Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-01-05
JOHN lane IS DYING
Only Living Man Who Saw
Face of George Washington.
STRICKEN LAST WEDNESDAY
Had Never Been III Previous to Gel.
ebrating Eighty.Eighth
!. Birthday.

Stricken by paralysis last Wednesday
TWO weeks after his eighty-eighth
birthday. John Lane, said to be the
only living man who has looked upon
tho face OF George Washington, first
President Of the United States. is ly-
ing at the point OF death ut his home
1916 street northwest.
Mr.. Lane was in the back yard of
his home Wednesday morning when he
was stricken. His daughters, Miss
M L. Lane and Mrs. Clarence Cullen.
who were In tho house at the time,
found their father in a critical condi-
ton and hurriedly summoned DR.. M +.
Cuthbert of 1892 Rhode Island ave-
nue..
1t was learned that Mr.. Lanes right
side was paralyzed. Only his wonder
ful vitality and strength of will are
keeping him alive.
What is more remarkable than any
thing else Is the fact that this is the
first time in his eighty-eight years
that Mr. Lane Is ever known to have
spent day in bed because Of illness. or
mas ever been afflicted with any sick
ness.
Several years ago he injured his foot
severely, but insisted upon dressing as
usual and slit ng UP In a chair, although
suffering excruciating pain. His daugh.
ters said he had rarely been known to
suffer even from a headache. and that
his attack Wednesday came as a great
surprise to themselves as we'll as to Mr.
Lane.
In Possession OF Senses.
He Is in perfect possession of his
senses. except for occasional moments
when his mind wanders, and yesterday
talked freely with his nurse telling her
Of "reminiscences of Henry Clay and other
statesmen Of his time. However, DR..
Cuthbert, his attending physician. says
there is little hope for his recovery on
account of his age.
This morning he was able to recognize
the members of his family and smiled
and chatted with them for a short while.
Mr.. Lane. 1t Is claimed. is the only liv-
ing man today who can remember ac.u-
ally seeing the face of George Washing
ton. He has carried with him a vivid
recollection of the time. 1t happened in
1855, when the body of Gen. Washington
was taken from the old grave in Mount
Vernon and placed in the vault where it
now rests. At the time Mr.. Lane was but
a boy and so small he had to perch him.
self up on the wagon seat before he could
look over the heads of the crowds.
The Roman nose and striking features
OF the face and the white hair impressed
one side of the face was a dark blotch, he
said, caused by air penetrating through
the coffin.
During the civil war Mr. Lane was
drafted into the Union army, but pur-
chased substitute, as he was not in SYM
pathy with the Union cause, being a ma
tive Virginian.
He was born in Richmond, Va, in 1923,
but came of old New England ancestry
He came to this city VIXEN six years old
and at the time CT the war he owned a
fiourishing wholesale foreign fruit BUSH
ness. For many years. until his retire.
ment In 1873, when he was crushed in the
great panic, he was one of the best known
business men in the city.
Was an Inveterate Smoker.
Mr.. Lane is eligible to almost every pa
triotic society of prominence in the coun-
try, but he has never Joined any. During
his lifetime in the District he was famil-
lar with Henry Clay, Daniel Webster,
John c. Calhoun and other prominent
statesmen, and his recollections date as
far back as when he did snipe shooting
in that part of the city where Franklin
Square is now situated.
Mr.. Lane, according to his daughter,
was an inveterate smoker and took his
toddy three times a day until a short
while ago, when he decided to give up
both. His health was remarkable, and
1t is due to his vitality that he has so
far been able to withstand the severe at
tack Of paralysis. Mr.. Lane celebrated
his eighty-eighth birthday December II
last.