The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1897-08-24
SENATOR M'LAURIN's ILLNESS
statement from an Eye Witness
About His Collapse MT YorkviIJc


Mr.. w. ID, Grist, OF the YorkvilI,
rrquircr.ihas made the following state
ineht In regard to the sudden attack O
Illness which came upon Senator Mo
Laurln as he was speaking at York
! Vliie' and which required him to leave
tne campaign at that point. MIR. Girls,
gives This circumstantial account in
! ofQer TO correct any false i'm mDressions
was present during the speaking,
made full notes, AMI was IA close oh.
server OF all that occurred. When
governor Evans JoGan speaking he
looked warm; buC there were no signs
oi persplratlOn on his face. The dav
was not, the room was packed and
Jammed and the atmosphere was close,
governor Evans cXerted himself con.
slderably and before he had proceeded
very lar perSpiratton was tricklinp
uown his face in small streams. do
not remember to havc ever seen apy
one perspire more freely.
w hen McLaurin arose to speak, his
lace was pale and his skin looked un.
naturally dry. He spoke with as much
vigor as had characteriz. .Gthc remarks
of Governor Evans, possibly mere.
LOOK occasion several times to look mn
at nm from my work. When he under.
LOOK to read the Bailey letter he had
oeeh speaking about three.uuarters OF
an nour. knowing that could get n
copy OF the letter if desired H. Of
course | ala not attempt to take il
down, and put in the time wa,cninr
the speaker. Mr. McLuurin's face was
s1lll as dry as when he commenced
speaking: Suddenly | noticed that he
was at loss for words, and his minG
sec mcd to be blank. The paper trcm-
nled violently in his hands, and he reel
ca oncc or twice as if about to fall. All
eu once there broke out from his face,
neck and hands large beads OF perspi
ration, and in 81 moment he seemed to
be himself again. He went on with
the reading OF the letter and durin0
the latter part OF his speech spoke with
more Vlgo" than during the trst part
" men he concluded his speech | WAS
some twenty. five or more words he |
nina with my notes, and was so busy AS
10 De unable to watch him. I.t fact |
was not suspecting anything wrong.
a bout the lime | caught up saw the |
crowd rushing in the direction OF MIR. |
McLaurln, and noticed that gentleman |
lying on The iloor. was told by sew
craI people that when McLaurin turned |
from the audience he placed his hands |
ON Inc ends OF his table, with his back
10 the aud dlencc, as if arranging to
gather up his papers. The audicnrc
was at that time in the confusion Incl
Icnt to breaking up. Suddenly MIR.
McLaurln collapsed and fell TO the
hoor IN heap. 1t was with great dini-
Guilty that he was gotten TO an adioin-
ing room. DR.. w. G.. White, who was
IN inc audience was called. and if was
with considerable difficulty that Mr.
McLaurin was revived This was ac
by throwing water in his
ace, chailng his wrists and forcing
!lycerinc tablets down his throat
shortly after Mr.. McLaurin was taken
20 his room, | went to his bedside. Dr..
\" mite was present tanning him. He
vas stlll pale and evidently very weak.
asked DR.. White about MIR. McLaur-
pulse: The doctor said it was all
'lght at that time: but that for several
minutes after the collapse it was SO
weak as to be almost Neutrality-suspicious.
Ind that heart action was almost sus-
pended. The doctor had prescribed
milk and whiskcv The whiskey was
procured by ID. +. Finley, ED, after
difficulty, and McLaurin
ook few sips Of the mixture. His
'ecoVery, however, was very SLOW. and
/ wa" rot until the neat morning that
he began to feel anything like as well
IS before the collapse.
n addition to what DR.. White told
nc. DIR. Miles Walker, who was in the
audience, and who witnessed the first
ainting spell, said to me this morn
ng If had been acquainted with
'lr. Mcl4aurin, would have at once
'onc to him and make him take his
eat. | saw that he was on the point
II collapse, and was looking for lust
what occurred when he finished his
peech. Having been summoned out
ii the court house few minutes be.
ore he concluded did not see the col
apse. The enthusiasm Of the audience
arricd him far beyond his strength.
'nd 1T was very serious matter. 1t
would not hIvc been at all remarkable
lad he died IN the spot"