Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-02-25
.RAS|N SERIOUSLY ILL
Baltimore Politician Victim OF
Nervous Collapse.
STRICKEN IN HIS LIBRARY
HAY Not Resume Leadership of Party
Organization.
FOR FORTY YEARS THE "B0Ss"
Gives Way to Strain Over the Coming
Mayoralty Contest-Former Gov.
Brown in Control.
FOR FORTY YEARS THE "B0Ss"

BALTIMORE, Md, February 25.-Mr. I.
Freeman Rasin, who for nearly forty years
years has been recognized as the head Of
the democratic organization in Baltimore,
is seriously III at his home, Calvert and
Chase streets.
His illness came upon him with great
suddenness Saturday night while he was in
his library talking with members of his
family. and is believed to be in the nature
of complete nervous collapse. Mr.. Rasn's
physicians spent most of yesterday with
him, and at night the members of his fam
lily felt that he is in extremely serious
condition.
A breakdown of the nervous system such
as Mr. Rasin has sustained carries with 1t
to man of his advanced age-he will be
seventyfour on March 11-symptoms of an
alarming character. While it was said that
Mr.. Rasin is in no immediate danger, the
members of his family expressed the belief
that his political career is finally and def
nitely closed.
His physicians have given orders that he
is to see or talk to one, and that he
must have absolute rest and quiet. His
daughter in Philadelphia was telegraphed
for.
How the Attack Came.
On Saturday Mr.. Rasin was down town
as usual and spent most Of the day at his
Offices in the Law building. About O'Clock
he went to ex-Gov. Browns Office in the
Arcade building, where the ex-governor in
formed him of his determination to support
MIR. Mahool for the mayoralty. Mr.. Rasin
accepted Mr.. Mahool and went directly
home.
He had visitor about o'clock, with
whom he talked politics and discussed the
Mahool candidacy. At that time Mr.. Rasin
appeared in his usual good health and
talked with his usual emphasis and vigor.
His visitor left about IT'S o'clock, and half
an hour later Mr.. Rasin complained of
feeling ill. He became rapidly worse, and
Dr. William F. Lockwood was hurriedy
sent for.
In the morning DR.. Jacob Hartman was
called in consultation, and the seriousness
of Mr.. Rasin's Illness was realized by his
family. A number of political and personal
friends called during the day. None of
them was able to see Mr.. Rasin, and but
few of item knew he was ILL.,
Whether Mr.. Rasin's illness is such as
to close his political career or not, it seems
certain that he will not be at his Office
for some weeks. His sons were positive
that their father would be unable to take
the slightest part in the approaching cam
pa'sn, and stated that the strain under
which he has been recently In connection
with TIE political situation and the worry
he nos undergone are undoubtedly respon-
sible FOR his breakdown. If the situation
Is DIS tney Say, IL Will make considerable
difference in the conduct of the campaign
about to open.
Looking to Brown.
Now the organization candidate Is in the
field. and ex-Gov. Brown for more than a
week, clothed with authority from Mr..
Rasn. has had hold of the situation The
result is that in the absence of Mr.. Rasin
from his Office his followers it is believed,
IN, ~
they went to him.
One of Mr.. Rasin's sons said last night:
Fathers people will have to go to Gov.
Brown in this fight. There is no place else
for them to CO.
Should Mr.. Rasins illness be of charac-
tec to permanently and definitely remove
him from the field of politics, time alone
can tell who would succeed him as the
leader. His friends and followers through
out the city feel that there is no other man
in the party capable of holding the organi-
cation together in the way Mr.. Rasn has
held it for SO many years without patro-
mage and without power.
Not for twelve years has there been a
mayor In the city hall who could be termed
an organization man, and not for that pc
riod has Mr.. Rasin had the patronage to
dispense which has always been deemed es-
sential to the life of a political organiza-
ton. Yet he has held his men in line and
his aut. GRITTY over them on Saturday was
as complete as. it was when every office
holder in the city administration was a
Rasin man.
If Mr. Rasn continues ill it will elimi-
nate him altogether, it is thought, as an
issue in the campaign and leave his enemies
no weapon of attack.
A member of his family said: HE has
fought his last political fight. His day in
politics is over"
Active for Forty Years.
For period of forty years Mr. Rasin has
been active in the politics Of the city and
during most of that time has been the I'M
disputed leader of the organization. 1t is
said that his political career is without a
parallel in the country and that there has
never been man in the political history
of either party who has succeeded in MAIN
tanning his supremacy over the party Or
ganization for so long and continuous a
period. His hold upon the party machinery
remained as firm and his friends as loyal
during the years when he was without pat
ronage and the state and city adminstra=
lions were in the hands of the republicans
as they were when the offices were con-
trolled by Rasin democrats.
Nearly all of the men who were contem-
poraneous with Mr.. Rasin when he first
entered politics have long since passed
away, ex-Gov. Whyte being one of the few
who survive. Mr.. Rasin has taken a prom
inen; part In the election of every demo-
cratic United States senator from Maryland
since the civil war with the single excep-
due to the support given him by certain
republican members Of the legislature.
In Politics Since 1884.
1t was in 1864 that Mr.. Rasin first be-
came a member of the democratic execu-
tive committee. and his friends say that
since that time he has never been defeated
In q primary fight His connection with
Senator German dated from 1872 when the
combination was formed that resulted In
the nomination and election Of Mr.. Whyte
to the United States Senate. From that
time I'D to the election of Senator Rayner
the political relations between Mr.. German
and Mr. Rasin were of the closest and
their power was absolute up to the cam
paign of 1895.
Even after that when Mr.. German was
defeated for the Senate, their respective
control of the state and city organizations
was in no way weakened and they were as
successful in nominating tickets as before,
although not so sure about electing them.
1t is said that in conversation Mr.. Rasin
always referred to himself as 1.-The city
people and to Mr.. German as "the state
crowd"
Born in Kent County.
Mr.. Rasin is descended from some of the
earliest and most prominent settlers in
Maryland His family is Of French ances.
try His IA Their Robert Wilson Rasin uas