Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1911-01-09
All New Jersey Mourns
Death OF Hudson
County Leader.
DISSOLUTION FOLLOWS
ILLNESS AND SUFFERING
Conscious Toward Last, He
Knew End Was Near and
Faced Death Fearlessly.
Tsom a Stan corrsspondsn..i

Ibfom q Stah CorrosponoenS-l
JERSEY CITY, Jan. s.-After a gal
liant fight for life, which his own IN
domitable courage prolonged weeks be-
yond ths last limit hxed by his physi-
clans. Robert Davis. the Democratic
leader OF Hudson county, died In bis
home at 23s Grove street. at 1910
o'clock this afternoon.
Mr.. Davis succumbed TO cancer OF
the stomach. Within the hour that his
death was announced hundreds Of tele-
grams OF coincidence pouring In upon
the family showed how profound and
widespread is the grief that has fallen
upon the entire State, and how great
had been the foriorn hope that his
splendid battle against the dread dis
ease would be successful.
Mr.. Davis expired after two hours OF
unconsciousness. It had been known
since early morning that he had no
chance to survive the day. and tho
members of his family, sleepless all
night, since the last collapse, were
summoned to his bedside TO await the
end His wife, Mrs. Anna Davis, mar
ried on his death-bed less than a week
ago, sat at the head, and grouped
about him were his sons Robert, George,
Joseph and 5-year-old Hugh.
Conscious I'm MORNING.
In the earlier hours of the day Mr..
Davis recovered consciousness several
times, pressed the hands Of those
around him and whispered family that
he knew the end was near, but did not
fear It.
Drs George ". King, B. 3. Pollock
and Edward Alderman worked over
him tirelessly He told them that he
knew 1t was useless. but they con-
tinued to give him morphine infections
to relieve the pain that tortured his
conscious moments. He thanked them
for this relief and pressed their hands
in farewell as he had said good-by to
former Senator James Smith. jr.,
Father Keaney and other friends who
had come to him in his extremity the
da1A before.
Then at 10 o'clock he lapsed into a
cornatose condition and the physicians
were certain the end had come. But
the heart that had held his life intact
for weeks after the end had been de-
creed was beating strongly still,
End Ia Peaceful.
And it continued it's pattle against
the ravages of the disease until just
after noon. when Mr.. Davis died, as
painlessly as child falls asleep
The physicians bore the weeping fam
ilv from the bedside and news of the
sorrowful event was dispatched
throughout the State.
10 foIN the MESSAGES
of grief and coincidence began flooding
the house of mourning.
Yesterday, when, just before collapse
Mr.. Davis had shaken hands with his
friend. former Senator Smith, he had
smiled and saN: "I'n win yet. | nope
Senator" and these brave words from
the stricken man had been carried
forth by listeners who had one more
day Of hope that the man who hao
fought death successfully for SO long
would fight it Off once more.
But the hope faded when the col
lapse came early in the evening.
That he lived through the night the
physicians considered almost incredi-
BILE.
Two days before they had held a
consultation and decided that an op-
GRAFTON would be futile.
, Later yesterday DR.. W. c. Fralick,
Of Manhattan. was summoned. He
agreed that there was no hope and
that death was very near. Thep
Father Kearney of st. Peters Church,
was lent for and he performed the
last rites MIR. Davis recognized the
priest as he had recognized former
senator Smith. He simply said, Il am
ready. II it must be. But I have not
yet given up"
Septic poisoning. which set in early
Yesterday morning, is given as the
immediate cause of death.
Mr.. Davis's health had been poor for
more than a year. and between the
September primaries and the elections
he was forced to go to sanatorium
in New York. On his return to the
drove street home 1t was at first be-
lieved that he was on the way to re-
oovery, but for several weeks he had
been confined to his bed.
Among the callers who had paid the
tribute of their friendship by frequent
calls upon the stricken leader were;
Ex-County Registrar James ]. Clark.
John E. Corlock, water commissioner;
McAdoo tunnel system; Richard Free
land, Patrick Powers. Michael ]. Fa-
gan, George Henry, Congressman Kin
kead and Hamm1l and James Hen
messy.
James Hennessey, chairman Of the
Hudson county Democratic committee.
issued a call this afternoon for a meet
ing of the committee at the Robert
Davis Club tonight to take appropriate
action upon the leaders death. Mr..
Hernessey said that the death Of Mr..
Davis was q sad blow to all. He was
loved by his friends and his foes had
lsreat regard for him. said Mr.. Hen
Aesseyl
7 The arrangements for Mr.. DAvis's
tcentinued on Sixth Pass3