Evening star., 1925-06-18
Hope Abandoned During
Night as Sinking Spells
Continued-Was Weaken
ed by Long Illness.
FAMILY AT BEDSIDE
AS END APPROACHED
Wisconsin, Senator's Last Illness
Began With Severe Cold--Had
Premonition of Death Yester-
day-"Had Earned Long Rest"
He Whispered to Watchers.

Senator Robert NJ. La Toilette. for
many years a stormy petrol Of Amer
Jean politics, died here today at 1:21
pm.
Death resulted from heart failure,
induced by a general breakdown and
an attack of bronchial asthma.
The Wisconsin Senator and later
Independent presidential candidate be-
gan failing in health even before the
1924 campaign. Several weeks ago he
contracted a severe cold, which de-
Neloped into asthma. His heart, which
had been unable to stand the strain,
gave way during the night, and he
sank rapidly after daylight today.
Hope Abandoned Today.
Although they realized the serious
ness of Senator La Follette's condition
members of his family had hoped un-
Ill today that he would recover Last
night his physicians said he was rest
ing, but nevertheless he took a quick
and decided turn for the worse in the
night hours and hope was abandoned
Senator La Toilette long was a vic
tlm OF angina pectoriS, a heart all
ment and this. with his asthmatic
attack, caused him to suffer greatly
from shortness of breath. Violent
coughing spells accompanied his ILL
ness.
To the last, however, he insisted
on cheerful reports being given out
as 10 his illness and it was not until
Yesterday that it was admitted that
his condition was serious.
End Comes Peacefully.
After all the storms of his long ca
reer. he passed away very quietly,
surrounded by members of his family
lie was conscious almost until death.
but for several hours had been able to
speak only in whispers to those about
him.
shortly before the end he mustered
all his waning strength in a vain ef-
fort to murmur last word to those
at the bedside. Then he lapsed into
unconsciousness and, without any evil
dence of pain, passed almost immedi-
ately from life.
Mrs. La Toilette and their two sons
and daughters were close about him
in the sickroom throughout the morn
ing and until death. 1t is the present
plan to take the body to Madison
for burial.
Il think | have earned a long
rest" he had said yesterday when
change for the worse apparently
had brought to him some premonition
of the end. But today, as his plight
grew hourly more precarious, he pre-.
ferred to fight. 1t was his stubborn
retention of consciousness against the
pressure of waning strength that gave
those about him a flicker of hope
There were indications today that
the patient was showing increasing
effects of his long fight against the
throat and lung attack, which, in fact
dates back to 1928. In that year he
contracted cold while touring in
Europe, and upon his return to this
country was confined to bed for a
long period with a touch of influenza.
During most of the insuing Winter
he remained away from the Senate.
and by the time he entered the three
cornered presidential campaign of 1924
apparently had regained much of the
physical viSor Of his younger days.
He plunged into the campaign with
out stint, making a wide speed around
the circle and occupying himself for
long hours daily in organization work
among his supporters