Omaha daily bee., 1901-01-21
HOW HER ILLNESS BEGAN
Evil Tidinss of south African War
Precipitate Queens breakdown
Butler Never Forgiven.

| MS exclusive ana now 1ully atteSted IN
formation during the past weeks has been
obtained. The queens strong constitution
manifested the first symptoms OF serious
decay during her stay at the court of Wind
sor, November and December, 1899, when
the evil tidngs OF the South African war
came In rapid succession. Butler, before
| leaving, had assured the queen his cam
paign would be "difflcult but not danger
GUS" so the news OF reverson came upon
her with added severity. She never forgave
Butler. and when his name was submitted
| for his command to visit Windsor after
his return she stroked 1t through with her
pen. At this time the queen first had the
fits OF crying which In an aggravated form
preceded her present critical Illness. The
excitement over her Irish visit. which.
despite everything stated to the contrary.
was her own idea. seemed to revive her,
but before her visit ended the reaction
set in.
Lives in n Dream.
The public. however. was hoodwinked by
| the accounts OF her alleged replies to ad-
dresses and other evidences OF mental ac-
tivity, when in reality the queen lived
as in a dream. For instance, she was re-
ported to have made an animated reply
to the address presented her at Mount
| AnNlIIe convent, DuDllu, NHtituos hi Sht
said was the dazed inquiry: Where am
~" Her spirits revived in her Highland
home under the influence of Roberts
achievements but the death OF Prince
Christian Victor, the hopeless reports con-
oerning the Empress Frederick and the
prospect of an indefinite prolongation OF
the war constituted n trial under which
In November her health began to suffer.
But stll her spirit remained undaunted
and when 1t was reported that Kruger
said the war would claim her as one OF It's
victims the queen declared: II may die,
but MIR. Kruger won't kill me-"
December's feebleness rapidly increased
Sleepiess nights we're passed in prayers
and tears. The situation caused profound
anxiety. During her encourage she lost
appetite and began TO shrivel away, pre-
sentng for the first time all the character
istics of senile decay. II had always been
a source Of wonder to her physicians that
with her great appetite and physique she
had escaped an apoplectic stroke, but this
time the falling away on the left side and
the loss OF power OF her left arm and les
caused apprehension OF approaching paraly
sis So alarming was her condition at the
beginning OF December that the royal
family was precluded from going on tho
continent. The change to Osborne did not
work the benefit anticipated, as the wal
news and the illness OF the Empress Fred
erick became an obsession with the queen
who suffered with increasing frequenc,
from depression and crying She was con.
stantly referring to the death of the duke
OF Saxe-Coburg and expressed a wish tt
see the duchess, who accordingly was
; brought to Osborne. but ut the first inter
view the duchess left the queen prostratet
to ~ l..s Id, A.l
with the duchess as companion Tuesday
last On her return in her carriage tho
queen was asleep, In which condition she
was taken to bed, from which she did MOI
afterward arise. Or. Pasenstccher, whc
was attending Somerset for an eye injury
was summoned to Osborne, as the queer
suffered acutely from her eyes, owing tC
her constant crying. Pagenstecher mad,
a general examination Wednesday, wher
he reported the queen had nothing organ
ically wrong, but was suffering only from
nervous exhaustion
Harps ON the War.
Still she harped on the war and Cham
, berlain was commanded to go to Osborn,
to console her. His efforts were fruitless
r 1t Is said the queen abruptly closed tn,
( audience, directing subsequently that Rob
) erts be invited. Roberts interview Tues
day was more prolonged. Then the queer
, went for the drive with the duchess o
, Coburg, already mentioned. fortnigh
r before Sir Francis Laking, without tn
4 knowledge of the public. was assisting 81
, James Reid Osborne, and on Thursday 81
Douglas Powell, a famous heart and lunl
specialist, was summoned, owing to tw
attacks OF heart failure during Wednes
, day night. The condition of the queen nov
las Oh hn nj aytn
:, Wales, in order to prevent suspicion, wen
to the Roberts dinner and subsequently T.
the theater Thursday night. On Thursda
the queen had a stroke of paralysis, sine
which she has been in coma atose or semi
q comatose condition, occasionally asking
''Is the war over?"
Today 1t was denied the queen had
stroke and it was reasserted that nothin
:, was wrong beyond her extreme nervous ex
e haustioL and debility. AT consultation a
n 1:l5 tonight the state doctors agreed tina
Il forty eight hours would probably decide tn
issue. Princess Beatrice has remained
a deeply afflicted condition as was plainl
4 observable at the ceremony at Whittinghai
church today. The prince Of Wales onl
:, saw the queen ten minutes on his arrive
Saturday and the same period before hi
departure for London to meet the kaise
|
Beatrice is the only member Of the famil!
a according to reports from the sick room
a whom the queen plainly knew.
. The kaiser arrived at Charing Cross wit
!, the duke OF Connaught at $40 tonight.
g Wales and Kaiser Meet.
e The kaiser was dressed in a long dar
u ulster, with black derby hat He Wi
q received by the prince Of Wales in Il
= royal salon, kissing him on both cheek
There was an immense crowd outside Il
station and along the north side OF Trafa
gar square. As the carriage drove
all heads were barred, but not a sound ro
from the multitude. The silence was deep
Q impressive and testified to the UNIVERSAL
OF the feeling of grief at the immine
dissolution Of the aged queen. The kais
is said to have wept as he saluted Il
prince OF Wales and a distressing scel
occurred as he embraced the princess, VI
received him at the Marlborough hous
= The kaiser came on his own initiative.
I his mother was too Ill to undertake q
I Journey After dinner disquieting news W
] said to have been received by telepho
\ from Cowes, as the German embassad
4 left the Marlborough house hurriedly I
! the embassy, whence dispatche were il