The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1909-09-24
4. O. fbERHART IS
SWORN IN AS THE
STATE GOVERNOR


office was administered by Chief JUS
tice Start of the state supreme court.
State officials and others were present
during the ceremony. Governor Eber
hart will consult Frank a. Day, the
late governors private secretary, be-
fore issuing a proclamation on the
death of his predecessor. Governor
Eberhart desires to be made acquainted
with all the details regarding Governor
Johnson's funeral before issuing the
proclamation.
1t is now Governor Eberhart. After
receiving the message announcing the
death of Governor johnson, which came
soon after $3.50 a. M, Mr.. Eberhart
made preparations to take the 4:45
a. IN. train to st. Paul, and did so.
There he was sworn into office this
forenoon.
Governor Eberhart did not retire last
night. Had he felt disposed to seek
rest, he would have found it impossi-
BILE, for his telephones were ringing
every little while, and local or long
distance calls had to be answered. The
first strong intimation that Governor
johnson could not survive the night
was received by him about p. M,
and it gave him to understand that
the governor would probably not live
more than two hours.
At $3.50 p. m. the following came:
death is coming sure. Only a mat
Of +on
within another hour. The governor il
still clear of mind, but does not talk
of his condition. DIR. Charles Mayo has
left the sick room. DR.. Will Mayo
remains at the bedside" This came
from the Minneapolis Tribune, which
had received it from Rochester Then
came long wait, and at one o'clock
nothing more had been received. FL
nally the message came announcing the
death of the governor.
.Eberhart Was Sad at Heart.
To judge from outward appearances,
probably no one i'm Mankato felt as
sad last evening as Lieutenant Cover
nor Eberhart, as his co-worker in the
state government lay awaiting death,
that was surely coming, but with
dragging footsteps. While that death
brought to the Mankato man the high
est office in the state, and while he
may have had strong ambitions to hold
that office, yet he had no desire for it,
coming as it did. He would far rather
that, Governor &nhnson had been spared
to live his term out. Not a smile
illuminated his face during the even
ing, for his thoughts were on the sick
chamber and on the responsibilities that
on him.
Governor Eberhart has at no time
up to last evening anticipated that
his chief would pass away. He last
saw Governor johnson several weeks
ago at st. Paul, and he was apparently
then in good health Governor Eber-
hart remarked to a Free Press reporter
last evening, as he did to him several
days ago: II have never doubted for
a moment but that Governor Johnson
would recover, because he was a man
of strong physique and good habits
and has had the best of care that
could be given anywhere in the world y
Believed Governor Would Recover.
Governor Eberhart showed by his
movements of the past few days that
this was his belief, for he did not
vary from his routine of business and
otherwise. He attended the Garden
City fair last Thursday, when the first
4alo fhn
nor's bedside The next day he jour
neyed to Winona, and arrived there in
time to hear President Tafts address
i'm the evening The next morning he
went to the Twin Cities, where he at
tended to some business matters, and
in the afternoon attended the Taft
banquet in st. Paul, and in the even
ing the one at Minneapolis. He re-
turned to Mankato Sunday evening
and spent yesterday in the city.
Expresses Regret at Governors Death
When the news of the death of Gov
ernor johnson was received early this
morning, Governor Eberhart was inter
viewed by Free Press reporter, and
said:
1T is with profound sorrow that
learn of the death of Governor
johnson, and to succeed him under
such circumstances will be the
saddest duty that l have ever been
called upon to perform. 1t is one
of the most difficult positions that
anyone could be placed in, to fill
out our late governors uneXpired
term, not only on account of the
abb e and efficient administration
that he has given the people of
this state, but on account of the
deep sympathy that has been felt
and expressed for him over this
and neighboring states with such
unanimity, and on account OF the
great credit that he has reflected
upon the commonwealth, not only
as an administrative officer, but as
one of the greatest national char
acters that Minnesota has ever
produced.
81 join with the whole state in
mourning. the loss of one OF our
greatest men; and his ability, high
ideals and devotion to duty should
be an inspiration to every young
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