The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1902-12-07
T. B. REED is DEAD
Cx-sPEAKER PASSED AWAY AT
WASHINGTON.
WAS JUST AFTER MIDNIGHT
THAT THE END TO HIS BRIEF ILL.,
NESS CAME.

inRfOn HOtel-Durtng the Day ne
Had Been Conscious and Had Con-
versed With Those About Him.
About an Hour Before He Died He
ReIapsed Into state of Coma
Extreme Measures Proved of no
AvniI-Sketch of His Career.
washington, Dec. 6.-Thomas Brack-
eft Reed, former Speaker of the House
of Representatives, and for many
wears prominent in public life, died
here tonight at 1910 o'clock in his
apartment in the Arlington Hotel. The
Immediate cause of death was urae-
mia.
A change for the worse was noted in
Mr.. Reeds condition early this morn
ing. At $3.50 o'clock he was given
subcutaneous saline TRANSMISSION In or
der to stimulate his kidneys, wnlcn
were failing to perform their proper
function.
At 3 o'clock this afternoon saline So
lution was again administered, about
three quarts of fluid being used. The
heart became weaker and weaker. out
the patient retained consciousness un-
til IL o'clock tonight, When coin-
plete coma came on.
Az the bedside when he died were
Mrs. Reed and Miss Catherine Reed,
Drs. Gardner, Mcdonald. Bishop ana
Goodnow and the nurses. DIR. Good
now, who had been in consultation
with the local physicians THURSDAY,
was again summoned from Philadel-
mia this afternoon and arrived here
at $50 tonight.
Wife and Daughter There.
Mr.. Reeds mind was in such a state
L l. Il mi
the seriousness of his condition. he
was cheerful and conversed with those
about his bedside. When it became
apparent that he would not survive his
illness, his wife and daughter were
notified, and they remained constant
ly at his bedside until the distinguish
ed patient breathed his last.
With only faint hope of saving Mr..
Reeds life, oxygen was administered
continuously throughout the day.
1t was stated tonight that Mr.. Reed
had been suffering from Bright's dis
ease for some time, which reached the
acute stage to-day, and this furnish
ed an additional cause for alarm. Mr..
Reed passed away peacefully and with
out pain.
No arrangements have been made
for the funeral. ~-,
Mr.. Reed reached Washington Sum
day, having come to attend to some
Court. He was at the Capitol Monday,
visiting friends and former associates
in Congress, and witnessed the con-
vening of the second session of the
Fifty-seventh Congress.
Apparently he was enjoying good
health, but later in the day he called
on DR.. f. A. Gardner and complained
of gastric distress. The following day
his physician compelled him to remain
in bed while a diagnosis was made of
his condition.
Didn't Want to Stay In Bed.
Mr.. Reed was strongly averse to
staying i'll bed. but a rise in tempera-
ture made it imperative that he re-
main quiet. Symptoms of appendicitis
appeared, though his condition was not
considered at that time as alarming.
A trained nurse remained with him
throughout Tuesday night, and the pa
tient showed signs of improvement.
Mrs. Reed and daughter, Miss Kittie,
arrived Wednesday and have remained
with Mr.. Reed at the Arlington Hotel
since.
On Thursday the physicians an
nounced that the appendicitis symp
toms were abating, but that kidney
trouble had developed, giving a more
serious aspect to the case. DR.. w. c.
Goodnow was summoned from Phila-
delphia for consultation. An attack
of nausea Friday night distressed the
patient considerably because Of his
weakened condition.
To-day's bulletins offered little or no
encouragement.
Thomas Bracket Reed was born
Oct Is, 1899, in Portland, Me. He re-
ceived his early education in the COM
mon schools and graduated from Bow
doin College in 1862 winning one of
the highest honors, the prize for ex-
cellence in English composition. The
next four years he taught and studied
law, and the fifth year he spent as
acting assistant paymaster in the
United States navy, serving on the
''tn-clad" Sybil, which patrolled I'M
eventually the Mississippi, Cumberland
and Tennessee rivers. He, was dis
charged in 1865, returned to Portland,
passed the bar and entered upon the
practice of law. In 1868 he vas elect
ed as a Republican to the State Leg
islature, reelected in 1869, and made
state senator in 1870, from which po-
sition he passed to that of attorney
general of the state the same year.
Retiring from this office after -four
years solicitor of the city or Portland
in September, 1876, he was elected to
the Forty-fifth Congress. This Can
gress assembled December, 1877. IN
April of the next year he acquired
prominence by his speech against thu
payment of damages by the United
States for injuries received by William
and Mary College at the hands of the
United States troops during the war.
The subsequent policy of the govern
ment in relation TO war claims was
largely determined by the defeat of
this measure, to which Mr.. Reed con-
siderably contributed. He also took
conspicuous part in the proceedings OF
the committee appointed TO investigate
the election of President Hayes in
1876. In the Forty-sixth Congress
his skill as a debater was recognized,
and during this Congress he made a
set speech In defense of United States
marshals at elections in the South. AS
chairman of the Judiciary Committee
he Influenced the passage by the For
V-seYenth Congress OF the Dill dis
tributing the balance OF the Geneva
award. In the Forty-ninth and FIJI
ueth Congresses he was rendered the
complimentary nomination 20 the
hpeakership. In the Ffty-hrst Con
Eress, the Republican party having a.
aimed the ascendancy, he was elected
speaker on the first ballot, Early u
his standardization OF the ONCE
much opposition was made bS
NE minority 70 the enforcement Of
what Mr.. Reed conceived 20 be his con'
fututioaal right 20 count member
present in the House and participating