Rensselaer Republican, Volume 14, Number 17, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 12 January 1882 — President Garfield’s Death. [ARTICLE]

President Garfield’s Death.

The history of the next four days, as described by Dr. Bliss, |vae that of anxious apprehension. All symptoms pointed to a profound disturbs noe which at any time might4ause a fatal remit. His disposition to converse was not so marked, the wandering mind was easily and instantly recalled by a word or a touch of the hand. - The occurrence of occasional rigors, some- 1, times a severe and almost entire failU e to assimulate food, indicated an inevitable fatal end. I think that then, and probably long before, the President fully believed he could not survive. Perfectly calm, sentient, even inclined to be humorous, there was still an undercurrent of conviction which all ouY opotimism could not stem. ' ‘i ----- Dr. Bliss mentions that the President even wrote his own epitaph and announced that his career was ended. Dr. Bliss’s account of his death ■is as follows: After making some arrangements for the President’s comfort, and after the arrival of Swaim, who was nurse for the firs'; part of the night, Mrs, Garfield lef ; the sick room and retired. , Afterward I re-entered the room, took the pulse, and left the President quietly sleeping. I then returned to my room to prepare directions for the night where 1 was visited by Colonel Rockwell, who earnestly discussed with me the piobabilities of a favorable night The Colonel was to relieve Swaim at 12:30 a. m. I myself did not intend to sleep until after 12 o’clock, as I had some special observations to make at that hour, should the President be awake and his condition favorable. Colonel Rockwell left my room to seek his much needed rest. At 10:10 I was looking over some wonderful produc-' tions of human imagination, which each mail brought me when my faithful Dan suddenly appeared at the door of communication and said General Swaim wanted me quick. He preceded me to the room, took a candle from behind the screen near the door and v raised it so the light fell upon the face so soon to settle in rigid lines of death; Observing the pallor, the upturned eyes, the gasping respiration and total uneasiness, I, with uplifted hands, said: “My God, Swaim.” : , . I turned to the servant and added “Call Mrs. Garfield immediately, and on your return Drs. Agnew and Hamilton.” . . On his way to Mrs. Garfield’s room he notified Colonel Rockwell, who wasr the first member of the household in the room. Only a moment, elapsed before Mrs. Garfield was present. ‘ She “Ob, what is the matter?” I said: “Mrs. Garfield, the President is dying.” * Leaning over her husband and fer->c vently kissing his brow, sue exclaimed:. “Oh, why was I made to suffer this cruel wrong?” Meantime, by what seemed some mysterious means of communication, the whole house hold was present at once. Mrs. Garfield. Mrs. Rockwell, Miss Mollie Garfield, Miss Rockwell, Mr. C. O. Rockwell, Mr. J. Stanley Brown, Dr. Agnew, Dr. Boynton, the servants and myself were witness of the last sad scene in this sorrowful history. While summoning Mrs. Garfield, lin vain sought for the pulse in ' the wrist, next in the carotid artery, and last by placing my ear over the region of the heart. The restoratives which were always at hand were instantly resorted to, and in almost: every way it was sought to revive the rapidly-yielding vital forces. A faint, fluttering pulsation of the heart, gradually falling to indistinctness, alone rewarded my examinations.

At last—only a few moments after the alarm at 10:35—I raised my head from the breast of my dead friend, and said to the sorrowful group, “It is over.” So gradual was the final passage across the dark river that, for a few moments, I doubted the accuracy of my senses. The President’s worn sace 1 changed but little in death. I can’t describe the scene. The vital sparks had gone, no human soul or courage of heart could loftger avail. The once magnificent physique which had been so constantly and tenderly watched, lay untenanted before us. There was no sound, not even of weeping. All hearts were stilled. Noiselessly, one by one we passed, but leaving the broken-hearted wifealone with her dead husband, Thus she remained for more than an hour gazing upen the lifeless features, when Colonel Rockwell, fearing the effect upon her health, touched her arm and begged her to retire, which she did. In closing this brief account of suffering, so long and patiently borne, I should fail in duty to myself, as well well as to others, if I omitted the tribute of my heart to those to whose untiring devotion and vigilant help so much is owed.