Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1912-10-31
FIRST KNEW OF INSIDIOUS
DISEASE in 'O8 CAMPAIGN
Persisted in Giving Closest Attention to Official
Duties and Extensive Business interests
Last Straw His Speech of Acceptance
in August against Doctors Orders

Utica, Oct. 30--After a long illness
Vice President James Schoolcraft Sher-
man died at his home in this city at
SO o'clock tonight of uremic poison
caused by Brights disease.
He had been sinking ever since
early morning and it was realized that
death was question of only a few
houls There was slight relief shortly
after seven o'clock. caused by an ap-
parent Improvement in the condition of
the kidneys. but it did not prove real
or lasting and at best gave only tenn
porary hope At nine o'clock the tenn
pcarture rose to 1876. From that time
the patients condition rapidly passed
from bad to worse until the end. He
was unconscious when the end came
aud had been in that condition for
hours with but slight change.
All the members of the immediate
family were witnesses of the final
scene. In addition to Mrs Sherman
there were their three sons, Sheriff.
Richard T., and Thomas NJ. Sherman
and their respective wives. r. w. and
sanford Sherman, brothers of Mr.. Sher-
man. and Mrs L. b. Moore and Mrs.
~. j. Cookinham sisters of Mrs. Sher-
man.
Soon after Mr.. Sherman's death. Dr
Faycttc II. Peck, the attending physician,
who was present when death came, issued
the following statement:
1.-The vice-president died at 9:l2 p. IN.
without regainng consciousness for a
moment. He was perfectly quiet. He
uied in the presence of his wife, her
brother and sister, his two brothers and
1. ,,,fx 10 haJ
been entirely unconscious since seven
O'Clock when he had Il period OF partia
consciousness lasting for about Ii min
rtes. He died in uremic coma as a re
suit of Bright's disease, heart disease ant
Ertero-scerosis."
WAS FIRST ILL IN 1893.
The first discovery that Mr.. Sherman
kidneys were affected made at tn
beginning of the national campaign il
zoos. At that time he was suffering from
gan stones and his physician INFORMED
rim that one of the kidneys had becom
diseased and advised moderation In worl
ind diet. The advice was followed in tn
latter but not in the former respect MI
Sherman became most abStemious In eat
Ing, taking nothing but the slInples
foods but he persisted in giving the clos
:st personal attention to his offlcial uu
l,es as we'll as to his extensive bushes
interests, So completely did he keep hin
ielf occupied that Dr. Peck found in tn
,act the principal reason for the vice
presidents breakdown.
Visiting all sections OF the country an
making many speeches daily, he faile
n no effort which n loyal partisan an
vigorous man could make in ths
No., ,tsty
.abors We're crowned with success an
he was elevated to the vice-presidenc
he vigorously turned his attention to II
duties of that office. Never content
be figurehead, he undertook to II
the yice-presldency into a position
usefulness and influence AS n result
became one of the recognized advise
of the administration and he exerted {
unusual influence among the membe
of the Senate. He gave much time al
attention to parliamentary questlo
and he kept the politics of the count
at his fingers ends. In addition, t
numerous Industrial and financial
terests with which he was connected &C
tinuod to receive the closest care
Apparently he did not weaken unt
This strain until last spring Required
the tense parliamentary situation in
senate to be constantly in his seat d.
Ing the recent session of Congress,
began to fail in March. medical
animation then revealed BriGht's disc;
in an advanced form and Mr.. SherH
was advised to suspend all labors q
devote himself to an effort to count
act the ravages of the disorder by bu
ing up his physical system as Il WIT
NEARLY DIED LAST JUNE
Big Moose in the A lirondacks Y
chosen as the place of resort beca'
of its seclusion and to tnat point
vice-president went In June yield
he senatorial gavel most reluctan
The change came too late, howeN
Already the heart had become
volved, and the Big Moose altitu lie
1000 feet came near causing death
that time. He had not been there
hours when he was violently attacl
and as soon as ne could be moved
returned to his home in this C
Here an Immediate improvement
noted and the family and frieni "
much encouraged. Not until the
ier part of August did he enter u
continuing decline. and since
lime the downward trend has b
rapid and steady.
DR.. Peck attributes the Aus
change to the rashness of hrs pat
II persisting in making set spe
IN response to the official notification
his second nomination for the vice-p pl
dency, which took place in this
In that month. Standing In the
sun he then spoke for nalf an h
Ehe speech was delivered with m