Rensselaer Republican, Volume 25, Number 17, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 22 December 1892 — BLAINE NEAR DEATH. [ARTICLE]

BLAINE NEAR DEATH.

He Had a Sinking Spell Sunday that Caused Great AlarmHis Heart Refused to Perform Its Functions and Physicians Were Hurriedly Summoned—Dissolution Expected in a Few Hours. Washington, Dec. 18 —All day long the life of James G; Blaine has hung tremb* llngln the balance. For more than an hour in the afternoon hope was a aban - doned and the end was momentarily expected by physicians, family and friends. ( All simulation was thrown aside in the apparent imminent presence of death, and the suppressed facts of his illness—the long denied, but now admitted, Bright’s disease, the occasional intervals of delirium, the long hours when he has lain incapable of speech or motion (as it is now wasthecare-when Cardinal Gibbons paid him bis recent friendly call); these and other distressing features of his illness all incidental to the one overpowering organic trouble, Bright’s disease, aggravated as this has been of late by a cold contracted while imprudently venturing ou 4 driving two weeks ago and by malarial fever, and confronted by a constitution impaired by nearly two years of continual sickness—all these things are now tacitly admitted. The physicians assert that there hav® not been any hemorrhages,has been asserted, but this is almost the only alarming symptoms which is now denied. The first crisis was reached between 10 and It o’clock this morning, when a sinking speU set in, in which the worst was feared. His family were called around the bedside and his physicians sent messenger after messenger to the nearest drug store with prescriptions requiring hasty attention. The distiuguished patient lay unconscious and to all appearances dying until 1 o’clock, when a slight rally set in. His pulse, which had almost ceased to beat,, became again perceptible and partial consciousness was restored. At 2 o’clock his physicians, Drs. Johnston and Hyatt, considered him so much improved as to render their constant presence at the bedside unnecessary. While there had been no change in his condition upon which hopes of ultimate recovery could be based, the immediate crisis had passed. At 2 o’clock a reporter saw James G. Blaine, jr., at the family residence. He said that his father’s attack was very bad and created the greatest apprehension ' His condition became so weak that it was. feared, in view of his enfeebled condition, a recurrence must involve the gravest consequences. While the Improvement in Mr. Blaine's condition is but slight, and not sufficien to afford any great amount of encouragement to his family and friends, the reaction has seemed to modify the feeling of apprehensroirfor tho Immediate future. All day representatives of the press patrolled Madison Place and carefully watched the old red mansion which has become celebrated for its historical associations and the fatality with which misfortune has followed its occnpams. From the Sickles-Key tragedy, which occurred more than a third of a century ago; from the attempted assassination of Secretary Seward during the last year of tho civil war, down to the present time, the pall of 111 fate has hung over the mansion. During the less than four years’ occupancy of ..thia .hmiaQ-Jbg,llift_family. M rs. _ Coppinger(Mr. Blaine's daughter), Walker Blaine and Emmons Blaine, the ex-Secre-tary’s promising sons, have died, A little after 6 o'clock both doctors loft, Dr. Hyatt saying that Mr. Blaine’s condition showed a slight improvement over the morning. They did not consider it necessary to issue another 1 bulletin. Dr. Hyatt said that ho thought there was no doubt that Mr. Blaine would live through the night, but, at the same time, he H) undoubtedly critically 111, and any complications that may arise will undoubtedly cau e a fatal termination of his illness. ’ A little after 6:30 o'clock Mr. James G. Blaine, Jr„ came out and said to tho reporters: “We think that father Is considerably better than he was this morning. He was dangerously ill during tho forenoon. During the afternoon, however, he seems to have rallied somewhat. The physicians have been here this evening, and wo now think he will live during the night, and wo hope for the best. Still, It m ist be said that bo is very dangerously ill.” These were the strongest statement* that had yet been made by tho family or physicians as to the condition of the exSecretary. President Harrison, accompanied by hi 8 private Secretary, Mr. Halford, walked over from the White House to the ex-Sec-T retary’s residence this evening, to personally inquire as to his condition, and expressed relief and gratification on being informed that there had been some abatement of the more alarming symptoms, Tho excitement throughout the city was intense as tho news of Mr. Blaine’s condition spread, and though it was Sunday the newspapers issued extras, which found K rapid sale. .

The silver men in Washington are much disappointed at the adjournment of the monetary conference st Brussels. They say that while the adjournment Is culled . a “recess” until next May it is their expectation that the commlsion wHI meet again, us was the case of tho Paris International monetary conference when that body adjourned to meet at a later date, but as u matter of fact never reassembled. The silver men admit absolutely nothing has been accomplished by the con fore nee, nor do they expect even In the event of a reassembling of the conference next May for any better results. Mr. Bacon, the chairman of the House commute on banking and currency, says that now the conference is over hie committee will proceed to a discusion of the bills before it for the repeal of the Sherman law, but it Is the opinion of the financial lead-, ers of both the House and the Senate that there will be absolutely no silver legislation iu this Congress. i |