The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1917-01-17

/ by priority OF grade the -ranHlng nd
val officer Of the world, died at his
! home here at $3.50 o'clock yesterday
/ afternoon.
/ Admiral Dewey had been uncon-
ecious since Monday, and Mrs. Dewey
| and the AdniraPs only son. George,
Jr., had been at his bedside almost
| constantly since. They were with him
/ when the end came.
President Wilson and Secretary
Daniels were notified of the navy vet
/ Grams death at once and the news
was flashed by wireless to American
| naval vessels and stations all over the
/ world. ~
A general breakdown, accompanied
! by arteriosclerosis, aggravated by ad-
/ vanced age. was the cause Of death
! The disease had increased it's hold on
the powerful body gradually for a
! year and half. The Admiral. always
! proud Of his physical vigor, fought
!. hard to ward. off the illness, and kept
, the existence Of his ailment secret
from even his intimate friends until
/ less than week ago..
Admiral Dewey was at his Office,
apparently hale and hearty and in
/ excellent spirits last Wednesday. On
Thursday he collapsed as he was pre-
| pairing to leave home.I He had since
been confined constantly to the house.
| until he lapsed into a state Of coma
i Monday he expected to be able to re-
/ turn to his desk in the Navy DEPART
ment in a few days.
/ Because, of the Admirars aversion
I to any suggestion that his health and
| strength were failing, the naval ply
! Efcian made no announcement Of his
condition immediately following his
attack on Thursday. Subsequently it
!, was said that he was suffering from
q cold, but until Sunday the physi-
clans hoped that he would conquer
J, the disease. Monday his condition be-
! came SO much worse that the facts
could no longer be withheld.
IT then became known that the first
evidence Of q weakening of Admiral
Dewey'sN splendid constitution had
come about eighteen months ago when
he suffered a slight paralytic stroke.
AT that time the physician who was
summoned found him seated in his
/ easy chair in some distress. showing a
| slight thickness Of speech and with
his pupils dilated.
The attack yielded to treatment, but
/, il. was deemed advisable to forbid the
4 customary summer trip to the New
!, England coast because OF the strain
! ~ the railway journey. Secretary
j Raniels placed the yacht Mayflower
~ his disposal and the Admiral made
cruise up the coast, with a brief
66jpurn at a seashore resort. q
President Wilson will confer tomor-
row with Secretary Daniels and Rear
Admiral Badger and arrange for the
/ funeral, which probably will take
place Saturday. Burial will be In
Arlington National Cemetery, on the
Virginia shore Of the Potomac, where
many OF Admiral Deweys forme.-
{ comrades are buried. The message
/; flashed to naval stations last night
carried the order that all flags be
. placed at half staff.
f. When news of the death was receiv-
. ed at the White House President Will
| son authorized the following state
ment: ~
60 I'm expressing his grief at the
/ Of Admiral Dewey the President said
that the whole nation will mourn the
loss Of its most distinguished naval
+. officer. man who has been as faith
| ful, as intelligent and as successful in
, the performance OF his responsible
I! duties In time OF peace as he was gal
liant and successful in time Of war. It
Is just such men that give the service.
distinction and the nation Just
pride in those who serve it."
Secretary Daniels paid this tribute,
last night:
| up to the very last Admiral Dewey
kept In touch with every movement
of progress, not only In our navy but
throughout the world. on Wednes-
day afternoon last just before left
the department. he paid me- call
and looked hale and hearty. thought
he world be spared to us for many
years. His, death Is an .irreparable
loss to our country. but the American
people will ever cherish his memory.
His counsel has meant more to
me than words can express. His adj
vice to me since I have been Secre-
tary OF the Navy was. more like that
OF a father to a son than Of high
ranking navy officer to IA government
Official" tSg
Admiral George Dewey, ''hero Of
! Manila Bay" fought and won the
first great American naval battle
agains. a foreign foe since, the War
OF 1872.
His whole life was full Of honorable
achievement from the days Of the
Civil War down to the time when,
AZ the head of the General Board,
he began the last chapter Of his work
by laying plans for the defense of
his country in time Of war. His life
was a striking disqualification of the
possibilities Of a career. based upon
the exact and intelligent performance
OF every routine duty which molds a
man on infexible lines Of duty and
honor.
One of the curious freaks Of for
tune in Dewey's case was that for
perhaps the first and only time In
his naval career he was disposed to
protest against the edict Of the Navy
Department which Carried him into
the Far East, where he was destined
to perform the greatest feat of his
life and to win impertshable renown
That was back In 1898 when tie war
clouds were gathering: and Dewey
felt that he was being ''shelved";
that the war with Spain was to be
fought out in the Gulf of Mexico and
in the Caribbean Ssa and that he, dis
tarit by half the circumference of the
globe, would stand no chance of win
ming glory, for at that moment no
thought whatever had been given to
the Philippines. But he took his or
ders and like true sailor obeyed
them. The result is q page of his
tory under date OF Mayi1, 1898.
Contrary to Spanish expectations.
- S.~A