Evening capital and Maryland gazette., 1912-11-25
LIS, Md, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 70. 1912.
SENATOR RAYNER DIED
EARLY THIS MORNING
Maryland's Junior Representative
Expires at Washington Home.
DEATH NOT UNEXPECTED.
Ravaged by Disease for Several Weeks
Life Gradually Ebbed Away
DISTINGUISHED Statesman.

1A4&&SA&As
United States Senator Isidor Ray
ner, Maryland's junior representative
in the upper house of the National
Congress, died early this morning at
his residence. 1920 Eighteenth
street, Washington, u. C, after an
illness dating over period of more
than month and during which he
made heroic fight against the raw
ages of disease with which be was
afflicted.
The death of the distinguished
Senator and statesman Of national
repute was not unexpected, though
the State and nation was plunged in
to mourning upon the announcement
this morning, and many kilograms
and private messages extending SYM
pathy aud condoleace were dispatch
ed to the family. who were at the
bedside when the end came.
For more than a week Senator Ray
ner's condition had been regarded as
extremely critical, and, in fact, the
physicians stated that it was only
matter of time before death would
claim the distin guished statesman,
and family and friends sorrowfully
awaited the end. During the last
few days Senator Rayner had been in
ssmi-comatose state. For two
days he was entirely unconscious,
but now and then his remarkable
vitality would cause a brief rally.
Last night he suffered q severe
sinking spell and attending physi-
clans issued q bulletin that death
was only a matter of q few hours.
The constitution of the Senator had
been so wrecked, and his system SO
poisoned by the complications of dis
eases with which he was affected, that
the spark Of life ebbed away early
today.
When Senator Rayner was first
taken i'll and went to his bed several
weeks ago, his condition was not
regarded as alarming. But he began
to lose flesh rapidly, growing weaker
and weaker every day, and though he
rallied slightly at times, heroic treat
ment at the hands of physicians was
of no avail
4 The funeral of Senator Rayner will
take place from his late residence
Wednesday afternoon at 3 o'clock.
Interment will be male in Rock Greek
cemetery.
When news of the death waJ received
in this city, the national flag was i'm
mediately raised at half staff from
the spire of State House dome as a
mark of respect. by direction of Gov
ernof GolGsborough, and it will remain
SO displayed until after the funeral.
Surviving Senator Rayner are
widow and one son, William b.
Rayner, and two grandchildren.
Senator Rayner was a native of
Marylnd, born in Baltimore, and lived
in that city all his life. His first
public office was that as member of
the Maryland House of Delegates, in
1878, and later was elected as State
Senator. He resigned the Senate
after serving two years, and was
elected to the House of Representa-
tives at the Fiftieth Congress. He
served in that capacity for three
terms and declined reelection for a
fourth term. From 1899 to 1908
he was Acknowledgement of Mary
ladd, AID in 1904, was elected United
States Senator.
It was while member of the Lower
House that Senator Rayner gained a
wide reputation as an eloquent ora
tor and forceful debater, but his first
real countrywide fame came with
his masterfuI defense in the court
martial against the late Admiral
Winfield Scott Schley, following the
Spanish-American war. The Senator
was profound student, both of the
law and literature, and he devoted
months of application to the intri-
cacies of the Schley contention.
His task in that case was labor
ious one, and despite the fact that the
court was out of sympathy with him,
he fought with determination and
effectiveness that brought him wide
acclaim, for he had che majority of
the people with him and the cause Of
Admiral Schley With this repu
tation as an able lawyer and eIo-
quent orator, Senator Rayner went
to the Senate, after he had devoted
a good portion of his time in the
House to serving as q member of
the Foreign Affairs Committee.
And while in Congress the Senator
/ gained a wide reputation as a de-
fender of the Constitution. That was
one of his specialties. He knew the
provisions of that document to the
| letter.
A Democrat in politics, though moi
quite as active, perhaps, as many
other public men. he went on the
stump whenever the welfare of tho
party demanded it, and he was Offered