Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1902-03-13
Taken Suddenly III, Tuesda,
Night, at Joliet, III.
Never Regained Consciousness, Pass.
ing Away EARLY Wednesday.
Stricken at End Of Speech at a Pro
Boer Meeting.

MI AilSeiu was the principal speak
er at a pro-Boer mass meeting. Tues
day night. in the Joliet theatre.
Just at the close of his speech. n 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
several vomiting spells seized him.
This continued for nearly an hour
and was so pronounced that he was
removed to the hotel.
Physicians were hastily summoned
and MIR. Altgeld was carried to the no.
tel across the street. He retained con-
seriousness and urged the newspaper
men to keep the affair quiet for fear
Of alarming his wife. Shortly before
midnight he became unconscious. He
remained in this condition until death.
At 3.42 Wednesday morning, it was
thought that he had died, but he re-
vived and from that time until shortly
before the end, showed wonderful vi
tally. although he made no move.
The medical men here had a banquet,
Tuesday night, at which DR.. J. B. Her.
rick of the Rush Medical College of
Chicago, delivered a lecture on heart
disease. he and other physicians were
called from the banquet to attend the
patient. They remained with him the
rest of the night. When the end came
they worked his arm vigorously to re-
vive respiration, but to no purpose.
The cause of his death is given as cere-
bral hemorrhages, there having been
an apoplectic seizure of the brain.
The vomiting at first was taken to
indicate ptomaine poisoning, but it was
determined this was due to different
manifestations of the brain trouble.
The physicians desire to hold a post
norton, if relatives will agree.
While the Rev. J. A. J. Whipple was
addressing the crowd, Mr.. Altgeld
arose from his seat on the stage and
walked hurriedly to the wings. Reach
ing there, he fell to the floor. Rev. Mr.
Whipple's address was interrupted,
while a request was made for phySi-
clans. 1t was several minutes before
medical attention could be secured, as
there were no physicians in the audi
ence.
The stricken man was carried across
he partly regained consciousness at II
o'clock, but at midnight he had lapsed
into Inconsistencies again.
In his speech Mr.. Altgeld made a
forcible plea for the Boer women and
South Africa.
The speaker said that the people of
America had raised large sum of
money with which to relieve the dis
tress of the Boer women and children,
but were unable to send it to them be-
cause Lord Pauncefote, the British am
bassador at Washington, objected to it.
He further charged that Lord Paunce-
fote had for years meddled in Ameri-
can affairs.
Just before the beginning of the
Spanish war; the speaker said, Lord
Pauncefote, representing the aristoc-
racy, tried to unite the governments Of
Europe in making a joint protest
against Americas interference in be-
half of Cuba. But when the American
people asserted themselves and our
government was compelled to go to the
rescue of Cuba, England issued a
strong neutrality proclamation forbid
ding all of her subjects everywhere
from furnishing us any aid or doing
anything that would in any way be a
violation of the strictest neutrality
1t was a speech typical of the old
governor who had risen from the tow
path to the chief office of the state.
Death was at hand but his voice had
all the old fire and all the old sympathy
which had won him the hearts of many
people.
The meeting. Tuesday night was ar
ranged under the auspices of the Chi
cago branch of the American Trans
vaal League. The German, Swiss and
Italian societies were all represented
Mr.. Altgeld came to Joliet, Tuesday
afternoon, having been advertised as
the principal orator for the big Will
county pro-Boer meeting. He confess
ed that he was not in the best of health,
having been troubled with some APP
parently simple stomach ailment.
He was not willing to allow that to
interfere with his speech. however, the
interest in the South African trouble
having been heightened by the an
nouncement of the BOer success in cap
turing Gen. Methuen. 1t was noticed
during the address that the ex-gOver-
nor threw an unusual amount of en-
ergy and feeling into his words and
the collapse. the physicians think, re-
suited from overstraining his already
weakened physical powers.
Ever since the failure of the Globe
Savings Bank in 1896, in which he was
involved, Mr.. Altgeld had not been a
well man and for some months after
the Spalding crash it was feared that
his life was only a question of a short
time. Even when serving his last year
as governor his health was none too
good.
When it was learned that he was a
victim of locomotor ataxia his friends
gave him up.
Lately, however, the disease marked
him strongly and quite recently his APP
pearance caused grave fear and ankle
ty. His mind was just as clear and
active as of old, but though the spirit
was willing the flesh was weak.
Clarence Darrow.f lifelong friend,
and later a law partner of the ex-
governor, reached here, Wednesday
morning. He said that the governor
died as HI had lived, pleading the
cause of the lowly. Mr.. Altgeld, in the
speech which was fated to be his last,
declared that all friends of humanity
owed n debt of gratitude to Governor