The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-09-08
Serious Setback Occurs and Wild
 RunOrs Are Spread
PHYSICIANS ARE RET|cENT
Exact Condition of the Financier Can not be Learned But Enough is Known to Cause Alarm
 Among Friends.

Arden, N. Y, September s-After a. night of uncertainty it was determined shortly after midnight that F. H. liar riman is not in such a critical condition as earlier reports indicated. A party of newspaper men succeeded in reaching the Hartman house and in talking with Dr. Lyle, who said emphatically there was no cause for alarm and that MT. Hartman had had no change for the worse.
 One of Mir Harriman's closest friends who was summoned to the fnancier' s home today, just before midnight gave out the following statement regarding the sick mans condition:
 "Dr. Lyle admits that MT. Hartman is dangerously ill.," he said. We believe the mans pluck and strong will power will pull him through this attack, but we recognize that an attack of acute indigestion. such as MT. Hartman has suf- fered often proves fatal, even to person In strong physical condition. In the case of a man weak as MT. Hartman it is difficult to avoid grave consequences. MT. Hartman Is extremely weak Since Monday he has shown considerable i'm provement, it is true, but he is now in such a state as to require constant nurs- ing and absolute rest.
 Nature of Illness. Continuing, the speaker, who declined to permit the use of his name, described the nature of MT. Harrimans illness in much the same phrases as contained in statement made earlier in the day to the Associated Press in New York by another friend of MT. Hartman
 Persons affected as Mir Hartman, he said, are likely to suffer a relapse on the slightest provocation.' Rumors of the most alarming nature were circulated throughout the early part of the night both here and at Turner's, the telegraph station on the other side of Tower Hill. Shortly after 10 o'clock the>e came a .:-lr7ior that the >. meier had died in a sudden collapse. Where this rumor came from no one could say, but with the difficulty in obtaining com municas.on with the Hartman home it was given wide circulation and had sped on the wings of the wind from the Allan tic to- the Pacific before a terse denial  it at rest But Dr. Lyle then declined ts add even a word to this denial until the newspaper men gained audience with him.
 Serious Setback.
 Evidence pointing to serious setback in MT. Harrimans condition began to accumulate early in the afternoon. Three men whose professional appearance led at once to the conclusions that they were physicians were rushed through the town in an automobile and up the hill shortly after noon, and there were other visi- tors, personal friends of the sick man, whose hurried arrival was taken to mean a change for the worse
 While Judge R. F. Lovett, MT. Harri- mans business adviser, was in his office in New York during the day attending a meeting of directors of the Union and the Southern Pacific railroads it was learned early last night that immediately after the meeting he had hurried to Ar den. He reached the Hartman home shortly before g o'clock.
 The portion of the New York state- ment which spoke of MT. Harriman's bus mess enemies gained special significance when it was learned yesterday afternoon that certain Wall street interests have a representative here whose only duty IS to report on what transpires on Tower Hill. The nlarhed slump in Union Pa cihc yesterday Is largely accounted for by the beliet thet 1se reports of this representative uph-id the most sensa- tionsl newspaper bulletins.
 The onlF member of the Hartman farahy seen off Tower Hill yesterday was Roland Hartman, the financier's 1l-year- old son. tfhe boy motored to Arden pos.ofiice about noon accompanied only by chauffsur. AsSeo as 10 his fath- CTS condition he replied: T haven't seen him yet tsGay but he isn't bad
 Condition Not Critical.
 glimpse of the ins!av cf the I3arri- man acfse seeins to bsxl eSt pr. Lysa s statement that the 3ocuct-r's condition was Eor critical lJisc Gs-sroll Earriman and the physician were sitting on sofa laughing over a photo and Mrs. Harri- man cuuld be seen in an adjoining room All three were in evening dress and there was no sign of any other physlcian about.
 pr. Lyle said that no further informa- tion concerning MT. Hartman would be ment would be issued from tue Union first time that any newspaper men have actually reached the Hartman home, as it is impossible to pass the guards on the mountain side.
 No light could be seen in the windows of the bed room supposed to be MT. Har- rimans and nothing whatever could be found to indicate that a crisis in his home was at hand.