The Watertown weekly leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1912-1917, 1914-08-11
MRS. WILSON DIES;
PRESIDENT AND HIS
KIN FRUSTRATED
Father and Daughters at Bedside
When End Comes-Con-
gress Adjourns.
FLAGS PLACED AT HALF-MkST
Last Thought of First Lady of the
Land is for Her Husband
Asks Doctor "to Care for
Woodrow"

Washington, Aug Mrs. Woodrow
Wilson died at the White House. She
was the second wife Of a president to
die In the executive mansion, the first
being Benjamin Harrison's first wife
Mrs. Wilson's death was peaceful
The president held her hand when she
passed away. Her three daughters,
Mrs. Francis Bowes Sayre, Mrs. Will
liam G. McAdoo and Miss Margaret
Wilson, knelt at her bedside
She had been unconscious for about
three hours before the end, but about
two o'clock reused herself and smiled
family at her dear ones. She was
too weak to speak to them. Those at
the bedside not relatives were the six
consulting physicians and the nurses
from the naval hospital
Months of constant illness, which
began with nervous breakdown, ag-
gravated by fall on the White House
floor, with an injury to her spine, and
then Bright's disease, so weakened the
noted patient and Slapped her vitality
that the White House physicians,
among whom were some of the ablest
specialists called in consultation, re-
luctantly admitted they had little
hope and feared it was but the ques-
ton of days, and probably hours, be-
fore the end.
About the middle Of the forenoon
Mrs Wilson stirred and called for
Doctor Grayson.
Doctor" she said, family, Il am
going away. l want you to promise
me to take good care of Woodrow"
And Doctor Grayson promised her
faithfully that he would.
House and Senate Adjourn.
Officials of the White House imne-
diately notified the vice-president,
members Of the cabinet and Speaker
Champ Clark, Representative Under
wood and Senator Kern of the sad oc-
currence. The house and senate i'm
mediately adjourned. A resolution
was put through the house which
provided for the appointment of a
house committee consisting of the
speaker and one member from each
state to represent the house at the
funeral. The announcement was made
in the senate by Majority Leader Sen
ator Kern.
The president and his daughters
were Frustrated with grief and their
long vigil at the bedside Of the wife
and mother. The president bore up
+,;1 Fill
his weeping daughters.
Flags at HaIf-Mast.
The sad news quickly spread
through Washington and flags were
run at half-mast. A mass of condo
lences poured into the White House.
to leave cards of sympathy.
The fear that Mrs. Wilson's illness
would result fatally hung like a pail
about the capitol all day and the news
from the war center in Europe was
dwarfed into insignificance.
Doctor Grayson was unstinting in
his praise of Mrs Wilson's bravery
and said that during her long and
painful illness she bore herself unfal-
teringly. He said:
Il never saw woman who suffered
so keenly and endured it with such
courage | think that Mrs. Wilson first
realized that she was to die Wednesday
morning, when her daughters, Mrs.
Sayre and Miss Margaret, were called
home She knew that this would not
have happened unless the end was
near. From that time she accepted it
as inevitable and went without fear
or tremor into the Valley of Death.
She was a wonderful woman"
1t is reported that one Of Mrs. Will
sons last statements was:
Il will pass away more peacefully
if the alley bill it passed"
Congress was stirred to the heart
when it learend that Mrs. Wilson had
thus spoken of the pending legisla-
ton to remedy the dreadful slum con-
ditions in Washington, an object dear
to her heart.
Word was then sent to the White
House that the bill would soon be
law and the president told Mrs. Viii
son, cheering her UNNECESSARILY. Very
quickly afterward the senate passed
the bill and before many days the
elimination Of the Washington alleys
will be a possibility as living me-
mortal to the gentle thoughtfulness of
the first lady of the land.
End Is Peaceful.
Shortly before her death the at
tending physicians drew aside and
left the last sacred moments to the
president and his daughters. An eye
witness of the final scene described
1t as solemn1y beautiful and peaceful,
and while all were grief-stricken they
bore up bravely for the sake of the
peace and comfort Of the dying wife
ard mother.
Mrs Woodrow Wilson was born in
Savannah. Ga. the daughter of Rev.
-ord erd Mrs. Margaret