The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1897-12-03
THE END IS VERY NEAR
Venerable Mother of the Presi-
dent Stricken With Paralysis.
WILL BE HER LAST ILLNESS
IL Came Suddenly in the Night Follow
ing an Attack of the Grip-The
Prtsid ant Leaves Washington
for Her Bedside.

Canton. Onlp, Dtt, Al an carry
hour this morning Mrs. Nancy Allison
Mex lnley, the venerable mother Of the
president. was stricken with paralysis.
and her death IL believed Ia be a quos-
tion of but a short time. Not since
Mrs. Mckinley was stricken has there
been "A favorable feature In her condi-
tion. That the attack would ultimately
end in death was the ilrst fear OF the
family on discovering her illness. and
the consultations of the attending phy-
sicians have tended la confirm this be-
lief. Every effort Is heing made To ien-
der what will doubtless prove Ia be her
last illness as free from suffering as
possible. The paralysis, when ii first
appeared. was not of a serious form ana
seemed only 10 have affected her vocal
chords She was able io walk from
her own bedchamber to that of her
daughter. Miss Helen Mckinley, 10 give
the first intimation of the attack. and
at that time seemed to be In possessiun
of all mental and physical faculties.
but soon afterward "A change was no.
ticed. and In the afternoon she sank
into a condition Of semi-consciousness
in which she has since remained.
Mother" Mckinley must have been
stricken some time during last night.
out the first intlmation she had Of any
change I'm her condition Was when she
awoke this morning and found herself
unable TO speak. She walked L. the
room of her daughter and aroused the
after. Al once Miss Mckinley saw
that something had happened. She
awakened the other members of the
family and "A physician MAS called. He
at once pronounced the trouble paraly-
sis.
Mother" Mckinley has been slightly
III for several days with mild attack
of the grip. She had been up and
about the house and no serious results
from her illness was apprehended. Her
son, Abner Mckinley of New York. ar
rived In Canton Tuesday. aud his
mother seemed io be greatly checred by
his presence. Yesterday she was 80
bright and cheerful as TO cause the
family To remark on her improvement.
MIR. Mckinley said he had not seen his
mother looking so well and rugged for
a number " years. That being her con-
dition when she retired last evening.
the blow 10 the family upon realizing
what had happened during the night
was a sad one. During the forenoon a
letter from the president was received.
Ii was read To the aged sufferer and
I'm response 10 questions II she under
stood its contents she nodded her as
cent.
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
he he advised Immediately Of every
change. Soon after noon Abner Me
kinley notified the president that the
sufferer had lapsed into semi-conscious-
ness and promised tn communicate fur
ther at 5 O'Clock In the afternoon. The
president did not wait for the ) O'Clock
message. He responded: Tell mother
! will be there" and at once prepared
to start for Canton. He IL expected Ia
arrive here about 10 O'Clock tomorrow
morning.
Dr. Phillips. when he saw the pa,ien,
at G. o'clock this evening had little ia
add To what he had already said. To the
effect that she was very III and stood
but little chance of recovery. II WAS
the opinion of the doctor that she could
not last more than a few days and that
the end might come at any time.
The doctor said after he last saw
Mrs. Mckinley that there was some
| slight evidence that the facial express
sions of the patient We're less rigid
than they were early In the day. this
being noticeable as she endeayored u
/ comply with his request To show hri
tongue, although she was unable To do
this. The patient Is taking liquid nour-
| ishment al intervals and will not suf-
fer from want of food.
Abner Mckinley said late tonight
that he thought his mother was sink
| ing rapidly. and he feared the end was
not far off,
Dr. Phillips at u o'clock Tonight said,
Mrs. Mckinley Is barely conscious aud II
sinking very fast. She may not last long
.r than morning"