Evening star., 1925-05-17
SPENCER
EXPIRES SUDDENLY
Missourian Is Believed VIC
tim of Blood CIot Follow
ing Operation.

Selden Palmer Spencer, Junior Sen
ator from Missouri, died suddenly last
night at Walter Reed Hospital, fol.
lowing an operation 10 days ago for
hernia. The exact cause of death has
not been aScertained.
Senator Spencer saw a number of
friends at the hospital yesterday, and
he seemed in excellent spirits. Last
evening he was laughing and talking
with his nurse when he suddenly COM
planned of a strange feeling that
seemed to attack his entire body.
Realizing that something serious
had occurred, the nurse hurried for
one of the hospital doctors. and upon
returning to the room found Senator
Spencer rapidly losing consciousness.
He died "a few minutes later, before
either, the doctor or the nurse could
administer medicine.
- Death Comes as Shock.
Senator Specer's death came as a
distinct shock to his friends and rela-
tives. The operation he underwent
was not considered serious, and it was
generally believed he was well on the
road to recovery. He had talked of
leaving the hospital soon, he had i'm
proved so rapidly
Physicians OF Walter Reed described
Senator Spencer's sudden death as
probably due to a blood clot that
touched the brain and Immediately
stopped circulation. Despite the COM
paratively simple nature of the opera
ton, such dangers are encountered in
all major surgical cases, it was said,
and death usually enSueS too quickly
to make relief possible.
see his secretary at noon yesterday,
and had dictated answers to some
pressing letters that had accumulated
during his illness. I'm feeling great,
he told his secretary at the time. L
guess I'll be back at the office before
anothaer week has passed
Wife Is Frustrated.
Mrs. Spencer, too, had visited her
husband during the day and was at
their suite in the Brighton on Cat
fornia street when news of the death
was sent to her. She was Frustrated
with the suddenness of the uneXpect-
ed message. Arrangements for the
funeral are being held in allegiance
pending communications with those
of the Senator's sons who can be
reached.
Three sons survive: Brooks Spen-
Il
Ger of st. Louis and Selden Palmer
Spencer, jr., who is living in China. A
sister, Mrs Kendall Fullerton of Ohio,
also survives.
Serving Second Term.
Senator oencer was serving his
second term. having been elected in
1918 over Joseph w. Folk, Democrat,
by a majority of $4,000 to fill the
vacancy caused by the death OF VIII
liam j. Stone. He was reelected In
1920 by a majority of 1000 over
Breckenridge Long.
The Senator's death came just as
he was preparing to enter campaign
to retain his seat in Congress, as
his present term would have expired
in 1927.
Senator Spencer was chairman of
the privileges and elections committee
and took a prominent part in the New
berry and Maytield Investigations.
The committee was planning to be-
gin next week the counting of bal
lots in the contest over the seat OF
Senator Breokhart of Iowa.
The Missouri Senator came into the
limelight in the latter days of the
Teapot Dome oil investigation. when
he was selected by the administration
TO present its views more forcefully
in connection with the oil leases. He
pIaced in the public lands committees s
record a defense of the leases, and he
signed a minority report as opposed
to the Walsh ma jority, which drew
considerable criticism on the Senate
floor.
Senator Spencer also was member
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