The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1899-11-01
Mr.. HOBART TO RETIRE
Formal Announcement That BE Ia
Done With Public Life.
NOT TO RETURN TO WASHINGTON.

His Family and Physicians Give Out q
Statement Regarding tho Stricken
Vice Presidents Illness-In No Con-
dition to Resume Political Work.
Paterson, N. j., Nov. 1.-The follow
ing statement of the origin and de-
yelopment Of the Illness of Vice Presi-
dent Hobart is authorized by his family
and by the physicians who have at
tended him:
There are several reasons why the
exact nature Of the vice presidents
malady has been withheld from the
public. In the first place the family
have desired to reserve to itself the
privilege Of retaining such facts as
were OF private nature, at the same
time recognizing the right Of the pub
Lie to accurate information In the case
of an invalid holding high public Of.
fee. Moreover. there were reasons
connected with the vice presidents
relations with the government which
prompted similar policy. This was
done, however. not for the purpose OF
secrecy, but to avoid embarrassment.
In addition the effect of publicity upon
the vice presidents health had to be
considered. He was a diligent reader
of the newspapers and 1t was observ-
ed that the alarming reports which
crept into the papers and there met the
vice presidents eye had a most I'M
favorable effect.
1.-THE illness of the vice president
may be said to date from the fall of
1898, prior to his return to Washing
ton in November. At that time his
physicians observed symptoms Of en-
barrassed respiration, with frequent
attacks of angina pectoris. This con-
dition responded readily to treatment
and when the vice president went to
Washington in the latter part of Mo-
vember he was in good health. He
was making favorable progress until
In January he became victim of the
grip. Following this there was re-
turn of the heart trouble, accompanied
with signs of degeneration. On the
last day of the session of the senate
the strain and excitement of delivers
ing the closing speech were so great
that he was on the verge of a COL
lapse.
"A few weeks after, toward the mid
die of March, the vice president and his
family went to Townsville, Ga, to
visit Senator Hanna. The fatigue of
the trip affected Mr.. Hobart very un-
favorably and his condition was fur
Their impaired by the intense heat and
humidity then prevailing. AS soon as
possible he was taken to Long Branch,
where progress toward recovery was
not made at the rate that was antici-
pated, and a trip to Lake Champlain
fastened rather than retarded the
course of his disease. Since then his
system has not responded to the min
istrations Of his physicians and the
critical condition of the last few days
has been the result.
1T is apparent from this statement
that the vice president is in no condi-
ton to resume his political duties at
Washington. His family desires, there
fore, to announce that he will not re-
turn to Washington, nor will he again
take part in public affairs. His con-
dition today is such that fatal result
may ensue at any moment or his pres
ent condition may be indefinitely pro-
longed."
At midnight it was announced that
Vice President Hobart had passed a
very comfortable day. He has taken
an interest in affairs, has been very
cheerful and enjoyed a natural sleep.
He himself says that it was one of
best days he has passed in week.