The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-03-14

tions, which at that hour were As every
minute, quickly increased until at noon
the patient was breathing at the rate Of
60 respirations each minute This rapid
respiration continued without appreciable
change until il terminated suddenly with
death.
The first really fatal symptoms of the
case manifested their appearance a short
time after midnight Tuesday morning. At
that time General Harrison began to lapse
into condition of semi-consciousness
This was broken for an instant Tuesday
afternoon, when the general opened his
eyes, and with a faint smile recognized
his aunt, Mrs. Newcomer, calling her by
name. This was declared by Private Sec
retary Tibbott TO have been the only oc-
casion when General Harrison was able to
articulate distinctly after he showed the
first signs of lapsing into Inconsistencies.
An affecting incident OF the last day was
the arrival at the bedside OF the dying man
of Mrs. Morrison. his younger sister, about
an hour before the end came. General Har-
rison was especially fond Of Mrs Morrison,
and the pathos OF her meeting with the be-
loved brother, who could not recognize her
in any way, was exceedingly trying to the
sympathies of those who witnessed the
scene.
During the last hour the decline of the
patients condition assumed an alarming
rapidity. Hitherto he had sunk steadily
but gradually, and changes could scarcely
be noted even at intervals of an hour. The
first unmistakable token of the actual pres
ence of death was in the almost instantan-
eous cessation Of respiration. Drs. Jameson
and Dorsey quickly felt the pulse at the
wrist, and. finding no sign of activity there.
applied their ears to the chest in vain en-
deavor to discover signs. even of the faint
est. showing the presence of vitality.
FELL LIKE A KNELL.
The great mans physical organism had
been stopped and the words of the chief
physician. General Harrison is dead" fell
like knell upon the ears of the watchers
standing about For a few minutes silence
hung like pail over the room which held
all that was mortal of him who had not so
long ago been the foremost man in all the
land. Then came the outburst of grief
from a newly made widow, grief that had
been so long pent up that IL must have an
outlet A ray of sunshine suddenly lit up
the awful gloom of the place. 1t was the
prattle of the babe whose little hand had
that of her father, now lying dead before
her. He would never again take the little
one down town to see 1.-The pretty things in
the store windows" but with the ignorance
of sorrow that happily belongs to childhood
| she could know naught of this, and. there
fore, babbled artlessly on as if death had
| not entered the room before her very eyes.
The child helped The mother to bear up
row laid upon her.
| General Harrison's last hours of life were
marked by as unremitting care and atten-
! ton was possible TO human beings. For
| two days and two nights his physicians.
| Drs. jameson and Dorsey. scarcely left his
bedside for instant. The nurses, Misses
| Keen and Paris. were both i'm the. room
simultaneously about half of the time Each
| attended the patient eighteen hours out of
every twenty-four with resting spells of
| five or ten minutes at intervals of two or
| three hours. Besides the watchfulness of
| the physicians and nurses. which rivaled
! that of the closest relatives or friends. the
| heroic wife of the sick man lowered ever
| near his side, eager to find some way In
which she might afford him relief Then.
too. friends and neighbors OF the family
| were at all times within the house or in
easy reach ready and willing 20 do all that
was possible for the man they esteemed so
highly.
LITTLE FOLKS AT DOOR
| The love OF General Harrison for children
and their affection for him was beautifully
/ demonstrated by the scores OF little folks
| who came TO the door of the silent mansion
| during the day yesterday and made anxious
| inquiry about their great friend. Children
| playing in the street in front OF the Har-
| rison residence in the afternoon were
among the first TO hear of the generals
death, and as quickly as their young minds
comprehended the import Of the news they
lost their air of gayety and stole silently
away 10 their homes. Everywhere in the
city the information received with evil
dences OF the deepest sorrow. People In all
stations OF life seemed 10 feel that in the
death OF the ex-Presdent they had lost a
genuine friend. The fire b lis with their
solemn Changing. conveyed the news at 5
o'clock 10 many who had not heard
otherwise. The grief OF citizens was gem
eral and heartfelt. The death OF no man In