McNairy County independent. (Selmer, McNairy County, Tenn.) 1902-1969, 1914-08-28
CATHOLIC LEADER
Pope Plus X, DIES
POPE KEPT ALIVE MANY HOURS
BEFORE DEATH BY OXYGEN.
RELAPSE CAME QUICKLY.
END FASTENED BY THE WAR
Aged Father, .Nsver of Robust Consti.
tuition and Strength Initiated by
Disease, Seemed Unable to Re.
sist Shock Of War Horrors.

Rome.-Pope Piux X is dead. He
had been Ill for several days, but
alarming symptoms did not develop
at once.
Throughout the day Drs. Marchia.
fava and Amici devoted their utmost
energies to stimulating their patient
and keeping him alive.
The cardinals were notified of the
pope's grave condition and some of
them who entered the sick room de-
scribed the scene as heart-rending, es-
pecially when the pontiff, rousing HIM
self from time to time, spoke. Once
he said, "In ancient times the pope, by
a word, might have stayed the slaugh-
ter, but now he is impotent"
Prayers were said by thousands and
church bells sounded when the sacra-
ment was exposed upon all the affairs.
When the court learned of the pope's
condition there was the deepest con-
Germ. King Victor Emmanuel person
ally informed Queen Helena and the
news was communicated to the queen
mother.
Extreme JUNCTION was administered
by Mgr. Zabbpini, sacristan to his hon-
ness, amid touching scene. The
pope's sister and his niece were over
come with grief. Cardinal Merry del
Val knelt by the side of his bed, where
other cardinals Joined him, members
of the household informing prayers.
The dying pope, in a moment of lu-
cidity, said:
Nov begin to think, as the end is
approaching, that the Almighty in His
inexhaustible goodness, wishes to
spare me the horrors Europe is under
going"
1t was one Of the most anxious days
In the history Of the papacy. The whole
world knew that the pope was indis-
posed, but 1t was supposed he was suf-
fering from his usual ailment, the
govt. Up to noon even the members
Of the household were unaware of the
seriousness of the developments. AL.
most without warning came the word
that the pontiff was at deaths door.
All day his agony continued. A
times he revived and was able to say
few words, but hope OF saving him
was finally abandoned. Several times
throughout the city and at the palace
the rumor spread that the end had
come, only to be denied later.
Urgent kilograms were sent to Car.
dinal Farley, who is in Switzerland,
and the holy see notified all the car
dinals living in Rome or other parts of
Italy of the situation. All the churches
and clergy in Rome likewise were no.
titled.
Cardinal Della Volpe, chamberlain
of the church, who on the pope's death
assumes direction of the holy see dur
ing the inter-regime, was summoned
from Imola and left Immediately for
Rome.
The body of Pope Plus X has been
laid out In state for thousands to view.
The day broke cloudy and heavy,
after exquisitely clear skies. 1t seemed
as though nature was In mourning for
the pope, most beloved by the people
of Rome.
Around the vatican many gathered.
The great doors were half closed and
those who mourned spoke in whispers.
Within the vatican preparations were
in progress for the simple funeral Ger.
emonies and for the holding of the
conclave for the election of new
pope.
It Is expected that the conclave will
be held early in September, even
though all the cardinals are not in
Rome. The new pope will be the first
pcntiff elected without the veto pre-
viously accorded foreign powers, as
one Of the first acts of Plus X was to
suppress this privilege of centuries. al
though he owed his own election to It.
Z