The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1924-12-13
HIS WISH TO
DIE ON HOME
SOIL GRANTED
Rushcs From Mexico to Per>
nit Him to Die in the
United States
BODY TO GO EAST
Labor Leaders Hold Hand Of
Aged Labor Leader As
He Passes Away
BODY TO GO EAST

ne IdSSeS Away
New York, Dec. l3.-Samuel
Gompers, late President of the
American Federation of Labor.
will be buried in Sleepy Hollow
cemetery. near Iarrytown. n. Y,
it was said here today by Harry
Monness, personal friend of
Mr.. Gompers.
Instructions were sent to San :.
Antonio to have the body trans
ported To this city, where it is
expected to arrive Monday night
or Tuesday morning. The vault
in SLEEPY Hollow cemetery in
which the body will he inferred
is Opposite the Andrew Carnegie
plot.
san Antonio. Tex. Dec. l3.-i By
the A. P.)-Samuel Gompers, "a,
grand old leader of the American
Federation of Labor. is dead. His
last wish-death on American SOIL
was granted when he passed away.
..
The primary cause was acute
heart failure, with pulmonary ced.
cma, complicated by advanced ne.
phritis and aterial apprehension.
Mr.. Gompers had been improving
early III the night and had taken two
or three maps, but 4 change occurred
at 2:3o a. n. and his heart began I'd
N "a xn ~
Surrounding Mr.. Gompers in hiS
last moments We're the men WITH
whom he had fought many labors
battles through Il generation Of
American union labor development.
At his bedside, holding his hand, was
James Duncan. Quincy, Mass, vieo.
president Of the federation, who haS
stood shoulder TO shoulder with l,iS
!eadcr 'or a wears. Their parting
WAS pathetic.
Also iclIinc his hand was Willard
ID. Mahon. Detroit, president of the
amalg lgalnated Association Of Street
and Electric Railway employers, who
Gomper> "fcrtionasely called "BilY1
and whom he had told several dayS
that he wished to shake his hand jusN
before he went
O-hrrs With Him
John i. Giles. cashier of the feds
| Grafton. Martin Ryan OF Kansas CitH
and Matthew Woil Of Chicago were
! with him also. An members Of tho
! executive committee were there,
Frank Morrison. Secretary of The
J Federation, was close at the death
, bed.
There also was his nurse, Mrs,
Marie Jams'on. who had been with
, him since his illness last August. She
! knceled al the foot Of his bed as tho
shadow Of death crept over the lead.
er.
! When the doctor announced the end
, had come, !ahor officials gathered
about the bed and each laid an af.
: fcctlonate hand on the brow of their
! leader and efrch in turn said Good
Bye, Sam"
! Each desired to touch the leatleI
: while he was still. in msnner1
, theirs.
\ Fighting Man
Death found Sam Gompers as life
found him-a fighting man. When
, told By his physicians that he was
passing his jaw clinched as tightly
as his feeble efforts would permit,
He b,eathed heavier, but he never
said II give up"
His last thought was Of Americad
institutions. When convinced h1
could not win the battle he saids
Nurse. this is the end. God bless
our American institutions. May they
grow better day by day."
These words took his last strength
and after that he was unable to
speak Up to the moment he slipped
INTO unronsciousness, an hour before
! his death, he WAS able to look into
the future and was master Of his owl
situation. He gave few simple di.
rections for his funeral, should the
end come before morning. He talked
to his followers and. called for life.
long friends, whose hands he wanted
to, clasp before slipping off into th(
unknown.
When Mr.. Gompers became i'll h
Mexico City a few days ago. he ex.
pressed the wish that if he was to die
he wanted to pass away on American
soil. Physicians would not let hin
arise from his sick bed to go to the
train but had him placed on a street
cher and taken to the coach. Thil
is said to have given rise to the re-
port that he WAS dead. which wa.
sent out from town in Mexico alonf
the line.
Sank Low On Trip
He sank low on the journey from
Mexico City. Dr.. Cockrell, his ply
sician and friend for % years, wh,
accompanied him, said that had h,
remained in the high altitude .,
Mexico City six hours longer b,
could not have reached the Unitss
States alive.
In his dying moments. Mr.. Comp
ers had an opportunity to witness
the affection in which he was he1,
by his own people and the public. a
his cot was being lowered from th,
fCou&iNn 40 ~~A.> N sfs6s