The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-10-29
WAGES HOPELESS
FIGHT FOR LIFE
AGAINST DISEASE
Physicians Admit Conditions
Has Been Critical
Since Friday
LIFE HANGS BY
A SLENDER THREAD
Real Condition, Kept Secret
as Long as Possible on
Account of Election,
Comes as Shock

UTICA. n. Y, Oct 2s---vice Pres,-
dent James Schoolcraft sherman Lies
tonight at the point of death, wagiuG
hopeless light for life against
Brfghts disease and greatly weak
ened heart He may survive another
forty eight hours, but 1t ia improbabiA
that his greatly weakened vitality can
sustain him beyond that lensth. az y.
time
At the vice presidents bedside to-
night are DR.. f. ii. Peck. his personal
physician. and DR.. William Elsner, OF
Syracuse, while DIR. Theodore Jane
HAy, Of New Yerk eity, IT, hruusht tn-srs
to close touch with the consulting
physicians by means Of the Iona d.
lance telephone.
Not until tonight would DIR. Peck
admit Mr.. Sherman's condition cr.ti-
cal. Last night the physician stated
that the vice president was resting
comfortably and that reports II his
illness were grossly exaggerated To-
day the fact was revealed that Mr..
sherman suffered relapse last Fri
DAY, and that since that time his La
mad been hanging by slender thread
The secretivenes Of the physicians
was undoubtedly inspired by de-
sire to hide the true situation regard.
| Ing Mr.. Sherman's Illness in the clos \
| Ing hours of the campaign In which
! he Is q candidate for reelection Is
the second highest Office IN the land.
Community Is Shocked.
When the fact was revealed to-
| night fro man authoritire source that
the vice president was undoubtedly on
his death bed. The community was
| shocked. for none OF the local newx~
papers today printed anything which
| made plain the critical condition In
which Mr.. Sherman lea
| Tonight. in the Sherman home on
| upper Genesee street, the members Of
the vice presidents family are as
I SENT led awaiting the summons which
1t Is feared cannot be long deferred. 81
| DR.. Peck announced tonight that
his distinguished patient was resting
| more comfortably than he had ia
| the preceding twenty-four hours, but
| beyond this he made no statement
| The wtce-president suffers greatly
! from his affection Of the kidneys and
his inability to breathe. StimulantD
to accelerate the heart action are free
| Quentiy administered and remedies To-
ailay the constant agonizing pain arr
also given at safe intervals. The vice.
president Is perfectly rational ana
bears his intense sufferings with for
| titude. 81
Mr.. sherman's fitness dates frcuaI
last spring. when by direction or hio.
| Washington physician he left the ma
tional capital and returned to M
home in this city in hope OF roster.
Ing his shattered health. with the
exception of periodical gains. whicns
generally ended In relapses, his ffght
has not been a hopeless one from thu
start.
Resting Comfortably.
AZ 1E10 o'clock tonight Il waeS
stated At the Sherman home that the
vice-president was resting comfort-
ably. At that hour most OF the lixhta
In the Sherman residence had been
exfingutshed. One OF the physiciano
| viii be In constant attendance during
the night. q
i Doctors Peck and Elsner issued thx
following statement on the vice. preaix
dents condition: I'm answer TO thu
many inquiries from all quarters, tho
following statement 10 made: u
After consultation tonieht m tn
case OF ice-President Sherman. tlsa
diagnosis OF weakened heart muscle0
the resuft~of overwork. with SOMA
kidney Involvement, Is confirmed = i
j. One O'Clsek Rulle4in. III
The one o'clock bulletin issued b1s
81,
| that Mr.. Sherman In resting easily Ana
sleeping soundiy at that hour. T31o
. condition shows Improvement, d
Stouid vacancy OUeur
WASHINGTON, Oct 9S-ShoulA ~
: vacancy occur upon the RepuhIicaI
ticket. either before or after elecfia1s
some Republican leaders here toiSS|
argued. the presidential electors. WheS
they meet In January, would hsv2
power to vote for any candidate ~
vice president they might chooa2
Presidents are lacking. but IL was A.
ciared only party discipline and homo
had In this past bound electors to vof1
for their party nominee. Probably =
choice BY the Republican national con-
mtttee, or its executive COMMITTEE
would received the support OF the III
I electors go
/ Ordinarily should there be no yioS
. president. the president pro tenn " n.y.
! senate would preside over that bo617
and the line OF Succession to the preSfS =
/. dency would be to the secrstAry r.
State. For the last several n0ir1A1&
however. the present senate has -
unable to agree upon = president IT,
: tenn and that office has been varaAf 8