Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1909-09-24
GOV. JOHNSON DEAD;
GUESS I'M GOING, J"
1--WE Have Made Brave Fight, -
Minnesota Executive Added,
Patting His Wife's Cheek
His Great Fight.

| governor Of Minnesota, a candidate for
the Democratic nomination for president
OF the United States in 1o0S. and looked
upon by many throughout the country as
the probable Democratic national stand
| ard bearer in 1872, died at St. Nfary's hos
pitaI here at S:s5 o'clock this morning,
following an operation last Wednesday,
Governor Johnson's life hung continu-
ally in the balance until the end came.
So frequently did his condition change al
ternately for better and then for worse,
that his physicians. hopeful, but none too
optimistic were able to say at no time
since the operation was performed that
the governor had more than an even
chance for his life. At his bedside when
the end came were Mrs. Johnson, Mar
garet Sullivan. her friend; Drs.3 w. j.
and Charles II. Mayo. DR.. c. z. AlcNev-
in. FranksA. Day, the governors private
secretary; Fred B. Lynch, Democratic
national committeeman, and the Misses
jamie and Schiller, the governors nurses.
NO BLOOD POISONING. D..
DR.. Mayo stated that there were no
traces OF blood poisoning and that the
immediate cause of death was exhaustion
and heart failure. 1t being the fifth day
after the operation. the one when the
crisis usually arrives in a case or this
kind, unusual apprehension was felt by
the physicians yesterday.
DR.. Chares H. Mayo, coming from the
governors room at 100 o'clock yesterday
afternoon, said that his patients won
derfuI endurance Indicated almost total
abstinence from stimulants in any form.
His vitality is almost that of a child"
said the doctor, land this has been the
greatest factor in prolonging HIS exist
ence." -,, --s .-
Considerable encouragement was felt
during the morning when the governor
took chicken broth and was able 20 re-
tain IT. This he had been unable to do
previously. When the governor had
breathed his last, Mrs. johnson, who had
been in attendance a: her husbands side
and who had borne up bravely nuder the
ordeal. totally collapsed and was taken
to the Sullivan home.
Governor Johnson was in a lethargic
state during the greater part of the
night. but occasionally was aroused, es-
pecially after coughing, and would then
mutter a few words 10 Mrs. Johnson. At
times he seemed to wish that the end
might come, for on one occasion he said:
My. the time drags slowly; 1 am so
uncomfortable"
The governor lapsed into unconscious
ness at ] o'clock. Toward the end here
vived and raised himself several times
TO pat his vie on the cheek His last
words were: -..
well. Nora. I guess I'm going; we
have made a brave fight
Governor Johnson had been operated on
twice before by DR.. Mayo First, for the
removal of ulcers OF the stomach, and
afterwards for an abscess of the bowels.
Both operations were very acute, polong-
ed cases. and the governor was In a very
serious condition each time. There had
been distinctions of the bowels in each
instance, and at the second operation the
appendix was removed. After the second
operation Governor Johnson enjoyed fair
ly good health. but had spells of indiges-
ton. which later developed into attacks
Of obstruction Of the bowels. These at
tacks came on mostly during the last
two years and were increasing in fire.
quency. +A
OPERATION NECESSARY. 49,.
About two months ago Governor John
son suffered severe attack at his home
in st. Paul. II 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
for one. Upon his return here he had
made up his mind that he would have
the operation after the Taft reception on
Monday. The governor. however, was sud
denly taken with severe pains and as soon
ter. ID,
The exact nature OF the last operation
was described as follows by a surgeon
who watched II:
THE operation lasted two hours and
ten minutes. The preliminary work dis
closed a small deep-seated abscess pock-
ct. which connected from the seat of the
previous opration for the removal OF the
appendix and led to the small intestines
1t required a very difficult very serious
and somewhat prolonged operation to re.
move this fstula. which was the cause OF
the governors attacks Of acute pain and
formed an obstruction to the action of
the bowels. There were also unusually
cumbrous and difficult adhesions Of the
smaller intestines to one another and to
The abdominal cavity" 90.
HIS EARLY HARDSHIPS.
Few men in this generation who have
risen to eminence achieved It after over
coming so many hardships I'm early life
as did John Albert Johnson, governor OF
Minnesota. ..-..-..-
The youthful struggles Of Abraham
Lincoln alone are to be compared to the
early years OF Governor Johnson
Governor Johnson was born July %, 1861!
in St Peter. Nicollet county. Mimi, Of
Swedish parents. At II he was compelled
10 leave school. just as he had acquired
the rudiments of an education. His fam
lily needed support; there were younger
members OF the family crying for food:
his father was I'll and his mother had
to take in washing to help support her
brood.
AS a boy John johnson set braveIy
out to support his family. Though his
formal education in the school at st.
Peter was halted. his self-education new
er stopped. When through work he read
all the books in the village library A
student at all times, with the self-bal-
ance and the self-control of the student
a wide reader and thoughtful, he went
through years Of hard toll as a grocery
and drug store clerk.
Later he was a railway timekeeper in
the days when the great transcontinental
roads were pushing through the forests
OF Minnesota At the age of % he never
had had an overcoat.
BECAME AN EDITOR.
Two years later he was forced into
the editorship OF the ST. Peter Herald
The paper needed an editor, and the
townmen insisted that johnny johnson
should be the man. The place carried
with 1t ownership of half the papers
stock. Johnson lacked money for the
stock. but it was arranged that he should
have all the time he wanted to pay for
II.
MY purpose was TO make good in the
town where I was born-make good for
myself and my folks-and I did," said
Governor Johnson in after life