CLAUS SPRECKLES.

Auckland Star, Volume XXIX, Issue 147, 24 June 1898, Page 3

CLAUS SPRECKLES.

THIS AGED MULTI.-MJLLIONATRI.O IS DANGEROUSLY ILL AVITIf. DIABETES AND CANNOT RECOVEK.

HAN FKANCISCO, May 10,

Out. ut his magnificent home on Van Kess Avenue. San Francisco, Millionaire Claus SprookelH is lying- very seriously ill—sick unto death, almost. Aliiieted with a disease that medical experts a.'c loath to pronounce fatal, yet for which they know full well no poslti\e cure has yet been found, nevertheless Ihe Sugar King is making a bravo stru...;.;;!e. All that weulth can provide is in his command; the best of physicians are constantly in attendance, and at his bedside sily a devoted wife doing all in her power to bring relief. Though for s;ome time past Mr Spreokel.\, anu la:; family have l.een aware tl.at he was a HUlierer from Uiabelus, the tact tiasi uetn nejjl very seci.-et uinil recetuly. |«'or quite a period the millionaire has been under treatment for iho disi.-ase byjii.s luiuily physician, nr. 1,. (..'. l.uife- 'Ihe allllciiou was in ;.i mild lorm. 5 however, mul in its ilielpleilcy readily: yielded to treatment. A rigid syj-iein'. uf dieting was enforced and the gretlle.s;! care uT Mr Spreckels' heailh niiuntamed in every renpect. I'or v timr,

appari;inly, he grew uetter, but such Ih only the nature of the disease, and latur il developed in a more iiggravatevv form. L'uu.Hantly, gradually, and surely Ihe malady heealine more serious. 'Iho -'Kill oi IMU physluian was put to a

se\iii-4;r test, and mure radical became Hie treat,iKiit of lii,: putieul. The ravages ol diabetes are positive and generally unconquerable, Recently Mr Spreeyle.s' alulu bucanie very Borlous iti-

lo make mailers worse, a carbuncle in an a;;f.-ravated fyrm duVeloped on the hack. In the vietnlty of tin- kidneys was the irriiulion full, ami the tir.-.t irouhlu of the luulli iniuioiialro was lai'jji'ly a/iK'avated thereby, uver a week ago he was loreed to tuki- lo his beti, and Tits lilt: v.as gravely threatened. |Jy a slender thread uf vitality uloiiu was lie supported, and thu physicians laboured Inee.'tsmuly in Ud-p tlie spark remaining Mill Hiowintf though but faintly. Mr Spreckli-H i-uiiiwi of v ruyged family, and his slron;,' eouslitutlon, dominated to no

small de;;n.'e by an iron Will, whose unWiiveriuj; deteimlliiltion has more than Ullee been exliibite»l. asslst'-d materlfilly In the HlrugKle. lie rallied wtimWhat, and thonuii still In a, very weak condition v.as reported to ho somewhat improved tins morning.

Inquiry over the telephone lo the family residence this morning elicited the Information thai the suiicnr had been uneonscloiis, but was sleeping peacefully at ll:e time. I'ur four days past two of hi:, sons, John I.), and Aoolph H.. have hci-ti tilinoHt rotiHtnnlly at the ro»iflence of their father. No onii, however, outsido ol the family is allowed lo fieo Mr yprt'cklcM, not even his mo.st Intimate fliellclH, Tilt! physieiah:! have ordered that he be given complete rest and not troubled in the Klifihtesl defjrt-.y I'r. N. C. Lane, the physician In chief In attendance upon Mr Bpn.-ckleH, very rcluclaiitiy coiiHetited lo »\n-u.U upon the HUhJeci uf the millionaire's Illness. Al lii'Kl hi; declared that his patient was suff'.TiiiK1 merely from a carbuncle. However, when Or. Lime was told by a reprusonlatlve of 'The iJulh-lhi' that from aulheiilic. MuureeH it bad Ijeen learned Mr SpreeklcN wj.im alllicied with dlaiietes, lie replied: "Well, I do not say ii is dinbetes.'

liulng further pressed Dr. Lane finally admitted that Mr Kpreeklcs had HUllered from diabetes, but that the trouble had suci limbed to a course of treatment, 'By submitting to a diet,' continued tin' physielaii, 'he practically wan cured. Then, you know, diabetes never kills old men.1

When Dr. Lane was nsktul if he knew of any positive cure for dlabete.s he did not: give a direct reply. ' iUedleul authorities ngree (hat. the severer form oi diabetes is incurable. Its course may be extended before fatality results, and for a time the malady may be stayed apparently succumbing to treatment: I'ut it is recurrent in form uulil at last comes an attack from which the sufferer in unable to recover.

Or. Lane concluded the interview by a very conservative statement. 'You may say.' he said, 'that Mr Spreckles jha's been very ill. His sickness was aggravated by business and family affairs, but we believe that, be will recover.'

While the father was lying at his home .so seriously ill two members of his family there, were who scarcely knew of hi;-; condition, of Into years the millionaire's home lifts has "not been entirely a. happy one. The bitter quarrel with tin- two sons, Augustus mid Rudolph \u well known to the residents of thin city. Apparently (he serious condition of tlie father has not served to narrow tin: breach. This morning, Augustus Hprecklcs. when asked the condition of his father, said; 'I have heard that he Is .seriously ill. But why do yon ask me? I know nothing about It, (,t> to :!21, Market-street. That is las otllee. They will tell you there."

it is noticeable that at the same place also are Die ollice.s of John I>. and Adolph, the two sons who sided with" the father against the other::. Clans .Spreckles has a, daughter as well. Nee Rmmu Spree kles not long ago, she incurred the displeasure of her parents by her marriage to Broker Thomas Watson. Mr and Mrs Watson are now on a, tour round the world.

Clans Spreckles is one of (he best known rniilti millionaires-: in this city. Likewise is his name familar throughout the United States. His fortune is estimated lo be at least 10,000,000 dols and very probably more. Mis interests in sugar plantations at Hawaii are very extensive, while he also owns a large beet sugar plant in the vicinity of Bakersflold. As one of the promoters' and principal owners of the San Francisco and Ban Joaquln Valley Railroad he was brought prominently before the public. Jfe is likewise tho proprietor of much valuable real estate and several magnificent modern building's in this city. His new home in Van Ness Avenue is one of the most handsome and best appointed in San Francisco. Mr Spreckles is one of the city's most public spirited citizens, lie is a German by birth, but his interests are all in America. Pos-

sessed of a .strong constitution, his friends generally believe that he will bo able for some time yet to postpone the visit of the grim messenger.