The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1902-09-11
Former Governor of the
District of Columbia
Suddenly Taken Ill.
WIFE WIFE STARTS FOR HIS BEDSIDE
Feared That He Is Suffering
From Acute Appendicitis.
DID MUCH FOR WASHINGTON
Lifted the City @out of the Mud" and
Made Possible It's Present Magnih-
cence-Long and Perilous Journey TO
His Present Residence.

ceuce-Long and PeriiouS Journey TO
His Present Residence.
Alexander R Shepherd. formerly ter
ritoriaI GoyerEor of the District, and
who is credited with having lifted
Washington out Of the mud" is serious
" III in Mexico, where he has been en-
gagged in silver mining for .over. twenty
years past.
News OF his illness was first received
in Washington late last night by Mrs
Shepherd, his wife, who. with her daugh-
ter. Mrs. Frank Merchant, has been re-
siding in this city for several months
past. y telegram from Batepilas. a
small mining toxn in the heert OF the
Sierre Madre Mountains. stated that
her husband was i'll with a fever com
mon to Mexico
Appendicitis Feared.
Mrs. Shepherd Immediately laid plans
TO leave washington 10 rejcin her bus-
band. It vas her intention TO 90 this
evening At O'Clock this morning.
however. q second telegram. annouae-
ing that appendicitis was feared and that
Mr. shepherd was in a serious condition.
was also received Mrs. Shepherd de-
cided to start at once. and IN company
with her daughter. Mrs. Merchant, wife
Of DR.. Francis T. Merchant, OF this city.
left the city about 9 O'Clock over 1he
Pennsylvania Railroad for FL Paso. Tex.
Dr. Merchant accompanied the ladies as
an escort
Hard Journey Ahead.
From the picturesque little frontier
city Of EI Paso Mrs. Shepherd and her
party will journey 10 Chiaauhau, the
+ canitaI OF The 5feztcan province q that
name. and IN which the silver Mining
4 town OF Batopflas. where her husband
T lies i'll. is located. From Chihuahua the
! party will take wagon train and travel
for five days up the foothills Of the
Sierra Madre Mountains Mules viii
then BE secured and a climb directly
into the heart Of the mountains be-
gun
The trail is exceedingly narrow IN
many places so narrow that two mules
! cannot pass each other and a single mis-
step would plunge the luckless rider seR-
/ eraI thousand feet down the mountain
( side 20 sure death.
Trip Requires Ten Days
i It was Mrs. Shepherds hope. expressed
/ before leaving. that she. would be able
TO reach her husband within ten days.
although it is probable that the journey
will require twelve
Grant Shepherd, son of the ex-sov-
ernor. did not accompany his mother but
remains in Washington to pack up the
household goods Mr. Shepherd recently
underwent severe surgical operation
and is still in a weakened condition For
! this reason it was deemed best that ne
not undertake the arduous journey, al
/ though he was extremely anxious 20
make IL He viii remain in constant
! communication wish Mrs Shepherd and
with his iafhe~. and II the caze grows
mere serious vii start fer DE zfco him
self.
Expected to Return Here.
Mrs. Shepherd and her daughter. Mrs.
Merchant. have been residing at their
country residence. Bleak Eoz- on The
Seventh Street Road, about =. miles
cut from the city and u. Silver
Spring, Mrs Shepherd wa. her
husband in Mexico for OF
years. She returned TO the . lited
States about ye@r ago, Stopping in
California for awhile before coming on
10 Wash:ngtea- Il was expected that
ex-G Governor Shepherd would also re-
turn to civilization. rejo.n his wife in
this city and spend the remaining years
ss bis life in this city enjoying a we'll
earned rest in the city he IS credited
with having made beautiful. In fact,
on March y o. ths present year The
Times. received a letter from Mr. Slep-
he.d at Batopilas relative 10 The plans
Of the Park Commission for the 5eeGti-
fcatfcn OF Washington. in which be
said in part Of his intended return 70
this city
Ny coming out is uncertain. though
the longing and desire to 90 so are
great: but it is in the future entirely.
OF his interest in Washington. Mr.
Shepherd added:
I am deeply alive 10 the adoTnment
of cur erani Capital which I wish To
see the eCeen city O. the world. as
believe Il will be during this century.
4 MlSundeTSlCCc t1GA 4
Mr.. shepherd viii probably be know
TO history as the most UlisuDderstok -
nan who ever lived in Washington. IS
drastic plans. which have earned the
, divided appreciation Of late years -
with every kind of opposition 80
contemporaries of the old WASH .s=.|s.
and. instead Of praise being E=sz|
, upon h.m then fos his unusual
tanI energy. he was uuspari
cised- Time alone has been =sszss=ss
I dicate his actions. and th1
! shown in many features
Continued on Secozt