Los Angeles herald., 1905-12-09
SEN. MITCHELL
TROUBLES ENDED
DIES AS RESULT OF DENTAL
OPERATION
Severe Hemorrhage Follows Extrac,
ton of Teeth and Physicians
Cannot Stop the Flow
of Blood
Rv Associated Press.

BY Associated Press.
PORTLAND, Ore, Dec. S.-United
states Senator John II. Mitchell died at
the Good Samaritan hospital in this
city at 11:4O O'Clock this forenoon, death
resulting from complications which fol-
lowed the removal Of four teeth at q
dental office yesterday morning. A
hemorrhage of unusual severity fol-
lowed the removal of the teeth and de-
spite the application of the most pow
erful styptics known to dental science,
the flow of blood could not be stayed
Physicians were summoned to the
dental office, but the combined scientific
knowledge of the dentists and physi-
clans could not stop the flow of blood.
The senator's condition soon became
alarming and it was determined to re-
move him to the hospital. When the
senator reached the hospital he was in
very weakened condition and It be-
came apparent that unless the flow of
blood soon stopped life would pass out.
Senator Mitchell had long been suf-
| ferer from diabetes and other vitiating
diseases and in his weakened condition
rapidly succumbed to the inevitable
weakness following such violent hem
orrhage and lapsed into a state of semi
consciousness early in the evening.
Four physicians worked over the sem
ator and at a late hour last night tenn
porarily stopped the hemorrhage, but
the relief was of but short duration and
again the blood began to flow intermit-
tently, continuing during the evening
and throughout the night. At an early
hour this morning a severe vomiting
spell further weakened the senator, and
1t became more and more apparent that
the end was approaching. All during
the night saline solution was injected
into the veins to furnish more fluid for
the circulatory system and to stimulate
the sluggish circulation.
Stimulants UnavaIing
The diabetic coma into which the SEN
ator lapsed became more and more pro-
nounCed despite the frequent use Of
powerful stimulants and only occasional
evidences of returning vitality re-
warded the untiring efforts of the ply
sicians and nurses in attendance. Sew
eral hours before death the injection of
saline solution was discontinued and
more powerful heart stimulants re-
sorted to, but with no effect on the
rapidly Sinkin~ man.
After daylight the senator's condi-
tion grew worse and pronounced ind-
cations of modification became evident,
especially in the ankles, knees and
hips. Several hours before death the
action of the heart at time became al
most imperceptible and the breath came
IN short. Spasmodic gaspS. AS the end
approached the symptoms became more
and more pronounced, death ensuing at
11:40 o'clock
Senator Mitchell did not at any time
realize the seriousness of his condition.
When he visited the dental office yes
terday he was in a weakened condition
owing to the disease which afflicted
him, and his request that an anesthetic
be administered was declined, the
dental operator persuading him that
such q course might prove harmful The
frst three teeth were extracted with lit
tie or no trouble, the flow of blood be-
ing normal. The extracting of the
fourth tooth was a more difficult task
and it was following the removal of this
that the violent hemorrhage manifested
itself.
Sketch of MitcheIPs Life
John Nipple Mitchell was born in
Washington county. Pennsylvania,
June 22, 1885. During his infancy he
was taken by his parents to Butler
county, where he was reared on n farm.
He secured the rudiments of an educa-
tion at district school, and when aged
H. began teaching to secure means to
pay his tuition at Butler academy,
from which he later graduated. After
graduating from the academy he
studied law in the office of Samuel A.
Purviance, former attorney general of
Pennsylvania. He practiced law in
Pennsylvania until April, 1860 when he
went to California, locating first at
San Luis Obispo and later at San Fran
cisco. In July of that year he came
to this city. The energy that has char
1cterlZ96 I,i
election on the Republican ticket as
town counsel of Portland in 1881. The
next year he was elected to the state
senate. He failed of election to the
United States senate in 1866 by one
vote. He had formed a law partner
ship in 1862 with the late United States
Senator j. N. Dolph. enduring until
1873, when Mr.. Mitchell was elected to
the United States senate. A Demo-
cratic Legislature in 1879 failed to re-
turn him to the senate.
He engaged in the practice of law
in Portland until 1885. when he was
reelected to be United States senator
a, at special session Of the legislature,
that body having failed to choose a
senator either in 1881 or 1883. He failed
to be returned in 1897 and followed his
profession, in partnership with Judge
A. III. Tanner, until 1901, when the leg
islature again chose him as one Of the
states representatives in the United
States senate.
Convicted of Fraud
1t was only when his connection in a
conspiracy to defraud the government
of it's public domain was made mani
fest by his conviction in the federal
court, that he lost the political infiu-
enee which he had held for greater
part of half century. From his 10th
birthday June 20 last, the day on which
has rapidly declined. Not in recent
years a hearty man, a severe cold a
year ago followed by the breaking of
a limb during the latter part of last
summer, mental strain and humiliation,
rapidly sapped his vitality until he was
in poor condition, which was added to
by the blood poison that frequently
charaeterlzes Yer ss. a snfrerer from diabetes,