Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1903-07-25
POPE'S SUFFERING ENDED
Roman Pontiff Breathcd Ills Last sion.
day Afternoon.
CAME INA PARoxYSM OF CHOKING.
There Had Been Almost Hourly Anticipation
of Final Collapse Sine: Sunday Morning.
When the Doctors Abandoned All Hope an1
the Denth Chamber Had Been Constantly
Attended by all the Cardinals in Rome.

Rome (By Cable).-Pope Leo Nil,
for IS years pont;ff OF the Roman Cath
oiic Church, died at the Vatican. III
Rome. at 4o4 p NJ. Monday, Rome
time, or 1910 4. NJ. Baltimore time.
He was % years old. and his last illness
dates from July !. when he contracted a
cold which developed into bronchial and
then senile pneumonia. For two weeks
the aged pontiff made a remarkable fight
against death. He retained his mental
ity to within a few hours OF the end.
His last hours were attended with
much suffering. Only an hour before
he died he said to DR.. Lapponi: The
pain l suffer is most terrible
The last conscious act of the pontlit
was to turn his eyes toward the great
crucihx on the wall after which he suf-
fercd from paroxysm OF choking, dur
ing which he expired.
DR.. Lapponi states that the pontiff in
his last moments made a marvellous dis
play of his energy and he was resigned,
calm and serene
The Sacred College of Cardinals as
scmbled Tuesday TO officially pronounce
Pope Leo dead The remains will lie
in state in the Cathedral of St. Peter 5,
and the funeral services will extend over
nine days.
Cardinal Gibbons left Paris for Rome
10 attend the funeral and the conclave
that will elect the successor to Leo.
Apostolic Delegate Falconio, at Wash
ington, has issued an address to the
archbishops and bishops OF the United
States officially announcing the death OF
the pontiff and suggesting general pray
ers and masses for the rcposc OF his
soul.
Secretary of State Hay cablcd to Car
dinal Rampolla President Roosevelt 5
expression of his profound sense OF the
loss the Christian world has sustained in
the death of His Holiness Leo MIL
Among Lco's last uttcrances we're
these:
To Cardinal Oreglia. dean OF the Sa-
cred College and Cameriengo:
ITO your Eminencc. who will so soon
seize the reins OF supreme power. con
fide the church in these difficult times.
To Mgr Bislcti. master of the cham
Der, who asked for the Popes bencdc-
tion for the court, which the pontitf
granted. adding:
BE this my last greeting
what crowds. What devotion My
dear people,"
"Oh. the weight OF these robes! Can
] hold out until the cnd:"
"The consistory is over. They can
reproach me no longer! How many
faces of all kinds. How many foreign
ers! The church is trumphing And
so on, over and over again.
The dying pontiff's mind was wander
ing when some OF these remarks were
made.
The last words the doctor and those
at the bedside heard him utter were
''Father-mother"
The words the Pope addressed 10
Cardinal Oreglia. the last supreme effort
of that intelligence which aStonished the
world. arc much commented upon. and
It is wondered whether the intention OF
Leo XIII was to indicate Cardinal Greg
lila as his successor. They will GER
family have considerable weight in the
decision of the cardinals who will take
part in the conclave.