The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1898-05-18
GLADSTONE IS DYING
HIS LAST WORD Is ALREADY
SPOKEN
HIS FRIENDS KEEP FINAL VIGIL
All the World Waits While Great
Britain's Greatest Statesman
Passes From Sleep to Death

Associated Press Special Wire
+ LONDON, May 1S.-According to \
\ special dispatch from Hawarden, re- 4
4 ceived this morning, Mr.. Gladstone 4
4 is sinking rapidly. The correspond 4
= ent says: \
4 HE lies on a small iron bed, peace 4
= fully sleeping away into the land of \
+ shadows. The family are all sitting 4
Z around him, or moving noiselessly in =
= and out. 1t is pathetic scene that \
4 is being enacted this gloomy night. 4
Late last evening all the servants =
4 of the household were admitted to the 4
4 sick room for final farewell.
4 They found Mr.. Gladstone lying on !
4 his right side in a deep sleep, as If \
4 dead. Each in turn touched his hand \
= and left the room tearfully. 4
"Mr. Dobie doubts that his patient \
= was conscious at any time on Tues =
day, though he said Yes and Mo- \
4 nor does the physician believe that =
= Mr.. Gladstone recognized any one 4
+ Nevertheless, he suffered no pain 4
= whatever, but just lay with his head \
facing the light his eyes closed, his
hands sometimes outside the counter =
+ pane and sometimes hidden beneath. =
His grand face bears a most peace
4 full and beautiful look. A few days =
4 ago the deeply marked wrinkles that 4
4 SO long marked 1t were almost gone, =
but now, strangely enough, they 4
4 seem strong and deep as ever. He \
looks. too, in wonderfully good color" \
+ A bulletin at 8 o'clock Tuesday =
\ morning afforded the first intimation =
\ of the serious condition of the pa =
\ tient. For some hours no additional 4
= information became public, but there =
= were indications that crisis had \
+ been reached. The little village post \
4 office from which the telegraph wires +
4 run was suddenly manned by a staff y
4 to work the special instruments which 4
= had been silenced since they were 4
= fitted up last Saturday in readiness +
\ for the emergency. During the day 4
= wherever one went, one would hear 4
= general expressions Of deep regret \
4 among the working people at Hawar- 4
= den, Sandycroft, another village sit 4
= uated at the foot Of the gentle slope, 4
4 and at Chester. 4
\ a. m.-Dr. Hasbershon arrived at \
= . o'clock this morning The rain has 4
= continued to fall at intervals through 4
<out the night. Villagers have been =
+ coming singly and In groups of two 4
= or three, entering the castle gates to y
4 glance silently at the rain-beaten 4
\ scrap of paper which is the latest +
y bulletin, and then as silently return +
= Ing to the gate, hundred yards away +
4 and disappearing into the darkness 4
\ only to return later. At this hour \
4 many are collected to gaze in UNI +
= broken silence at the castle lights.
= DR.. Habershon has just retired, =
= from which it is inferred that nothing 4
\ in the nature of an immediate COL \
= lapse is expected
= His physicians think Mr.. Gladstone 4
= will never speak again. At this hour 4
4 he Is in deep sleep, while the men, 4
4 bers of the family are keeping UP the =
+ final vigil besids the dying states 4
4 man.
\ NEARING THE END \
\ HAWARDEN. May IS. 7:45 a. ma 4
\ bulletin has just been issued, stating +
4 that Mr. Gladstone remained in the \
\ same quiet and slightly improved \
4 state until 4:30 this morning, when his \
4 strength again diminished and his +
\ pulse became imperceptible. 1t was \
4 thought he might soon pass away, but 4
he has again rallied and is now Sleep +
ing peacefully. \