Watertown leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1909-1911, 1909-09-24
MINNESOTA'S MOST POPULAR GOV.
ERNOR OBEYS DIVINE WILL
AFTER SIX DAYS BATTLE.
ALL THE STATE IN MOURNING.
Scene Around Bedside During His Last
Hours in This World a Pa
thetic One.
FBERHART is NOW EXECUTIVE


Sympathy more than state wide goes out
today 10 a small group of mourners in
this little Minnesota town. The death of
Gov John A. Johnson, which occurred at
3 % o'clock this morning at st. Mary s
hospital, following an operation per-
formed six days ago, has much Oh
national interest.
Gov. johnson was continually growing
in prominence as a national inquire, ana
at the time of his death the attention OF
the nation was conferred on the closing
moments of his once promising career.
After battling against death with deter
mined resistance for almost week, GOV.
Johnson's life had a peaceful ending:
Grouped about his bedside when the
end came were Mrs. johnson, MISS sui
Ivan, her personal friend; the attending
physician and two nurses. The last
thing Gov. Johnson did before lapslng
into Inconsistencies, one and a nan
hours before his death, was to take his
wife affectionately by the hand and
weakly whisper, We'll, Nora, L made
good fight, but L guess I've got TO 60"
Then as the last CLEAN of intelligence
began to flicker, he pressed her hand
as he prepared to obey the Divine Will.
Most Popular Governor
Gov. Johnson, a Democrat, who has
been called Minnesota's most popular
governor" was elected three times by
unusual majorities in normally Repub-
ican state. His vote getting ability at
tracted attention throughout the nation
and he was conceded to be one of the
leaders of his party in the country He
had a strong, lovable personality which
won him friends wherever he mingled
with the people.
AS a token Of the esteem of this little
town for the distinguished dead who lies
within It's gates, Mayor Thompson toGay
issued Il proclamation declaring the town
to be in a state of public mourning and
flags are flying at half mast from the
city office buildings, school houses and
many private buildings.
The funeral arrangements have not
yet been discussed with the grief
stricken widow, who is at the home of
her friend, Miss Margaret Sullivan.
Mrs. Johnson is reported to be bearing
her sorrow with great fortitude.
:, Frank A. Day, private secretary to
the deceased governor, is here at the
home of j. IL. KahIer. Later in the day
1t is said he will see Mrs. Johnson and
discuss the funeral arrangements.
1t is presumed that the body will be
taken to St. Paul late today or early to-
morrow. where it will lie In state in the
capitol.
Third Operation Fatal.
Wv. JOHuSOn Hdu Deen operated on
twice before by the Doctors MAYO. First
for the removal of ulcers from She stom-
ach. and afterwards for an abscess of
the bowels. Both were very acute pro-
Ionged cases, and the governor was in
very serious condition each time. There
had been Instructions of the bowels pres
ent III each instance and during the sec
ond operation the appendix was re-
moved
After the second operation, he enjoyed
fairly good health but had spells of
Indigestion, which later developed into
attacks of obstruction of the bowels
These came on mostly during the last
two years, increasing in frequency the
last year.
About two months ago Gov. johnson
lad severe attack and was i'll at his
home in st. Paul. 1t was seen then that
an operation was inevitable, but he had
set his mind upon doing certain things al
ready planned, visiting the Seattle fair
Tor one. Upon his return from there he
made up his mind that he would have
the operation after the Taft reception on
Monday. lie was suddenly taken with
very acute pain and as soon as he was
able to travel he went to Rochester.
Operation Is Described.
The exact nature of the last operation
was described by Il surgeon who watched
it as follows:
The operation lasted two hours and
ten minutes. The preliminary work dis
closed small deep seated abscess pock-
ct, which connected from the seat of the
previous operation for the removal of
the appendix to the small intestines. 1t
required a very difficult a very serious
and somewhat prolonged operation to re-
move this tstula, which was the cause
of the governors attacks of acute pain
and formed an obstruction to the action
of the bowels. There were also nm
usually numerous and difficult adhesions
of the smaller intestines to one another
and to the abdominal cavity
Arrangements for the Funeral.
Day, Fred Il. Lynch and Fred Johnson
the governors brother, participated in
here today, 1t was arranged to take the
body to St Paul on a special train at .
O'Clock this afternoon over the Chicago
Great Western road.
1t was further arranged to have a de-
tail of militia meet the cortege at the
station and escort it to the state cap
itol, where the body will lie III state all
day tomorrow.
The funeral will be held Thursday aft
ernoon at ST. Peter and the services will
be held in the Presbyterian church Gov
Johnson's body will be buried beside his
mother.
Sketch of Johnson's Career.
John A. Johnson enjoyed the distinc-
ton of being the first native Minnesotan
to he chosen governor of the state. and
of that distinction he was prouder than
of any other feature of his career He
felt more pride in that than he did in
the fact that he educated and prepared