The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-12-04
M'KINLEY WITH HIS MOTHER.
MUST BE IN WASHINGTON MONDAY
MORNING.

MORNING.
Will Therefore start From Canton
This Afternoon Whether She Lives
or Dies-She Appears to Recognize
Him on His Arrival and He Thinks
He Feels a Pressure When He
Takes Her Hand in His-Gives Her
a Lily Which She Places ON Her
Breast.
Canton. O.. Dec 3-President Mckinley,
who arrived here this morning, will be in
Washington for the opening of congress
next Monday, whatever may be the issue
of his mothers Illness. Although there
has never been, in the history of the gov
ernment, a case exactly similarly it is
necessary for the President to be at the
capital in person for the opening of the
session of congress, to receive the joint
committees from the two houses, and un-
til this committee has waited on the Pres
ident and received his communication, the
regular business of congress cannot pro-
ceeed.
Mother Mckinley is unconscious and the
attending physician can give the family
no hope that she will ever return to con-
seriousness. The President can do abso-
lutely nothing for her by remaining here.
In view of these facts the President feels
that it is his duty to return to Washing
ton so as not to delay the proper opening
of congress a the regular time. He has
arranged to leave Canton tomorrow af-
ternoon at 2O5 o'clock on the special pro-
tO tha REGULAR
Pennsylvania train which reaches Wash
ington Sunday morning.
To-day was one of great suspense in the
Mckinley family. The nearness of the
messenger of death was realized every mo-
ment of the day, and that there could be
no other than a fatal ending to the illness
with which Mother Mckinley was stricken
Thursday. The attending physician could
give no hope of a different result, and it is
to the remarkable constitution of the wo-
man, who has reached the ripe old age of
nearly SO years without Illness of any con-
sequence, that he attributes the fact that
the flames of life were not extinguished
earlier in the illness
The family surrounded the bedside all
day watching intently for any rally from
the coma tose condition in which
the patient has been almost from
the beginning Of the illness, and at short
intervals the doctor called. But the word
from the sick room was almost without
variation, family and doctor announcing
from time to time increasing weakness and
sinking away. Only twice was this re-
port varied by the announcement of evil
dence of partial consciousness.
The first was when President Mckinley
reached the sick room.
His sister Helen announced his arrival
saying: Mother, here is William. If you
recognize him, hold out your hand"
The enfeebled patient seemed to under
stand and to make effort to extend her
hand, which was Immediately grasped by
the devoted son. He thought he felt a
responsive tightening of her hand about
his own as he did so but the recognition
was so slight as to be almost impercepti-
BILE.
1t was some time later that a second
sight rally seemed to occur. A bunch of
beautiful flowers were sent from the con-
sefVatory of the white house and when
they We're taken into the room, she noted
their arrival and seemed to make an ef-
fort to reach for one The President
quickly selected beautiful white lily and
handed it to her She took il in her hand
and carried it to her bosom, it being an
parent that she was conscious Of the act
appreciated the mower. soon after
this she quieted down into a rest that
seemed almost a natural sleep.
MRS. j. duncan of Cleveland who
was summoned from Chicago, where she
had been visiting, was the last of the four
living children to arrive, and she came
TOO late to be recognized by her mother.
The President has scarcely been out of
the house since his arrival this morning
and spent most of the day in his mothers
room. There have been many callers at
the home to-day, aged lady friends of
Mother Mckinley being numerous among
those who called to offer sympathy, The
inquiries by telegraph are numerous. DR..
Phillips made call early this evening.
after which he said he could report no
distinct change in the condition of the
patient from what he had previously de-
scribed She continues to grow weaker
but may live until morning. If a radical
change occurs, he thinks, it will come well
into the morning.
At Ii o'clock tonight Mrs. Mckinley was
sinking rapidly.
Canton, o., Dec. 4, 1850 a. m-Mrs. Nc
Ainley is still living, but growing steadily
weaker.
Canton, Dec 4, 2:3O a. m.-There is no
perceptible change in Mrs. SIcKinley's
condition.
-S-o-s-