The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1914-04-07
v. CHASE MORTON
PARAlYlEO AT HIS
DESK IN CAPITOL
One of States Oldest and
Most Valued Employees In
Critical Condition From At
tack.

w. Chase Merton. chief clerk To Sec
oud Auditor Roswell Page one OF the
oldest employees of the state govern
nent in Richmond. was stricken with
paraiy sis In his Office at the State Ii :
brary building shortly before ! o'clock
YESTERDAY The entire right side was
affected by the stroke. and at the
residence 22o West Main street, early
this morning he was said 10 be in a
serious condition.
Mr.. Morton is secretary OF the sink
ing fund commission, which was hold
ing a meeting in the private Office
OF Second Auditor Page and had left
the room to return to the outer office
when he suffered the stroke. A clerk
notified Messrs. Moore. Page and Har-
mon who compose the commission.
that Mr., Morton WAS sick and they
Immediately adjourned and went TO
him. lie was found lying half across
the desk. AT which he has worked
since the Democrats FIRST came into
power tn 1854 utterly helpless
Efforts TO arouse him proved futile.
and those in the room then realized
the seriousness OF MIR Mortons con-
aition. and at once communicated with
his home. and with DIR, Moseley the
family physician The stricken man
WAS unable to move. and could only
HE was placed IN a more easy position
on one OF the counters until the ART
val Of his wife and doctor,
AIRS Morton was one OF the first per
sens outside of those in the ne.E hbor
ing offices to reach her husbands side.
and was followed clossly by DIR. Mose-
Lev. The physician summoned Yrts
waite ambulance Immediately after his
arrival and conveyed. Mr.. Morton 10
r. 10 Afv frs nm ia
rey up sowa by her husbands side
aud until the early hours this morn
nag had remained by his bedside. re-
fusing to leave him for an instant
t. Lee Moore. state auditor. said
iasr night shat the sinking fund com
mission had been meeting for possibly
half an hour when Mr.. Morton rose
ard walked from rhe room. No narttc-
uiar notice was taken Of his depar
ture. hut il is probable that he fel.
unvell Al that time. and may have
had A premonitlon of what WAS
occur The first the members OF the
commission knew If his Illness was
when one OF the clerks from the out
aide once came 10 the door and told
them.
BY the clerks. II WAS said that Mr..
Morton walked from the room in his
usual manner and proceeded straight
to collapse into the chair, and then
he sank slowly until he lay across
the desk top Several of those near
him went to his side and spoke 10
him They received no response and
were unable to arouse him from the
Legality into which he had fallen. Nc
time was then lost in notifying Mr..
Page,
Mr.. Morton is said 10 be about
sixty-eight or seventy years old. His
connection with the Second Auditors
office dates back further than the re-
men,hrance Of any of those now en-
ploycd in that or any OF the connect
ing offices and 1t 10 known that he
has been in the Office for more than
thirty years. In that time. IL Is said.
Mr.. Morton has scarcely missed day
from his work until recent years.
during which he has several times
suffered slight attacks Of minor all
ments. He has been apparently In
good health of late, and the attack
Yesterday was without warning.
He is a Mason Of high standing, and
an active member OF ST. Pauls church.
Mr. Morton Is one of the best known
men in the state department and num-
hers among his friends most of the
more prominent men in the state