
teristic of His Career.
SCENE at TIE DYING MANS side
Words of Praise From His Con.
temporaries.
EXTENT OF HIS FORTUNE

PHILADELPHIA. Feb. 3.-The death of
Mr. Childs. proprietor Of the Public Ledger.
occurred at his home, 22d and Walnut
streets. this morning at 3:O1 o'clock.
At 10 o'clock last night his respiration be-
came embarrassed and the physicians at
the bedside saw that the end was close at
hand. At midnight the patients pulse was
tagging and he sank gradually but steadily
until death came to put an end to the long
struggle for life. Mrs. Childs and Drs. Da
Costa, Leidy and Mills were in the sick
room at the end.
The end of the great publisher and world
famous philanthropist came with the same
tranquility with which his remarkable ca
reer has been marked. At his bedside were
the physicians who had carefully watched
his every symptom since the day he was
stricken, and Mrs. Childs. the companion
of his years Of usefulness.
Present at the bedside at the time Of his
death. in addition to the physicians, were
Mrs. Childs Col E. Dew. Morrell and James
w. Paul, jr., son-in-law Of the late A. ].
Drexel, George w. Childs Drexel and w.
p. Steel Mr.. Childs' private secretary.
One Of the physicians in attendance upon
Mr.. Childs made the following statement:
"Mr. Childs suffered no pain and his end
was peaceful. He had been unconscious for
the past three days except at intervals.
The change for the worse became manifest
about $50 o'cloci- last evening. His pulse
faltered and he grew rapidly worse. 1t was
then apparent that the end was near, and
that his death was only the question of q
few hours. Mr.. Childs' lower limbs were
not paralyzed. as has been stated. The
stroke only affected his right side, he having
lost the use Of both his right arm and leg
Mr.. Childs. during his last hours. lay
like a child asleep. and when he grew SO
much worse about midnight every attempt
was made to rouse him. but without avail
He scarcely spoke a word from the time
he was stricken. over two weeks ago. until
his death"
News Of Mr. Childs' illness spread very
rapidly. and a flood of kilograms of inquiry
and letters Of sympathy began pouring in
on the day he was stricken down and con-
tinued up to the time Of his death. At no
| time. however, had there been confidence in
his recovery, and the shock Of the great
philanthropists death was somewhat brok-
en- by his long illness.
The Deathbed Scene.
The little group Of friends and physicians
who gathered about the deathbed Of Mr.
Childs simply awaited the end. They had
known for several hours that death was
er. until at 3O1 o'clock he ceased breathing
He did not show any signs of consciousness
during the night and his end was entirely
calm and peaceful.
At the beginning of Mr.. Childs' illness
City Editor McWade of the Ledger at the
request Of Mrs. Childs. placed a reporter
In the house, and the physicians bulletins
as they were prepared from time to time
were given out through the Ledger repre-
sentative.
Consequently there was an absence of the
hurrying to and fro Of carriages containing
reporters which usually attends the last
days of a great public man.
The Childs residence is located in the aris-
tocratic quarter of West Walnut street
and the presence Of Grape on the door this
morning apprised the passersby that the
great philanthropist had passed away.
Excepting occasional gatherings of q
group of men to discuss the sad event. there
was nothing observable outside the house to
indicate that anything unusual had hap
pened.
At the Ledger building. at 9Th and Chest
nut streets, a knot of black ribbon was at
tached to the knob Of each door. To each
knot was pinned one of Mr.. Childs' en-
graved visiting cards. Written under his
name was the announcement: Died Feb
ruary 3, 1884,"
Mr. Childs' private secretary. by dlrec-
ton of Mrs. Childs. telegraphed to her
husbands hundreds of friends in this
country and abroad the sad news Of his
death.
AS early as 10 o'clock kilograms Of con-
dolence began to pour into the Ledger
office. These as fast as they were receiv-
ed. were sent to Mrs Childs.
Funeral Arrangements.
The arrangements for the funeral are in
the hands Of James w. Paul. jr., son-in-
law of the late A. ]. Drexel. and a close
personal friend Of Mr.. Childs 1t will prob
ably be late this afternoon before it will
be decided whether the funeral will be pub
lie or private. If the wishes of Mrs. Childs
prevail, the ceremonies will be of a private
character. Friends of the dead man are
urging, however, that since Mr.. Childs was
one of the best known public men in the
country. the obsequies should be public.
1t is believed that the remains of Mr..
Childs will be placed in the Drexel mauso-
leum in Woodland cemetery. beside those
of his lifelong friend and business partner.
A. ]. Drexel. This is believed to be the
wish Of both Mr.. and Mrs. Childs.
MIR. Childs' Illness.
PHILADELPHIA, Feb. 3.-It was scarce
ly more than two weeks ago, on Thursday.
January 49, that Mr.. Childs' sad end was
startingly forshadowed. Private Secretary
Steel heard a noise as of a heavy body
falling in the publishers private Office.
1uSlduuy EusHliiS lltO Tue IOoIl Hc lO9HA
Mr.. Childs stretched upon the floor in an
utterly helpless condition. Summoning
Night Editor Sheppard. the two together
quietly lifted the sick man to a couch. and
stimulants were administered, which re-
vived the sufferer somewhat. 1t was then
found that he had been attacked by verti-
go. He had been sitting In his chair at his
desk, reading, when the stroke fell, and as
he lurched forward and fell to the floor he
still held letter In his clasp.
Even before DIR. j. NJ. Da Costa could ar
rive in answer to the hasty summons, it
was discovered that Mr.. Childs' right arm
was hanging limp at his side. They per-
ceived also something far more serious, that
his brain had been affected They finally
arrived at the belief that a blood vessel
had burst. In a few days his condition
grew alarmingly worse, and he soon re-
lapsed into his former semi-consciousness.
In this pitiful plight he lay for days at
time. At rare intervals he seemed to un-
derstand what was going on around him
and the anxious questions addressed to
him; but only once or twice during all his
long illness was he able to utter words that
the physicians at his bedside, listen careful
ly as they might. could interpret. Promptly
and Charles K. Mills were called in the
hope that they might be able to arouse the
dormant nerves on the right side.
Only last Wednesday he gave a hopeful sign
Of recovery. The physicians had set his
food at his bedside, when all at once Mr..
Childs threw forth his arm and struck the
dishes. They were knocked helter skelter
upon the floor. He had evidently attempt
ed to reach for them. failing after the brief