The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1906-02-23

New York, February 1S.-John A.
Mccall, until recently president of the
New York Life Insurance Company,
died at 5:35 O'Clock this afternoon, at
the Laurel House, in Lakewood, n. j.,
where he had been taken three weeks
ago in the hope that the change might
benefit his health, which had suffered
a breakdown two months ago. Then
Mr.. McCalIs son, John c. Mccall,
briefly announced:
1.-The end has come. My father has
passed away"
Mr.. Mccall had been unconscious
since about l O'Clock this morning eX-
cept possibly for one brief minute this
afternoon, when his eyes opened and
he looked into the face of his wife,
who was bending over him. He smil-
ed and as he did SO his eyes closed
again and he remained in the coma
until he end.
One Of the last persons he talked
to was his old friend and pastor, Rev.
Father Matthew Taylor, of the
Church Of the Blessed Sacrament, in
West Seventy-first street, this city.
He went to La kewood yesterday to see
Mr.. Mccall at the ~latter's request.
Bishop James A. McFaul, of the do
cese of Trenton, arrived in Lakewood
last evening, but did not see Mr.. Nc
Call, who had long been his friend.
This morning at Z O'clock the bishop
said mss n the Church Of Our Lady
of the Lake at Lakewood, offeriLg
prayers for the recovery Of the strick-
Ell nan
The attending physicians notified the
family at 1 O'Clock this afternoon that
the and was close at hand. Mrs. Nc
Call had been at the bedside since last
evening. All of the seven children
were summoned.
1t was announced that Mr.. McCalls
death was due to enlargement of the
liver and that the end came peaceful
and without pain.
Mrs. Mccall is now under medical
care. She had become worn out by
the long vigil at the bedside of her
husband and when he died she practl-
cally collapsed, although it is thought
that her condition will not develop Sc
riously.
The body will be brought TO New
York tomorrow morning.
If Mrs. Mccall is able, the entire
family will come on the same train.
If not, some of the children will re-
main at Lakewood with their mother.
The body will be sent to the Mccall
residence on West Seventy-secOnd
street. The funeral, the date Of which
has not been fixed, will be at the
Church Of the Blessed Sacrament.
Ten days ago Mr.. Mccall suffered
the first sinking spell of his illness
and was very low for several days.
Then he improved lightly. One week
ago today, however, he suffered a
second sinking spell and his life was
dispaired of, but he rallied temporarily.
The report of the Fowler investigating
committee censured Mr.. Mccall sever
ely for certain acts of his in cOnnec-
ton with the legislative committee es-
tablished by him with Andrew Hamil-
ton at its head.
An effort was made to keep the con-
tents of the report from h sick man.
but learning that the statement had
been filed, he worried so much over
the matter that it was decided early
last week to let him see it. The re-
commentators in the report demand
ing of him fuller accounts of the leg
islative work than he had made are
said to have been a crushing blow to
the company's former president. He
declared to his family and to intimate
friends who saw him that he was de-
termined to get we'll, that he wanted
to live to get himself right before the
American people. The strain was too
much however, and from that time
Mr.. McCalls decline was rapid.