The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1904-10-05
HENRY C. PAYNE
BREATHED HIS LAST
THE POSTMASTER GENERAL
DIED YESTERDAY AFTERNOON IN
WASHINGTON.

Disease of the MitraI Valve and Di-
Iatation of the Heart the Cause.
President Called just Before the
Death Was AnnOunced-Describ
Mr.. Payne as "the Sweetest, Most
Lovable and Most Trustful Man L
Ever Knew"
Washington. Oct. 4.-Henry C. Payne,
Postmaster General of the United
States, a member of the National Re-
publican Committee, stalwart of his
party, with the history of which both
in his home state and nationally he
has been identified for many years,
died at his apartments, at the Airing
ton Hotel, at 6:1O o'clock tonight, aged
so years.
The death was announced in an Of
ficial bulletin issued by the attending
physicians, which gave the cause of
death as disease of the mitral valve
and dilatation of the heart"
Mr. Payne had been in poor health
for at least two years, but his last ill
ness covered only seven days ago, an
attack of heart trouble last week pre-
cipitating the end at a time, when after
a rest, he seemed to have recovered a
small measure of his vitality impaired
by years of arduous labor. Death this
afternoon came after nearly six hours
of unconsciousness.
Tribute from Roosevelt.
The last official caller to inquire as
to Mr.. Paynes condition was Presi-
dent Roosevelt, and he had been gone
only about ten minutes when the
stricken member of his cabinet expired.
Secretary Hay had called at the Payne
apartments few minutes before the
President made his visit. Neither en-
tered the sick room. AS Mr.. Roosevelt
was leaving about o'clock he spoke
feelingly of Mr.. Payne to the news
paper men gathered in front of the no.
tel as "the sweetest, most lovable and
most trustful man 1 ever knew"
Mrs. Roosevelt, accompanied by Capt.
Cowles, was a caller at the family
apartments of the Paynes during the
late afternoon.
The last day had been one during
which practically all hope had been
abandoned for some hours. The ap-
proach of dissolution began during the
noon hour, when the sick man lost
consciousness and no longer recognized
those whom he had attempted to cheer
during his illness by saying to them
that he was all right. When Mrs
Payne saw that the end was near she
summoned the Rev. DIR. Dunlap of ST.
Johns Episcopal Church, and at her
request he read at the bedside of the
dying man Psalm $50, "Out of the
depths" and then repeated the prayers
the Episcopal church provides shall be
read at the bed of those about to pass
away.
Plans for the Funeral.
Funeral services will be held at st.
Johns Episcopal Church, in this city,
next Friday morning and at 3:15 that
afternoon the body will be taken to
the Pennsylvania Railroad station and
placed aboard the private car of Presi-
dent A. j. Earring, of the Chicago,
Milwaukee and St. Paul Railroad, who
rendered the use of the car by tele-
graph and announced that it would be
here by tomorrow morning.
The remains should arrive at Mil
waukee Saturday evening and serv-
ices will be held next Sunday, at the
All Saints Episcopal Church there.
A message has been sent to the Right
Rev. Isaac Nicholson, the Bishop of
Milwaukee, who is now at convention
in Boston, asking him if he can oflici-
ate. Interment will he at the Forest
Home Cemetery, Milwaukee. Mrs.
Payne has expressed a desire that the
services be as simple as possible.
Further plans for the funeral will be
decided on tomorrow.