Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1906-01-18
DEATH ENDS
BRAVE FIGHT
Pres, Harper Of Chicago Uni,
versity Falls before That
Fatal Disease.
FROM PHYSICAL EXHAUSTION
For Months He Had Suffered from
Cancer-knew He was Doomed bu
Continued His Duties as Though
Nothing Had Happened.

Chicago, Jan. 11.--Dr. William Ray
ney Harper president of the Univer
sity Of Chicago since its inception
one OF the foremost educators, anc
one OF the most learned Hebrew
scholars of his time, died yesterday
OF cancer of the intestines. Although
his death was known to be inevitable
within comparatively short time
and 1t had been announced earlier In
the day that he would not, In al
probability. survive for the remaindei
Of the week, the end Of his life, due tc
physical exhaustion, came suddenly
Three years ago DR.. Harper under
went an operation for appendicitis
and SYMPTOMS were then discovered
which led the surgeons to suspect
that grayer troubles might arise iE
the future, but they were then Of toe
indefinite q character to permit OF
an operation. and 1t was not until
Feb. 20, 1905, that an operation was
decided upon to determine the nature
and cause Of severe abdominal pains
from which he had suffered for sew.
eral months. DR.. McBurney of New
York, the famous specialist in alb.
dominal surgery, came to Chicago
expressly for the operation, in which
he was assisted by Drs. Billings and
Bevan Of this city.
AT the outset of the operation 1t was
at the outset OF the operation it was
discovered that DR.. Harper was suf.
fering from cancer at the head of the
large intestine, and that the malady
had progressed so far that an opera.
ton which would have removed 1t
would have been fatal to the patient.
A brief consultations of the surgeons
resulted in the conclusion that there
was nothing more that could be done
by them, and That the only hope of
DR.. Harper, lay in remedial meas
ures alone. In a short time he left
the hospital knowing well that he
was doomed man, that his disease
could not be cured, and that his death
matter what was done in the effort
| to avert it.
No Drawer fight was ever made by
any man than by DR.. Harper. He
| took up his duties at the university
as though nothing had happened or
was likely to happen to him, and he
was at all times apparently confident
and cheerful. The x-ray treatment
was elaborated in the effort to afford
him relief and everything was done
for him that the ingenuity and skill
Of his physicians could suggest. Al
though DR.. Harper never deluded
himself with false hopes he faithfully
| attempted whatever offered him a
hope of recovery. He visited Europe
and remained for time at Carlsbad.
and he consulted the most eminent
| specialists of the continent. During
the last fortnight his strength had
failed rapidly, and 1t was evident &c
| his medical attendants that the end
could not be far off.
Dr. William Rayney Harper was
born in New Concord, o., in July,
1856. and graduated with the degree
that place in 1870. A short time after
this he went to Yale University
where he carried on studies Of q
special character In the languages.
The next year he acted as president
of the Masonic college at Macon,
Tenn. From 1876 to 1879 he resided
in Granville, o., as tutor In Dennison
University and as principal of Gran
vile academy, which was the prepar
atory department of the university
In 1880 he was appointed professor
of the Hebrew language In the Bapt
list Theological seminary in Morgan
Park, short distance from this city
where he remained for five years.
In 1886 he was asked by Yale Univer
sity TO become professor Of Semitic
languages in that institution,
where he remained until 1891, wher
he was elected president Of Chicago
University, and has remained at the
head of the institution ever since
While the university was endowed
and founded by John ID. Rockefeller
it was the work and energy of Pres
ident Harper that shaped it's policy
and brought the institution into be
ing.
DIR. Harper, in his administrator
of the university, showed himself MOI
only an inspiring teacher. AS a mai
he was personally popular with al
with whom he came in contact, anc
few men who have lived III this city
have enjoyed larger circle of warn
friends and admirers.
The body will be buried In Oak
woods cemetery, this city.