Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1909-09-24
GOV. JOHNSON DIES
AFTER HARD FIGHT
Succumbs to Weakness and
Heart Failure.
WHOLE STATE IN MOURNING
Alnnesota's Most Popular Governor
Cut Down on Threshold OF Most
Promising Career Three 3
Times Governor Of State.

s.
Times Governor Of state.
Rochester, Minn.-After most de-
termined fight for his life, Gov. John
A. Johnson succumbed to weakness
and heart failure as result OF an OBJ
Grafton performed for intestinal alb,
scess in st. Mary's hospital here. He
was three times elected governor OF
his state. He was candidate for
the Democratic nomination for presi.
dent in 1908, and was looked upon by
many as the probable nominee in
1912.
Gov. johnson was continually grow
ing in prominence as national fig
ure, and at the time of his death the
attention of the nation was centered
on the closing moments Of his once
promising career.
After battling against death with de-
termined resistance for almost a
week, Gov. Johnson's life had a peace
full ending.
Grouped about his bedside when the
end came were Mrs. Johnson, Miss
Sullivan, her personal friend; the at
tending physicians and two nurses.
Goodbye to Wife.
The last thing Gov. Johnson did
before lapsing into unconsciousness
one and half hours before his death.
was to take his wife affectionately by
the hand and weakly whisper. well,
Nora, I made good fight, but guess
I've got to co. Then as the last
CLEAN Of intelligence began to flicker
he pressed her hand gently to his
cheek in q parting caress as he pre-
pared to obey the divine will.
Gov. Johnson had undergone two
previous operations here-one for the
removal of ulcers from the stomach
and the second for an abscess Of the
bowels. In the second operation the
appendix was removed. About two
months ago he had severe attack of
obstruction of the bowels and was i'll
at his home in St. Paul.
The third operation lasted two hours
and 10 minutes. The preliminary
work disclosed a small, deep-seated
abscess pocket. It required diff.
cult and prolonged operation to re-
move this fistula.
Most Popular Governor.
Gov. Johnson, a Democrat. who has
been called Minnesota's "most popu-
lar governor" was elected three times
by unusual majorities in a normally
Republican state. His vote-getting
ability attracted attention throughout
the nation, and he was conceded to be
one of the leaders of his party in the
country. ll5
He had a strong, lovable person.
atty, which won him friends wher.
ever he mingled with the people.
AS token of the esteem of this lit
tie town for the distinguished dead,
Mayor Thompson issued proclama,
ton declaring the town to be in
state of public mourning.
i kilograms by the hundred poured
in from all sections of the country,
the president of the United States and
the governors of most of the states
sent messages of sorrow for the loss
of one of the nations great men, and
of appreciation of the man
himself and the personal qualities
which had endeared him to all with
whom he came in contact.
Sketch Of His Career.
John A. Johnson enjoyed the dis
tinction of being the first native Min
nesotan to be 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 educat-
ed and prepared himself for that ca
reer while helping to support wild
owed mother.
Peter, 48 years ago. His parents
were natives of Sweden His father,
Gustav Johnson, and his mother, Caro-
line Hanson Haden. were both of
sturdy peasant stock, and beyond that
little is known of the relatives.
Gustav johnson was blacksmith
and for number Of years he con.
Quoted his business on a farm which
he had located near st. Peter. 1t
was on this farm that the future gov
ernor was born. About the time of
the Indian troubles which occurred in
the neighborhood during the. civil
war the Johnsons moved from the
farl to the village Of St. Peter, where
the father re-established his shop, but
he failed to prosper In town and final
~ died, leaving his family in pow
erty. /
/ Johnson had then reached the age
Of 10 years Hts first position was in
a grocery store, where. he worked two
years. His earnings we're not sum
cient to support the family, and he Sc
sured better place in q drug store.
The Best. s
An almost forgotten poet, Robert
Messenger. quantity wishes