The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1897-12-03
SHE is SINKING RAPIDLY
PRESIDENT SAYS TELL MOTHER
WILL BE THERE"
He WILL ARRIVE THIS MORNING
Seems Doubtful if Mrs. Mckinley VIII Last
Until This Morning--She Arose Speeches.
and Aroused Her Daughter--Was
Conscious During the Day.

Conscious During the Day.
Canton, Ohio, Dec. AT an early
hour this morning Mrs. Nancy Allison
Mckinley, the venerable mother of the
President, was stricken with paralysis,
and her death is believed to be only
a question of a short time Not since
Mrs. Mckinley was first stricken has
there been a favorable feature in her
condition,
The paralysis, when it first appeared,
was not of a serious form, and seemed
only to have affected her vocal organs.
She was able to walk from her own bed
chamber to that of her daughter, Miss
Helen Mckinley, to give the first init
ma ton Of the attack, and at that time
seemed 10 be in possession of all her
mental and physical faculties, but soon
afterward a change was noticed and in
the afternoon she sank into condition of
emi-consciousness.
Mother" Mckinley must have been
stricken some time during last night,
but the first intimation she had of any
change in her condition was when she
awoke this morning and found herself
unable to speak. She walked to the room
of her daughter and aroused the latter,
Miss Mckinley awakened the other
members of the family and a physician
was called.
"Mother" Mckinley had been slightly
i'll for several days with a mild attack
of the grip. She had been up and about
the house, and no serious results from
her illness were apprehended Her son,
Abner Mckinley, of New York, arrived
in Canton on Tuesday, and his mother
seemed to be greatly cheered by his
presence. Yesterday she was so bright
and cheerful as to cause the family to
remark on her improvement That be-
ing her condition when she retired last
evening, the blow to the family upon
discovering what had come upon her
during the night was a sad one. Dur
ing the forenoon. a letter from the Presi-
dent was received. 1t was read to the
aged sufferer and in response to ques-
tons if she understood its contents, she
nodded her assent.
Mr. Abner Mckinley communicated
with the President as soon as he learn
ed of the serious nature of the illness
of his mother, and the President asked
that he be advised Immediately of every
change. Appointments were made for
communication by telephone, and tele-
grams were also exchanged frequently.
Soon afternoon, Mr.. Abner notified the
President that the sufferer had lapsed
into semi-consciousness and promised to
communicate further at five O'Clock in
the afternoon. The President did not
wait for the five O'clock message. He
responded: "Tell mother / will be there"
He is expected to arrive hefe at 1926
O'Clock tomorrow morning.
The President and all other members
of the Mckinley family not already here
are en- route to the bedside of Mother
Mckinley tonight. The message from
the President this evening, caused the
mother much cheer an comfort.
Mrs. j. A. Duncan, of Cleveland, a
daughter of Mother" Mckinley, who is
in Chicago visiting her daughter, Sarah,
who is attending school there, telegraph
ed this evening that she would be in
Canton tomorrow morning. Miss Helen
Mckinley makes her home here with
her mother.
What was feared this morning when
Mrs. Mckinley was stricken with a
slight attack of paralysis is tonight re-
garded as almost certainty; that is,
the early death of the Presidents moth
err. AS the day advanced she grew
worse.
Everything that is possible, is being
done to add to her comfort and to post
pone the final scene as long as possible
Inquiries concerning the beloved wo-
man are coming from all quarters,
flood of kilograms having started imme
diately after the news of the illness was
flashed over the Associated Press wires.
Sohcitous friends from all parts of the
country are asking to be kept informed
of her condition.
DIR. Phillips, the attending physician
tonight expressed the belief that death
was inevitable from the present illness,
and that the only uncertainty was the
time when it would occur.
He thinks the developments of the
night will decide the matter. He expects
no material change before morning.
Should the morning condition be for
the worse, he expects the patient to sink
very rapidly. The disease he says, is
not primarily paralysis, but sensility, the
result of old age, which has produced
the partial paralysis.
The Doctor said, after he last saw Mrs. |
Mckinley, that there was some slight |
evidence that the facial expressions of |
the patient were less rigid than they |
were early in the day, this being noticea- |
bic when she endeavored to comply with |
his request to show her tongue. al
though she was unable to do this.
The patient is taking LIQUID nourish-
ment at intervals and will not suffer
from want Of food. Mr.. Abner McKin