Omaha daily bee., 1902-03-13
DEATH OF JOHN P, ALTCELD
Close Of Busy Life Follows Earnest Appeal
for Beers.
NOT CONSCIOUS AFTER PAINTING AT HALL
Sick Ma for Several Years and Ex-
itemen of Meeting Prove
Fstsl-state Pays OmciaI
Tribute.

JOLIET, Ill, March 12.-Former Governor
John p. Altgeld died in room SO, Hotel
Munroe, this morning at 1909 o'clock. He
had been unconscious since midnight.
Mr.. Altgeld was the principal speaker at
a pro-Boer mass meeting last night in the
Joliet theater. Just at the close of his
speech a sudden dizziness seized him and
he was assisted from the stage. The meet
ing proceeded, the audience not realizing
what had happened. Mr.. Altgeld was taken
to the door of the theater, where several
vomiting spells seized him. This continued
for nearly an hour and was so pronounced
he could not be removed to the hotel:
Physicians were hastily Summoned n
Mr.. Altgeld was carried to the hotel across
the street. He retained consciousness n
urged the newspaper man tn keep the affair
quiet for fear of alarming his wife. Shortly
before midnight he became unconscious.
He remained In this condition until death.
At 3:41 this morning 1t was thought he had
died, but he revived and from that time
until Just before the end ne showed wonder.
ful vitality, although he made no move.
Efforts of Physicians.
The medical men here had a banquet last
night, at which DR.. J. B. Herrtck Of the
Rush Medical college Of Chicago delivered
q lecture On Heart Disease" He and
other physicians we're called from the
banquet TO attend the patient. They re-
NAMED with him the balance Of the night.
When the end came they worked his arms
vigorously to rsvive respiration, but all TO
no purpose. The cause of death Is given as
cerebral hemorrhages, there having been
an apoplectic lesion of the brain.
The vomiting at first was taken to indicate
ptomalne poisoning, but 1t was determined
this was due to different manifestations OF
the brain trouble. The physicians desire to
hold a post-mortem, II relatives will agree
Mr.. Altgeld came to Joliet yesterday
afternoon, having been advertised as the
special orator for the big Will county pro-
| Boer meeting. He confessed that he was
not in the best Of health, having been
troubled with some apparently simple
stomach ailment.
Ha was not willing to allow that to inter-
fere with his speech, however, his great
interest In the South African struggle hav-
ing been heightened by the announcement
Of the Boer success in the capture OF Gen
eral Methuen.
Il was noticed during the address that
the former governor threw an unusual
amount of energy, and feeling into his
4 WOIQ9s Huu InG COAlaPoVs ~
think, resulted from overstralning his al
ready weakened physical powers
sick Man for Six Years.
Ever since the failure Of the Globe Saw
inss bank In 1896, in which he was in
voived, Mr.. Altgeld has not been a well
man, and for some months after the Spald-
ing crash 1t 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 q victim
of locomotor ataxia, his friends gave him
UP. But he rallied, although he was never
again his old vigorous self. Lately, how
ever, the disease marked him strongly, and
quite recently his appearance caused grave
forebodings and anxiety. His mind was
Just as clear and active as Of old, but
though his spirit was willing the flesh was
weak.
Clarence barrow. a lifelong friend and
later a law partner Of the former governor,
reached here this morning. He said that
the governor as he 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
a debt of gratitude to Governor Yates for
issuing a proclamation soliciting assistance
for the Boer women and children in their
concentration camps which the British are
maintaining In South Africa.
The body Of Ex-Governor Altgeld wal
taken this afternoon on a special train ovel
the Alton. for Chicago. A delegation o.
Joliet citizens accompanied the remains
The funeral cortege through the streets
was headed by the police department, Sew.
eral scores of Joliet citizens representing