Fort Mill times. [volume] (Fort Mill, S.C.) 1892-current, 1902-03-19
ALTGELD'S SUDDEN DEATH
Stricken at the Conclusion of a Pro-
Boer Speech.
HAD BEEN AILING FOR SOME TIME


Eocr Families in the Concentration
Cninps-His Record ns Governor of Ill
inois and In National Polite Sic
Pardoned the Chicago Anarchists.
Joliet, Ill.-,Iust after finishing an
address at the Opera House in behalf
Of the Boer women and children in the
South African concentration camps.
former Governor John l.. Altgcld was
taken suddenly i'll. and 1T 100 o'clock
a. III. he died. having been unconscious
for several hours
Mr. Altgcld had come to Joliet to
fulfill his engagement rs the principal
speaker ut the pro-Boer meeting ar
ranged by the Chicago branch of the
Transvaal League. He had complained
ot some stomach trouble on his arrival.
but did not think of giving up his en-
EaGcment. Ii was noted during the
address that he threw an unusual
amount of energy and feeling into his
words, and the collapse. the physicians
think. resulted from ovcrSti; ining his
already weakened physical powers.
Just ut the close OF his speech Il sud-
den dizziness seized him, and he was
assisted from the stage. The meeting
proceeded. the audience not realizing
what had happened. Mr.. Altgeld WAS
taken To the door of the theatre, where
he had several vomiting spells. This
continued for nearly an hour, and
was 50 pronounced he could not be
removed TO the hotel!
Physicians were hastily summoned
and later Mr.. Altgcld was carried
to the hotel across the street. He r2-
tanned consciousness and urged the
newspaper men to keep the affair quiet
Tor fear of alarming his wife Shortly
before midnight he became uncon-
scious
He remained Al. this condition until.
at 3.41 Il. m., 1t was thought he had
died, but he revived, ard from that
time until shortly before the end he
showed wonderful vitality. although
6e made no move. The cause of death
is given rs cerebral hemorrhages, there
having been an apoplectic seizure OF
the brain.
Clarence Darrow. the Chicago law
partner of Mr.. Altgcld came to Joliet
and took charge of the body. The
body was embalmed and taken TO Chi
cago.
Governor, WAS Frustrated by the shock
of the news from Joliet Grave appre-
hension for her welfare is felt. as she
has been in delicate health for two
years. Mr.. Altgcld left no children.
John Peter Altgcld was horn in Ger
many in December. 1917. and was
brought to this country when an infant,
his parents settling near Mansfield
Ohio. He was educated in the public
schools. entered the Union Army rs Il
private ut the age of sixteen and fought
ms such until the close of the war;
taught school and studied law in Mis-
souri,. being admitted to the bar there
In 1859. He was elected States Attor-
ney of Andrew County In 1874. an
office he resigned in 1875 and moved to
Chicago.
He was an unsuccessful candidate
for Congress from that city in 1881.
was made judge OF the Superior Court
Of Chicago in 1856. and was Governor
Of Illinois in 1S93-97. He ran as indie
pendent candidate for Mayor of Chi
caSo in 1899. and was defeated. He
VAS the author of several books. among
them Our Penal Machinery and Its
Victims" and Live Questions"
Altgcld was n Democrat. but not
bound by party ties. lie was warm
supporter of Mr.. Bryan in 1890. and it
was said during the campaign that i'm
case of NJ. E"Yan'S election AltGcld
was sure OF Il Cabinet position or Il
place on the United States Supreme
Court if Il vacancy occurred thereon
His most notable act rs Governor.
and which fixed the attention Of the
nf
Fielding, Schwab and Nccbc the An
archiSts whose sentence to death for
the IIaymarkct square murder of pol
licemen had been commu;cd by Gov
crnor Ogicsby to imprisonment for life.
Mr. Altgcld was at one time very
wealthy. but he lost most of his prop
erty hy ulfortunatc inYeStmcnts