Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1924-02-04
Death Comes Gently to Former
President as He Sleeps, With
Loved Ones at Bedside.
FLASH, LIKE SMILE, LIGHTS FACE
AS LIFE PASSES, BRINGING PEACE
Mrs. Wilson, Holding Hand of Dying
Man; DIR. Grayson and Daug hter
Margaret Present.
8y the Associated Press.

BY the Asscia Press.
Woodrow Wilson has found in eternity haven from the
storms and of a troubled world.
prayerfu quiet of Sunday morning. death folded him
gently in its embrace and bore him to his Maker.
passed life while he slept with those he loved best
about him. His broken body had weakened little by little
until the last spark of his vitality went out But his spirit was
supported the last by the domabe OF the old fight
ing days. In his last wakeu he told his loved ones
that he knew the end had come, and was ready.
OFFICIAL MOURNING PROCLAIMED.
President Coolidge called yesterday the house of bereave
his and his readiness to be helpful and
then issued proclamation of thirty days Official mourning
Over the White government departments the
fighting ships and the oupos of American
diplomacy foreign lands the Stars and Stripes to
and the whole machinery of the whose guiding genius
he for eight will ad stand on
Today the frayed remnant OF his mortality lies
whose walls looked down yesterday the last of
that had all the heights and depths Of human emotion In
composed square with the old determinations But
the lines somewhat deeper and heavier and the flashing hre
The bed Woodrow Wilson died and where his body
of massive oak reproduction of the bed built at the
White House for Lincoln and used by every President since
is of unusual length and has golden American eagle over the
head 1t made the order of Mr. Wilson before he re-
house he had selected as his future home.
INVALID MORE THAN FOUR YEARS.
Although he had known well day since he crossed the
threshold of his place of retirement for months BEFORE last
Friday the beginning of the end of his long illness His
collapse during his speaking trip 1910 followed by
stroke paralysis after his Washington had
invalid long ago. Early last week slight
digestive disorder further weakened his delicate vitality and on
Friday his friend and physician Dr. Grayson found his cond
ton growing hourly serious.
He refused noursmet and by Saturday night he barely
At o'clock he fell asleep and awakened again.
1t II is yesterday morning that life finally went out
From first to last he without and his last wakefu
he appeared be resting in complete comfort
AS approached the little group watching the sick
drew about him. Mrs Wilson the bed beside
his eldest daughter Margaret Wilson, and Dr. Grayson faithful
in his minstratons the first sign of illness than four
ago. watched for way last help him he
crossed the bar.
DEATHS CONQUEST SLOW.
There nothing be DONE More and feeble became
the pulse beat there qukenng of the BREATH little by
little death completing its conquest quick uer Of the
eyelds faint wch almost like SMILE the wasted fea
and the spirit of the great President had burst
last the long weakening letters that bound it earth.
Thus he who had dreamed high dream of peace for all
world had found for himself and had
still tossed by strife and turmoil
Thus h against whom life had turned at last after leading
him through paths of greatest glory found death gentle
merciful.
Thus with the soft chanting of hymns floating
Sabbath the letter of mpershable chap
ter of human history comprising the life of Woodrow Wilson,
had
to the in
LAST words
tanned
hv were