Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1914-08-13

Father and Daughters at Bedside
When End Comes-Con-
gress Adjourns.
FLAGS PLACED AT HALF-MAST
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 t
die in the executive mansion, the frs
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. Viii
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 al
the bedside not relatives were the six
consulting physicians and the nurses
from the naval hospital.
Months of constant illness, which
began with a nervous breakdown, ag
gravated by fall on the White House
floor, with an injury to her spine, ant
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 fol
Doctor Grayson.
Doctor" she said, family, Il an
going away. l want you to promise
me to take good care Of Woodrow"
And Doctor Grayson promised hel
faithfully that he would.
House and Senate Adjourn.
Officials of the White House imme
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 Ven
ator Kern.
The president and his Daughters
were Frustrated with grief ang their
long vigil at the bedside Of The wife
and mother The president 5bore VI
bravely and tried manfuIly to comfort
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
Official and resident society FASTENED
to leave cards of sympathy.
The fear that Mrs. Wilson's illness
would result fatally hung like pa.
about the capitol all day and the news
from the war center in Europe was
dwarfed into insignifcance.
Doctor Grayson was unstinting ii
his praise of Mrs. Wilson's bravery
and said that during her long ant
painful illness she bore herself unfal
teringly. He said:
Il never saw a woman who suffered
so keenly and endured it with such
courage. l 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 moi
have happened unless the end was
near. From that time she accepted il
as inevitable and went without feal
or tremor into the Valley of Death
She was a wonderful woman"
It is reported that one of Mrs. vii
sons last statements was:
Il will pass away more peacefully
If the alley bill it passed
Congress was stirred to the hear
when it Iearend that Mrs. Wilson haC
thus spoken of the pending legisla
ton to remedy the dreadful slum con
ditions in Washington, an object deal
to her heart.
Word was then sent to the White
House that the bill would soon be E
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 a 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 anC
left the last sacred moments to the
president and his daughters. An eye
witness Of the final scene described
It as solemnly 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
and mother.
Mrs. Woodrow Wilson was born In
Savannah, Ca, the daughter of Rev
samueI Edward end Mrs Margaret
No Lamp.