Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1912-12-20
WA|TE|-AWR E|D,U.S
AMBASSADOR, DEAD
NOTED DIPLOMAT TO GREAT
BRITAIN sUccUMBs TO
oEDEMA.
END COMES PEACEFULLY
Wife and Daughter There-President
Taft Will Name Successor
Within Few
Weeks.
END COMES PEACEFULLY

London, Dec. 16.-Whitelaw, Reid
the American ambassador the Great
Britain since 1905, is dead at his Lon
don residence, Dorchester house, from
pulmonary oedema. The end was
quite peaceful. Mrs. Reid and theil
| daughter, Mrs. John Hubert Ward
were at the bedside.
The ambassador had been uncon
scious since 8 o'clock in the morning
and at intervals during the previous
"a hours he had been slightly delir
Gus as result of the drugs admin
istered to induce sleep.
Doctors Issue Bulletin.
DR.. Barlow, physician to the King
who was called in last week when
Mr. Reds illness became acute, and
his regular physician, DR.. William
Hale White, issued the following bull
letin as to the cause of death:
"A fortnight ago the American am.
bassador had slight bronchial attack,
similar to others from which he had
suffered at considerable intervals. On
Wednesday last, asthma supervened,
and the asthmatic paroxysms became
very severe, leading to extreme ex.
haustiOn.
ct was hoped that he might rally,
as no pneumonia symptoms had APP
peared. With difficulty, the par
oxysms of asthma were got under con.
troll, but Sunday morning the exhaus-
ton became extreme, and he later
died from pulmonary oedema."
Court Learns Of Death.
The Hon. John Hubert Ward, who,
with his wife, had been at Dorchester
house continually since the ambassa-
doris condition became serious, mott
fed the staff Of the embassy when the
patient began to sink and when death
came he sent word to the king and
queen at Buckingham palace, the
queens mother. Alexandra. at Sand
bingham, and the officials at the court.
Almost Immediately the king sent his
equery, Sir Harry Legge. to express
the coincidence Of himself and the
queen.
During the afternoon messages con.
veying the warmest sympathy were
received from the queen mother, AL.
exandra, and other members of the
royal family, court officials, members
of the government and of the various
embassies and legations, while many
who had heard the news of the am.
bassador's death or who had seen the
flags at half mast on Dorchester
house, called at the embassy.
A wireless message was also sent
to Ogden Reid, son Of the ambassa-
dor, who left New York Saturday in
the hope of reaching his fathers bed.
side before death.
Body to Come Home.
The body will be sent home and
probably will be inferred in Sleepy
Hollow, but the details win not be
decided upon until some communica.
ton is.received from Ogden Reid it is
learned what action the British gov.
eminent may desire to take.
Mrs. Reid hopes to sail on Saturday
next, should her son reach England
in time to accompany her. but in all
probability the government will place
a warship at the disposal Of tie fam.
fly for the transportation of the body
of the ambassador to the United
States.
There also will doubtless be me.
mortal service in one. of the great
cathedrals in London, in addition to
services in some small chapel fol
members of the family and the staff OF
| the embassy. This being Sunday,
nothing could be done, but if Mrs
Reid has her way she will start for
home at the earliest possible moment.
Successor Within Few Weeks.
| Washington.-TheA American ambas.
sadorship at London will not long be
left vacant. Although President Taft
| was said not to have decided at this
time upon successor to Mr.. Reid
it is understood that he will fill the
place within few weeks. The presi.
dent regards the diplomatic problems
in which this country and Great Brit.
ain are at present entangle1 as too
important to leave the United States
nnrepresented even for few months
at the court of st. James.
Within the next few days and prob
ably during his trip to Panama, the
president will scan carefully names
of men he considers available for the
post and nomination may be sent
to the senate early in the year. The
president is understood to be hopeful
that the senate will confirm any nom
ination for this ambassadorship which
he sends in.