The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-05-07
Pneumonia Following BrOn-
Chitis Brings Death to
King Very Suddenly
NEWS OF EVENT CAUSES
GRIEF AMONG PEOPLE
Prince George of Wales Is Now King
George v and In Personality and
Qualities He Is Very Un-
like His Father

London, May liking Edward died at
AS last night. The Prince of Wales u
king assuming the title of George ana
will take the oath before the privy coun-
ell at o'clock this afternoon.
Coming so suddenly the death of the
King cannot but bring the greatest sof-
row to the nation, in whose hearts Ed
ward, first as Prince of Wales, and after
ward as sovereign held first place His
short reign of nine years has been his
tory of stirring times 1t opened with
the conclusion of peace after a long and
trying campaign in South Africa, and
concludes at the critical moment of one
of the most momentous political strug-
giles of modern times between the peers
and the commons
In day the political outlook of Great
Britain has been revolutionized. Gath
cred around the bedside of the dying
King were the Queen and Princess No
hope had been held out throughout the
day for the recovery of his majesty,
whose death, it is believed. was due to
pneumonia, following bronchitis contract
ed shortly after his return from Biarritz.
| Only day or two ago the King was
conducting the business of state and Civ
Ing audiences, but on Wednesday he was
compelled to submit to the orders of his
physicians. Since then until the end his
decline was rapid.
Word Is Flashed
| Throughout the empire the word was
flashed, and today flags floating at
half mast the world over. b sides the
social gloom which the Kings death casts
over England. several important and
llong-planned official events must be aban-
doned. The Prince and Princess of Wales
were to go to South Africa with a naval
squadron, and the Prince was to open
the first parliament of the new confeder-
alton, but his accession to the throne will
now prevent this. The death of his
majesty will also mean the abandonment
of the principal functions of Mr.. Roose-
velt's tour The official receptions. with
the court in mourning and the embassy
entertainments will be cancelled and the
presentation of the freedom of the city
and the luncheon at the Guild hall will
probably be given up
If Mr. Roosevelt's visit to England is
carried out it will be shorn of all dis
play. kilograms from Berlin say that
the German emperor will proceed to Eng
land and that Mr.. Roosevelt's visit there
must be postponed.
According to unofficial reports, which
cannot be confirmed. the King remained
| sitting in chair throughout the day. He
suffered from frequent and violent attacks
OF coughing. During his quiet intervals.
l,Axx tha txttr ftt11 9ft
and made inquiries about state engage
ments, and even asked about the success
of his horses at the Kempton races.
AS the evening advanced he experienced
difficulty In breathing, which greatly af-
fected the heart, the left ventricle failing
to act, while the oxygen no longer af-
forded the relief 1t had previously given.
His majesty soon sank into a coma from
which he practically never recovered.
Continued to sit Up
Later confirmation was forthcoming
that the King refused to remain in bed
| yesterday morning He insisted upon
rising to transact business of state as
usual with his secretary. He had num-
erous attacks of choking and coughing.
and one bad paroxysm of coughing in the
forenoon. The paroxysms recurred fire.
quently in the afternoon until evening.
when the attacks took the form of failure
of breath. Although the King lapsed
| into coma he remained sitting up and
| oxygen was freely administered.
| 1t was about 10 o'clock when Drs. LAX
| ing and Reid conveyed to the Queen, the
| Prince of Wales and other members of
| the family who were waiting in adjoining
rooms the tragic tidings that there was
no hope. and that death was a mere mat
ter of time. The King was then partly
conscious and soon afterward rallied suf-
fcienty to recognize his wife and his son.
| Pneumonia. following bronchitis. is be-
| lieved to have been the cause of death,
but the doctors thus far have refused to
make statement Some of the Kings
| friends are convinced that worry over
the critical political situation which con-
| fronted him. with seepless nights, ag-
| gravated, If 1t did not cause, the fatal Ill
| ness.
| Besides the nearest relatives in Eng
land the Duke of Fife and the Arch
bishop OF Canterbury were in the death
chamber. The Kings brother, the Duke
of Connaugnt. with his family is at Sues.
fastening home from Africa. The Kings
| daughter, Queen Maud of Norway, with
start for England tomorrow.
| Not Surprised at Last
| The. intelligence that the end of King
Edwards reign had come was not sur
prise at the last. The people had been
| expecting to hear il any hour since the
| evening bulletin was posted at Bucking-
! ham palace and flashed throughout the
| kingdom. The capital received It without
excitement, but sadly, for the King with
his own people was unquestionably one of
| the most popular rulers in the world
When DIR. st. Clair Thompson, the great
/ throat specialist, was called in yesterday
| morning 1t was expected that an opera
| ton on the throat would be necessary, but
after a consultation 1t was decided that
the lungs were the seat of the most Sc
| rious symptoms. Experts were held In
| readiness to administer an anaesthetic,
| but there was fear that the weakness oe
the Kings heart might result In fatal
issue and an operation was set aside AZ
l last resort.
| IN, people outside the palace only
| learned the news when boys appeared
with papers. In the meantime the Prince
and Princess of Wales had taken leave
OF the other members of the royal family
az the main entrance soon after mid
/ night. They drove direct to Marlborough
house. Princess Victoria, who is her
mothers constant companion, remained
with the Queen. The others OF the family