The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1897-03-02
PRESIDENT I'LL.
Confined to Bed with a Severe
Attack Of Rheu-
matism.
WASHINGTON.

WASHINGTON, March Q, 1S97-The
President is confined to his bed with an
acute attack of pedal rheumatism under
orders from his physician not to rise un-
til he is notably improved, as otherwise
he will be unable to participate in the
inauguration ceremonies of his successor.
The last regular Cabinet meeting was
consequently held today without its
chief, and all visitors, however important,
failed to reach him. Notwithstanding the
exceeding painfulness of the attack, the
prescription of absolute rest for day or
two is confidently relied upon to put the
President on his feet again by Thursday.
The development of his old enemy at
this time is attributed by the physicians
solely to his close exhausting confine-
ment in order to dispose of the executive
business which has accumulated during
the past week. The President has not
been exposed to the bad weather for
over a week, but on the contrary has
been constantly at his desk an average
of eighteen hours day. Three o'clock
every night has invariably found him
studying legislation heaped upon him in
the final rush of Congress- and every
morning he has returned to the task by
artificial light. Under the circumstances
those around him feel keenly the in
justice of the story published this morn
ing that he had snubbed Governor Bush
nell of Ohio by exousing himself from re-
ceiving. the Governor and his staff.
Secretary Thurber says Yesterday an
aide of the Governor came to me and
said the Governor and his staff would like
to pay their respects. replied that the
the Governor and his. staff as we'll. But
wouldn't he please tell the Governor in
confidence that the President was suffer
ing from terrible attack of rheumatism;
that he could not stand or see anyone
and was with difficulty watching public
business, | begged him earnestly to con-
his illness precluded his seeing anyone.
That this was strictly true is shown by
the Presidents inability to see his own
Cabinet officers today
The White House was thronged with IN
auguration crowds today, the stream of
visitors passing all morning through the
historical East room and main corridor.
The other pariors were closed as usual,
of decorators, who turned 1T into bower
Of flowers for the dinner of four places
tonight, when the President and President
elect and their wives will dine most in
land, who had returned from Prince
ton last night, received several
friends, among them Secretary Olney's
wife, Mrs. Baldwin, formerly her room
ant Secretary of State Baldwin, Mrs A.
A. Wilson and the wife of General Wilson,
Chief of Army Engineers. Assistant Sec
retary Baldwin was the earliest of the
Presidents callers and the only one who
saw him. He had with him the award
in the long standing Cerruti case which
the President has had under considera-
ton for three years involving the million
dollar claim of an Italian citizen against
the Government of Colombia. The Presi-
dent signed it. and the two interested
governments will be notified of the decis-
ion this afternoon.
Secretary Morton was the first of the
Cabinet officers to arrive for the last
meeting. He had two log books Of Arbor
Lodge under his arm, these for cabinet
signatures, and was accompanied by a
man bearing large plaster relief portrait
of himself by Sculptor Rudolph Evans.
which he presented to Mrs. Cleveland.
Postmaster General Wilson was accom-
panied by a life size portrait of himself
by Charles Aver Whipple, which he show
ed his colleagues, and enjoyed their criti-
cisms which were decidedly favorable.
Secretaries Lamont, Francis, Carlisle
and Herbert arrived at eleven o'clock and
a little later were joined by Attorney
General Harmon. Secretary Olney stayed
over at his department engrossed in the
cares of state until shortly after noon,
when he appeared in the Cabinet room.