The Bourbon news. [volume] (Paris, Ky.) 1895-19??, 1903-07-21
THE END IS VERY NEAR.
Closing of Pope's Life is Ex-
pected Almost Hourly.
Both the italian Government and tho
Authorities of the Vatican Have
Made Final Preparations for
the Pontlff's Death.

Rome, July 20.-Pope Leo XIII.
laid Sunday night in state of coma,
and there are grave doubts in the
minds of his doctors whether he will
ever completely emerge. His imme-
date dissolution seems to be only
averted by the reliability of the action
of his heart. His pulse, though weak,
continues steady. Shortly before mid.
night DR.. Lapponi said to a press cor
respondent:
THE pope at the present moment
is in a state of coma, which may be
called the condition preceding the last
agony, the duration of which it is i'm
possible to forecast, although every
tning leads to the belief that his con-
ditiOn can not last. To be more exact,
he is still in a state Of torpor and stu
por, from which, however, he rouses
occasionally when he hears sharp
sounds, as for instance the insistent
voice of one of his familiars calling
loudly to him. Left alone, he relapses
Immediately into condition of tor
por. At intervals he murmurs in his
sleep, continuing to have forebodings
that he is being abandoned by his
valet Contra and myself These are
the symptoms of incipient cerebral
anemia and general exhaustion.
He can no longer turn in his bed
without assistance, and is being kept
alive by artificial stimulants. During
the last % hours he has had two in
jections Of camphOrated oil, three of
caffeine and two hypodermics of salt
water, besides drinking stimulants."
Msgr. Bislotti, master of the pope's
chamber, said earlier in the evening
yet shown any signs of becoming in
termittent so, despite his extreme
weakness and coma, he believed the
pope would survive the night and pos
sibly Monday.
Both the Italian government and the
final preparations for the pope's
death. The government is rigidly
censoring all kilograms and telephone
communication between Italy and the
rest of the continent. At this hour
but few people remain at the vatican.
DR.. Mazzoni and DR.. Rossoni and the
cardinals have gone to their homes to
await the last urgent summons.
Now that the supreme last mo-
ment in the memorable life and reign
of Pope Leo is expected almost hour
ly, the contrast between the quiet
mi nIIt
the vatican is most striking. In the
vast palace there is hushed calm
of expectation, the only apparent
wakeful souls being the Swiss guards.
The doctors and attendants of the dy-
ing pontiff speak in whispers and
move noiselessly about so that from
the sick room no sound comes ex-
cept the heavy breathing Of the I'M
conscious pope or his occasional cries
for Pho Contra and DR.. Lapponi. His
tone is one of fear, as though he
felt himself abandoned. In reality
sleep is very far from all eyes. No
matter at what hour death comes, the
whole palace will spring into sudden
life as though touched by a magi-
clans wand.
In the piazza of st. Peters, on the
contrary, all is movement, there be-
ing a regular encampment of jour-
nalists before the famous bronze
doors, which are now closed in their
faces and behind which the regular
tramp of the Swiss guards can be
heard. Many eyes are glued to the
window in the pope's chamber, over
looking the piazza, while the near by
cafes, especially those with tele-
phones, are crowded. Bicycles ready
for use are piled up outside them and
cabs are lingering about in the hope
of catching a fare. This strange
scene is illuminated by the magnifi'
cent starlight while the two grand
and celebrated fountains give a kind
of spectral grace to the whole.
The Observatory Romano, the chief
vatican organ, has received orders to
hold a special edition. The only thing
wanting to complete the paper is the
hour of Pope Leos death. The staffs
of all the other papers are at their
posts, ready to issue special editions
at any hour of the night.