The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1897-12-03

CANTON, ONO. Dec. AT an early
hour this morning Mrs. Nancy Allison
Mckinley, the venerable mother of the;
President, was stricken with paralysis
and Der death is believed to be only q
quest on of a short time. Not since Mrs.
Mckinley was stricken has Ihere been a
| favorable feature in her case. That the
attack would ultimately end in death was
the first fear of the family on discovering
her illness, and the consultations Of the
attending physicians have tended to con-
firm thus belief Every effort is being
made to render what will doubtless prove
| to be her last illness as free from suffering
as possible.
The paralysis. when it first appeared,
was not OF serious form, and seemed to
have only affected her vocal chords. She
was able 10 walk from her own bedcham-,
ber TO that of her daughter, Miss Helen
Mckinley, to give the first -intimation of
! the attack, and at that time seemed to be
in possession of all mental and physical
faculties, but soon after change was no.
ticed, and in the afternoon she sank into
condition of semi consciousness, in
which she has since remained.
Mother" Mckinley must have been
stricken some time during asst night, but:
the first intimaticn 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. At once
Miss Mckinley saw that some thing had
happened. She awakened the other mem
bers of the family and phys clan was
called. He at once pronounced the trou-
bic paralysis. :
Mother" Mckinley has been slightly
ill for several DAYS with mild attack of
the grip. She had been up and about the
house and no. serious re suits from her ILL.
ness were prehended. Her son, Abner
Mckinley OF New York, arrived in Canton.
Tuesday and his mother seemed to be
greatly cheered by mis- presence. Yester-.
day she was so bright and cheerful as to
cause the family to remark on her i'm
provement. Mr.. Mckinley saying he had
not seen his m other looking so well and
rugged for mum Der of years.: That being
her condition when she retired last even
ing, the blow to the family upon discover
ing what had come upon her during the
night was sad one. During the lore
noon a letter from the President was
read. It was read to the aged sufferer,
and in response to questions If she under
stood its contents, sue nodded her assent.
Abner Mckinley communicated with
the President as soon as he learned the
serious nature of the illness of his mother,
and the President asked that b be adj
vised Immediately of every change Soon
after noon Abner Mckinley notified the
President that the sufferer had apsed into
"
municate further at 5 o'clock in the after
noon. The President did not wait for the
O. clock message. He responded:
Tell mother I wifi be there" and at
once prepared to start for Canton. He is
expected to arrive here at 10 O'Clock to:
morrow morning.
| DR.. Phillips, when he saw the patient al
o clock is evening, had little to add to
what he had already said, to the effect that
she was very i'll and stood but little
chance of recovery. 1t was the opinion OF
the doctor that she could not last more
than few days, and that the end might
come at any time. -
The doctor said after ne last saw Mrs.
Mckinley that there was some slight exi-
dence that the facial expressions of the
patient were less rigid than they were
early In the day, this being noticeable as
she endeavored to comply with his request
TO show her tongue, although she was un-
| able to do so.
The patient has taken liquid nourish-
ment at intervals and will not suffer from
| want of food. Abner Mckinley said
| late tonight that he thought his mother
was sinking rapidly. and ne feared the end
was not far eff
Inquiries concerning the condition of
| Mrs. Mckinley are coming to Canton