The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1910-02-23
SENATOR 7IllMAN VERY ILL.
LITTLE HOPE ENTERTAINED FOR
HIS RECOVERY.
The Crisis Near at Hand-Paralysis
And Cerebral HCmOrrha2e the
Cause CT His Illness.

Washington, is5. 1S.-Penjamin
Ryan Tillman. for .our years Cover
nor of South Carolina. and fo- .he
last fifteen years United States Sena-
tor from that State, lies in c dying
condition at his apartments at the
I|alfour, in this city, suffering from
paralysis and hardening of the ar
tories leading to the heart He may
survive several days, if the paralysis
can be checked and kept away from
the brain, or he may succumb at any
hour. Physicians hold out no hope
Less than a week ago Senator Till
man was apparently in his usual
health and attended to his everyday
duties in the senate. Almost his last
official act was to introduce a resolu-
ton calling upon the Secretary of the
Navy for information as to the pur-
chase Of oil, which would probably
connected with the operations Of the
Standard OH Company.
A slight attack of dizziness three or
four days ago was at first treated
lightly, and little was thought Of it
until yesterday afternoon, when he
became suddenly i'll. During the night
1t was apparent that he was a dang
erously sick man, and at once +ole,
grams We're send out to all members
Of the family, summoning them at
once to Washington. Mrs. Tillman
and all but two children reached here
this morning, and the two mentioned
will get here tonight.
DR.. Pickford, who was called in
when Senator Tillman became iii. had
a consultation late this afternoon with
DR.. White, superintendent of St
Elizabeth's Hospital, 81. this city. DR..
White being one of the best known
nerve specialists in the country. DR..
Babcock, of Columbia, will come to-
morrow, unless developments in the
meantime are such as to make it un-
necessary.
It is recognized that the Senator is
a dangerously i'll man and absolutely
no hope is held out to the members OF
his family. Throughout the entire
day members Of both houses of con-
gress have been seeking information
as to the Senator's condition. and so
frequent were the telephone calls that
very early in the morning commune
cation was cut off. Close friends of
the family are giving out Information
to those who call tonight, and at the
Balfour many South Carolinians have
left car6s Of sympathy during the
day.
Early this morning when the news
OF Senator Tillman's serious illness
began to be scattered about the CAP
itol pail settled everywhere. Knots
OF Senators gathered in different parts
or the senate chamber and discussed
the case, while on the house side
much the same thing was done. House
members who did not even have a
speaking acquaintance with Senator
Tillman, expressed the greatest SYM
pathy for the stricken Senator and
for the members of his family, as fire.
quent inquiries as to his condition in
dicated.
Mrs. Tillman, who was the first to
reach the Senator after he became i'll.
had just delivered the two little grand
children to Mrs. B. r. Tillman, Jr.,
in Columbia, and hurried on to Wash
ington. She had only been here
short time when the Senator became
unconscious. During the day Senator
Tillman has been able at times to ar
ticulate little, but most of the day
he has been lying in a stupor, taking
no notice of those around him. Now
and then, however, as different
friends and members of the family
pressed his hand he would give
slight pressure in answer, indicating
that he understood, but could not re-
ply.
His Condition Improves.