Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1901-03-14

Indianapolis, March 14.-Benjamin
Harrison, former president of the Uni
/ ted States, died at his home in this
city at a quarter before 5 o'clock yes
terday afternoon. His life, crowned
with honors of war and state, was
ended by disease swift and terrible.
He died without pain after many
hours of unconsciousness and deli
rium.
1t is only six days since the disease
began which, developing into pneu-
monia, closed SO suddenly the years
of useful activity and high thought
that followed the retirement of Mr..
harrison from the greatest Office III
the gift of his fellow citizens. He
himself had looked forward to many
more years of service, and to quiet
and peaceful old age amid the com
forts of the home life which had al
ways been dear to him. Nor had the
members of his family nor the public
had any warning that the end was so
near.
Those at His Bedside.
Around the bedside of the great
American as he lay dying was a group
composed of his brothers and sisters,
his physicians and few intimate
friends. All day long they had been
watching and waiting for the sum
mons which would tell them that the
limit of the sick mans strength had
been reached.
From early in the morning it was
we'll understood that the end could
mot be far aft. A restless night left
Mr.. Harrison in a very weak AID
/ lhausted condition. He could not en-
dure stimulants. The oxygen that
was being forced into his lungs did
little good except to prolong his life
la little while. and his weakness in
Icreased from hour to hour.
4 Still the magnificent physical strug
gle against the disease was kept up
and tho the patients breathing was
harsh and labored. tho each breath
evldently racked his body as it came
it was not till few minutes before
death that a breakdown was evident
Daughter Sent Away.
The physicians noticed the change
: and the relatives and friends were
} Iquickly brought to the room. None o
Both Colonel Russell Harrison ant
Mrs. Mckee We're at the moment hur
i 1ying on trains from their homes tt
i this city, and little Elizabeth the chilt
; of his old age, had been sent from tht
loom to save her eyes the sad anc
| painful sight.
} Mrs. Harrison, the generals wife
Mrs. Elizabeth Eaton. and Mrs. Morri
son of Minneapolis, two of his sisters
Rev. M. l.. Haines. pastor of the FRS
Presbyterian church, which the dyins
man had for so many years attended
former Attorney General w H. II
Miller. Samuel Miller, his son, Secre
Itary Tibbett, Drs. Jameson and Dor
sey, Colonel Daniel Ransdell and Cliff
ford Arrick were there.
Wife Holds His Hand.
[ To the right of the bed knelt Mrs
Harrison, holding her husbands righ
; hand in hers. To the left was DR.
, Jameson, holding the left hand ant
) counting the feeble pulsebeats.
The group waited in silence for jus
a few moments. Then there was
gasp. the last struggle for breath, ant
DR.. jameson signed to those arount
him that all was over. The silenc
was broken by the voice of Dr. Haine
raised in prayer, and pleading for con
ISOLATION to the bereaved wife and fam
lly.
Funeral for Sunday.
, The funeral will take place Sunda,
afternoon at o'clock. The service
, will be in the First Presbyterian
church, of which General Harrison
was member for almost fifty years
Rev. DR.. NJ L. Haines will be il
i, charge. Burial will he in Crown Hill
/ cemetery, aud the generals grave vii
be close to that of his first wife, whicI
rests at The base of the unimposin
family monument.
Saturday the body will lie in stat
at the capitol where it can be seen b
J. all who come.
7 Fuller Has Not DecIoned.
: T., A -