The Dillon herald. [volume] (Dillon, S.C.) 1894-????, 1921-06-02
LANE WROTE OF DEATH.
Former Secretary of Interior Told
How it Felt to BE Dying-Leaves
Most Remarkable Letter.

That Frank L. Lane, secretary
OF the interior under Wilson who
died last week knew before his
death that he was going to die is ev-
ldenced by letter mailed by him to
some of his intimate friends in
Washington from the hospital in
Rochester. Minn,. a short time be-
fore his death. The message show
eo that the former secretary had un-
dergone the operation with full con-
sciousness and acceptance of the
fact that he might survive. 1t
told In detail of his sensations be-
fcre, during and after the operation,
or which he was fully conscious as
the condition of his heart would not
permit the use of a general anesthet-
ic. The message follows in part:
1T is Wednesday afternoon and I
am sitting up in bed talking to my
good friend Cotter. Until yesterday
did not clearly visualize any one
thing in this room and did not know
that 1t had a window except that
there was place that noise came
through, but I did know that it had
a yellow oak door that stared at me
with its great big eye all day and all
night. Last Friday you see about
ten in the morning. took the step
that 1 should have taken months.
yes. years ago.
Today, most tentatively, / crawled
into chair and ate my first mouth
ful OF food. But four days ago 1
managed to shave myself and | am
regarded as pretty spry.
Il have seen death come to
men in various ways, some rather
novel and western. / once saw a
man hanged. And I have seen sew
eral men shot. and came very near
gong out that way myself two or
three times but always the other fell
low aimed poorly. l was being
shot at because l was a newspaper
man. and l should have been shot at.
There must be public concern in
what is printed. as well as its truth.
to justify it. That is something that
newspapers should get to know in
this country. After the earthquake
in San Francisco 1 saw walls toppled
out upon man. And / have had
more intimate glimpses still of the
picturesque and prostate ways by
which men come to their taking off.
But never before have 1 been
called upon to deliberately walk into
the shadow. and say what you will,
it is great act. have said during
the last month of endless examina-
tion, that man with little curiosity
and little humor and a little money,
who was not in too great a pain.
could enjoy himself studying the
ways of doctors and nurses as he
5ourneyed the invalid's path. It'll
was, indeed. made flowery path for
me, as much as any path could be in
which a man suffered more humili-
alton and distress and thwarting and
Illustration, on the whole, than he did
pain.
But there was a path, the end of
which I could not see. was not
compelled to take it. My very latest
doctor advised me against taking it.
could live some time without tax
ing 1T. 1t was a bet on the high
card with a chance to win, and IL
took it,"
At this point occur details regard
ing the preparations for the opera
tion, with a note of the fact that a
general anesthetic could not be ap-
piled on account of the patients
heart which had been cutting up
some didoes." The statement contin-
ues:
For two days had had know
ledge that this operation waste take
place At this time and my nerves had
not been just ~ good ~ they shouI6 |
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