The Washington times., 1901-09-14
cause the cause of the trouble could be

because the cause of the trouble could be
removed.
They evidently had no suspicious of the
crisis that was so near. Had it beer
otherwise. they would hardly have lef,
the house, and yet Dr. Mann. in talking
of the Presidents condition with a per
son of the Presidents household just be-
fore he left for his own home for the
night, again referred to the President $
fatigue He is very, very tired said
DR.. Mann.
Dr. Stockton had not been called into
the case before. In addition to very high
reputation. he is very skilled in stomach
troubles If it were the Presidents storu
ach that was at fault, there were all scrts
of possibilities, vomiting for instance.
which presented themselves to the lay
mind as altogether fearful to contem-
plate.
There was one thing in connection with
the turning in of the 1890 bulletin. En-
couraging as were the words the bulletin
caused some uneasiness. When Mr.. Cor
telyou was asked after the bulletin was
issued if there would be another before
O'Clock in the morning, the usual hour
he hesitated.
Well he said finally, IF l were you
! would not go away"
With that he went back into the house
and what turned out to be literally a
death watch. with the fatal news expected
every minute for hour after hour. began.
The night was warm and muggy. and
by / o'clock heavy rain had set in 1t
was dreary enough in the newspaper
camp across the way. The sentries, with
their long ponchos giistening with the
wet under the electric light, steadily
paced their beats to and fro all about the
house. The policemen two blocks away
in every direction stood doggedly at their
posts and took the storm as it came.
In the tents and the election booths
turned into newspaper and telegraph OFF,
ces, the telegraph instruments kept up
steady buzz. the only sound to be heard
anywhere about the place. save now and
then a subdued rumble of a belated car
riage or tine faint jingle of remote troll
ley car bell.
II was not until o'clock that the first
stir Of what was to be the most exciting
and critical season of the Presidents ILL
ness. up to that time, began. At that hour
servant came rushing out of the house
and made for an automobile standing at
the corner The newspaper reporters
swarmed after him.
Where are you going?" he was asked.
Just down town. was the reply. and
he went off at a swift pace down Delaware
Avenue. In a few moments he returned
with DR.. Park. who bore evidences of
having hastily gotten into his clothing.
BY this time there was a great stir in
the house. 1t was plain everybody had
been aroused. In a few moments Drs.-
Mann and Mynter came dashing up as
fast as their vehicles could carry them.
Drs Wasdin and Stockton and Rixey
had not left the house that night. All the
ph-sicisr5, save DIR. McBurney, who had
left @n, were now in attendance. Secre-
tarics Hitchcock and Wilson and Mr.. Abb
ner Mckinley and Col w. C. Brown next
appeared
At 2:S0 the bulletin was issued which
told OF the gravity of the crisis. Start
ling as it was. it was reassuring, com
pared with what reached the watchers
without the house from the watchers
within.
1t was known that the Presidents life
was hanging by thread. He had but
family responded to the stimulants which
had been administered. He was weak al
most to the point of the last gasp.
Messengers had came out with tele-
grams summoning Cabinet officers and all
others whose presence here. in view of the
calamity apparently SO near at hand. was
deemed necessary. 1t was now raining.
and anxious gr'nups stood about on the
sidewalks and in the middle of the street,
talking in low tones. For a long time
no word came from the house.
If ever there was an occasion when no
news was good news. it was then. A d.
rect communication made to the news
papers at that crisis it was well under
stood, could be of but one terrible fact.
AS long as nobody took the pains to send
out anything for publication it was pretty
sure that there was still life and hope.
Finally. one person after another ap-
peared at the door of the house and
walked Gown the steps and along the
patch of tagging to the sidewalk. They
were only the anxious watchers within.
almost as little Informed as TO the state
Of affairs as the watchers without.
The news that the President still
alive and might even yet tide over the
peril was gladly received