Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1901-03-23
GEN. HARRISON
is NO MORE
Ex-President's Suffering Relieved
by Death Late Yesterday
Afternoon.
The END CAME At 4:45 p. N.
Death Occurred Before the Arrival
Of Any Of His Chill
dren.
The END CAME At 4:45 P.
LAST WORDS WERE FOR BOERs
His Dying Thoughts Were In Connection
with tho Struggle In South Africa
widespread Regret Over the Death
of the Ex-Prcsident.

Indianapolis, March 14.-General Har-
rison died at 4:45 o'clock yesterday at
ternoon without regaining conscious
ness. His death was quiet and painless,
there being a gradual sinking until the
end came, which was marked by a sin
gle gasp for breath as life departed
from the body of the great statesman.
The relatives, with a few exceptions,
and several OF his old and tried friends
were at the bedside when he passed
away.
The generals condition was SO bad in
the morning, after a restless night,
hat the end could not be far off, and
all the bulletins sent out from the sick
room were TO this effect, so that the
family and friends were prepared when
the final blow came. The gradual fail
Ing OF the remarkable strength shown
by the patient became more noticeable
In the afternoon. and n few moments
before the end there was an apparent
breakdown on the part of the sufferer
as he surrendered TO the disease
against which he had been so bravely
battling for so many hours. The change
was noticed by the physicians, and the
relatives and friends who had retired
from the sick room to the library be-
low were quickly summoned and
reached the bedside OF the general be-
fore he passed away.
Friends Oner Services.
News OF the death spread quickly
through the city, and several of the
more intimate friends at once hurried
10 the residence to offer services, which,
however, were not needed. The news
was flashed from the bulletin boards OF
all the newspapers and thus commu-
nicated to the people on their way
home In the evening. The ~nounc
ment produced the greatest sorrow,
nearly every one having nurtured the
hope that Genera Harrison would re-
cover. Within a few moments the flags
on all the public buildings n most of
the downtown business blocks were
hoisted at half-mast, and other out
ward manifestations OF mourning were
made.
None of Gen. Harrison's children was
present at his death. Neither Col. Rus
sell Harrison nor Mrs. Mckee had
reached the city, although both were
hurrying on their way to the bedside
OF their dying parent as fast as steam
would bear them.
EIHaDetn, the nttle had
been taken from the sick room by her
nurse before the end came.
A SorrowinG Group.
The group at the bedside included
Mrs. Harrison, w. II. II. Miller, Sam
uel Miller, his son; the Rev. NJ. l..
Haines, pastor OF the First Presbyter-
ian church, which Gen. Harrison had
attended for so MANI years; Secretary
Tibbetts. Drs. Jameson and Dorsey.
Col. Dan. Randalls, sergeant at arms OF
the United States senate and 81 close
friend OF the dead ex-president: elf
ford Arrtck, and the two nurses who
have been In constant attendance at
the bedside. Gen. Harrison's two sis
ters and an aunt were also present.
Mrs. Harrison kneeled at the right
hand side OF the bed, her husbands
right hand grasped In hers, while DR..
held the left hand of the dv-
Ing man, counting the feeble pulse
beats. In a few moments after the
friends had been summoned to the
the end came, DR.. Jameson IN
.nouncing the sad fact. The great ST.
that fell on the s%orrowing watch
ers by the bedside wes broken by the
voice OF DR.. Haines, raised in prayer,
consolation for the be-
wife and family, mingled with
the sobs OF the mourners.
Was Long Time Unconscious
General Harrison had been uncon-
scious for hours before his death. the
exact time when he passed into a COM
atose state being hard to determine.
spoke to no one yesterday, and
to recognize even his wife. The
part OF Tuesday, too, he was In
4 semi-comatose condition. although he
vas at times able to recognize those at
ais bedside.
At that time he recognized and spoke
Mrs. Newcomer, his aunt, who had
lust reached the house. He also spoke
.o.Mr. Miller, the words being very in
Instinct, however, only doctor and
my lungs" being understood. Almost
he last words he uttered were adj
to his wife, OF whom he in
Iuired, shortly before he became I'M
conscious, II the doctors were present.
)ne OF the most pathetic incidents of
he whole illness OF the general DC
,urred Tuesday before he became I'M
.onscious. The generals little daugh-
er Elizabeth was brought into the sick
DOM for q few moments to see her
ather md offered him a small apple
lie which she herself had made. Cen
Harrison smiled his recognition OF
he child and her gift, but the effort to
peak was too much and he could do
lOlillI6 hiOiC " CApltoo his dppieCId-
ion.
Yesterday all efforts to arouse the
lowly dying man to consciousness F.,
allied and he died without n word OF
to any OF the loved ones
Who surrounded him. t,
True Friend OF the Beers.
From one who was present at the
en- thbed ii Is learned that the allega-
Ions OF cruelty and injustice dealt out {
England to the Beers J. their strug-
lie for liberty had been n subject for |
in the min OF General Har- {
Ison. To his friends he had often /
poke OF the pity and shame, as he
iewed 1T, that the brave and sturdy 6
armers OF South Africa should be I
obbed of their country, of all they
ave In the world, md forced to submit
terrible m.series In resisting the OPP {
OF q world power. {