The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1919-05-09
the WHITE HOUSE
Only Two Of Our Presidents Died
Within It's Walls.
FIVE DIED WHILE IN OFFICE

FIVE DIED WHILE IN OFFICE
But Of These Lincoln, Garfield and Me-
klnisy Met Their Tragic End: AA=ay
From Their Ohicial Homs-Thries
Has Il Mournsd . Dead Mistress.
Deaths in the White House have
really been comparatively rare events
In the history of the famous official res
adence Of the chief executive Of our a
ton, when we consider the number Of
persons who have been housed within
4ts walls since the establishment Of
this government.
Five presidents of the United States
died during their terms Of Office, but
only two Of them In the executive man
sion.
The three martyred presidents breath
ed their last away from the official res
adence Of the president, Lincoln in a
house in Washington near Ford's thea
ter, where he was assassinated; Gar
field at Elberon, a seaside resort In
New Jersey, and Mckinley at Mr.. Mil
burns house In Buffalo.
The first president to die in the
White House was william Henry Har-
ris0n. He survived his Inauguration
only II month. His death occurred
on April 4, 1841, more than two score
years after the building was occupied
for the first time by John Adams.
Harrison had lacked but two years Of
fulfilling the allotted span OF man
when he went to Washington. Never
very. robust in health. he had passed
through q most exciting campaign and
made his journey to Washington at an
Anclement season.
The day OF his Inauguration was cold
and gloomy, and he spoke in the open
air FOR m hour. About the LIST Of April
he caught a chill from careless expo
sure. which his frame lacked vitality to
resist. It developed into pneumonia.
and he died four days later.
The funeral Of the first person to
die Ia the White House was q most i'm
pressivc one. About his coffin, aside
from the members Of his family, sat
the new president, John Tyler, former
President John Quincy Adams, mem
berU Of tho cabinet, foreign ministers
with their respective suits, and con-
yressmen and their wives. Two Of the
iate presidents swords were placed
upon the pail, and at the foot, upon
the table, the Bible and prayer
book OF the deceased.
The pallbearers, who numbered TWEEN.
ty-ofx. wore white scarfs and black
Grape. The funeral procession Is said
TO nye extended more than two
miles and to have contained 10000 per
eenA The body was placed In a mag
hS1cent funeral car drawn by eight
White horses, attended BY grooms dress
- ID white. The : was covered en-
eE11y Win black velvet embroidered
xatN gold.
'Inne death Of tho pecond aud last
ptcee191e to dit Id t66 White House
occurrsd = little more than pine years
later. PfgsfAent zachary Taylor. It
seems that even before be took the
9Th Of .p6scc Mrs. Taylor expressed
sky6lditive 'teaicf that something sad
3 sSueehihI dreadful would overtake
president Taylor had been invited to
Atbend the laytt6 u ths cohlerstbne
Df ~ Washington 1ial6auasent. It was
! ~ July day, and upon returning
49, - complained Of feeling very
He died on July 3. and
g. 4amily remained In the mansion
oAay until the funeral was over. In the
procession tho generals aged
followed his owners body tc
llnshst sesting place.
1hsee times has the White House
nteo6 swathed N black while tn mis-
traGe1av dead within. First, when Mrs.
N5ier ala; aext when Mn. BENJAMIN
9arrison lied, and later It the death
= Prenldent wilson's wife. Mrs. Tyler
die6 n IRA, about : year after the
1lpath y President harrison, and hers
go accordingly th9 second death
49, - white HousA Nrs. Harris.
49, dled 81 OF. a. 1901, her funeral
taking place n the white House On the
,S7th. Mr.. Wilson died Ans. g 1915
ophalalo2phlA preG1