The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1909-09-24
BRAVE MAN FINALLY LOSES IN
GRIM BATTLE WITH THE
ANGEL OF DEATH.
END Came AT 3:25 A. N.
In the Presence Of His Devoted Wife
and a Few Friends He Dies
Without R~eoainine Con.
s~ciousness.

Rochester, Mimi. Sept. 21.-Govern-
or Johnson died at 1925 q. m. Since
midnight his death had been expected
at any moment. but at 2:30 the thread
OF life still held, and it began to look
again as II his remarkable vitality
would hold him up till daylight. He
fingered thus till 1928 when, still I'M
conscious the brave heart gave a last
flicker and the tortured body gave up
the ghost.
His wife, and a few old friends were
at the bedside, and Frank Day and
Fred Lynch were held in an ante room
awaiting the dread m
At 3 o'clock yesterday the governor
was as well as he had been at any
time since the operation performed
Wednesday. Suddenly he began to
fail. and by Z o'clock his condition had
become so bad that DR.. NJ. J. Mayo
announced that the end was approach
ing.
Two hours later 1t was predicted
that he would not live beyond mid
night. He fell then into a semi-com-
atose condition, in which he lowered
for the rest of the night. Midnight
passed. and / o'clock. and 2. and he
still lived.
There is non SO brave, however,
% to hold out hope. 1t was thought
he might live till dawn, he might
linger at deaths door even longer; but
before this day Is well upon its way
the doctors were assured he would
have crossed the threshold of that por-
tai, and the state and the nation would
be in mourning.
8:15 p. m.-Mrs. Johnson has Just
sent down the following piteous ap-
peal: Mrs. Johnson sends this mes
sage: She wants all Of Governor
Johnson's people to pray for him
now"
10 p. m.-Frank Day, the governors
private secretary, and Fred P. Lynch
Of st. Paul, Democratic national COM
mitteeman, have just arrived. They
were met at the depot by J. w. Kohl
er, who hurried them to the hospital
in his automobile.
1915 p. m.-The governor is drop.
ping into a state Of Inconsistencies,
from which he now and then awakens
momentarily. DR.. E. S. Judd has just
come from the room. He said it will
all be over by midnight. Frank Day
and Fred B. Lynch are here, but at
Mrs. Johnson's request will not try
to = the governor in his dying NOM
ents. The governor ia suffering no
pain but is simply fading into the
great beyond.
1925 p. m.-"Oh, how slowly the
time drags!" Governor Johnson has
just uttered these words. He says
nothing concerning his approaching
end. His pulse is becoming so weak
that it can be counted with ease. Two
hours ago 1t was 14O, and difficult to
| count. y
11:10 p. m.-The superintendent Of
nurses just entered the room. AS he
|entered the door, the governor said:
II am SO uncomfortable" He is now
almost %pulseless.
1920 p. m.-The governor appar-
emily Is suffering at this hour, for
he groans. Miss Sullivan has just
left the room and gone to thhe fourth
floor to inform Frank Day of the gov
ernor's. condition. DR.. w. J.. Mayo
says he may live an hour longer.
lis a. m.-The governor Is con-
scious by spells. His pulse is just
countable, at $50. There is absolute
ly no hope. He must die within next
few hours. The governor knows he
Is going to die, and talks about it,
although not In any connected fashion
due to delirium. Mrs. Johnson is be-
side the bed and Is endeavoring to
hold herself together.