Evening Republican, Volume 17, Number 15, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 17 January 1913 — MRS. B. J. GIFFORD DIED SUDDENLY [ARTICLE]

MRS. B. J. GIFFORD DIED SUDDENLY

Wife of Aged Land Owner and Railroad Builder Passed Away After Brief Illness.

Mrs. Benjamin J. Gifford died at apartments occupied by herself and her husband at the Makeever hotel Thursday night at about 8 o’clock, after a sickness of only twenty minuter. A week before her death her husband had suffered a stroke of apoplexy and she had been constantly at-his side, watching him with tender devotion and it is quite probable that her exhausted condition superinduced the attack of heart trouble that caused her death.

Only two or three moments before her attack Landlord Fate, of the hotel, had been in the rooms, taking to her some medicine for Mr. Gifford. Stepping out of their rooms he conversed for a short time with his wife and suddenly heard moaning in the Gifford apartments. Both Mr. and Mrs. Fate entered the rooms and found Mrs. Gifford had fainted. Mr. Fate sent out a hurried call for doctors and Drs. Loy and Johnson responded. Nothing could be done to aid her and in about twenty minutes she had passed away.

Mr. Gifford was not conscious of what was happening, although his wife died in an adjoining room, a part of their apartments. He knew that-she was ill but even after he had been apprised of her death he asked frequently about her condt-. tion. The effect that her death will have upon him is expected to prove a severe setback to his recovery. She had been his almost constant companion, taking care of his every need when he was in health as well as in sickness. She was a woman of sweet and charitable disposition and had endeared herself to those at the hotel as well as to all who knew her. She was a woman of ■unusual intellectual attainment and a reader and thinker and interesting in conversation.

Mr. and Mrs. Gifford have been living at the hotel for the past year, ever Since he established his headquarters here, coming from Kankakee, 111., where thsy had lived for many years. His extensive land interests and his railroad extension work from McCoysburg toward Wolcott caused him to decide on Rensselaer as a place for his railroad headquarters. Mr. Gifford’s secretary, George H. Halsey, sent out a number of telegrams Thursday evening to relatives and has received a number of replies. Mr. and Mrs. Gifford have no living children, their only child, a little daughter, having died a great many years ago. She was buried at Rantoul, 111. Mrs. Gifford has a sister, Mrs. James M. Hutchinson, at Ann Arbor, Mich., and a telegram was sent to her. She is quite old and was unable to come here herself, but sent a niece, Miss J. Duke, of that city, who arrived today. Mr. Gifford’s sister, Miss May Gifford, of Chicago, is also here, and Mr. Gifford’s cousin and legal advisor, George H. Gifford, of Tipton, will arrive this afternoon. It has been impossible to complete the funeral arrangements, but it is now about decided to ship tjie body to Ann Arbor, Mich., for burial, and this will probably be done Saturday. Mr. Halsey has been taking active charge of the preparations, assisted by friends of the deceased woman at the hotel.