The San Francisco call., 1896-02-09
MeKINLEY's RESIDENCE AT CANTON, OHIO.

acknowledgement of the First Division, First
Army Corps, ON the staff of General Carroll
that he was brevetted major March I3, 1865;
and that he was mustered out of service July
26, 1865. -
Mckinley is a Knight Temp1ar, Knight of
Pythias and also Greek Fraternity man. His
entrance into Masonry was an incident of the
war and rather unique. Mckinley was going
through hospital with one OF the regimental
surgeons. He noticed that the surgeon and
some OF the Confederate wounded were very
friendly to each other, and in several instances
the surgeon gave money to the prisoners.
Ihere was an unmistakable bond of sympa thy
between them. Young Mckinley asked the sur
geon II he knew these prisoners. The surgeon
told him they were brother Masons Young
Mckinley was SO much impressed by the
friendly feeling existing between Confederate
and Union Masons that he expressed the de-
sire to join the Masons. He was made Mason
in Hiram Lodge, Winchester, Va, May 1, 1865.
receiving his degree at the hands of Confed-
crate master of the lodge.
Mckinley was married to Miss Ida Sax
ton, daughter of John Saxton, an Ohio
journalist OF note, on January 25, 1871.
Two children were born to them, both
girls, but they died early in life For years
Mrs. Mckinley has been an invalid. In her
gentle heroism, she never allows her
health to interfere with her husband's g
career.
In regard to Governor McKinley's domestic
life, perhaps the most pathetic thing to be saici
is that there has been SO little of it. On Janu.
uary 25, 1896, Governor Mckinley and his wife
celebrated their silver wedding in the same
modest house in Canton in which quarter OF
century before they began life together.
Chicago convention of 1884, which nomi-
mated James 6. Blaine for President. is
described In rather effective manner.
Mckinley was pledged to the Plumed
Knight. Mr.. Porter thus tells the story :
Mckinley bore himself modestly at Chicago.
but his great quality of leadership came to the
front by force of circumstances He only
spoke two or three times from the floor of the
convention, but every time ne arose he at
tracted attention, and the influence he exefted
was most remarkable. At the critical time
during the convention his was the voice that
rallied the Blaine forces. Three ballots had
been taken. Blaine gained on each ballot
The final and desperate effort was made by the
other candidates under the leadership of the
dashing Foraker in Sherman's behalf for an
adjournment. Curtis, the great editor oi
Harpers' Weekly, and Theodore Roosevelt were
on cnalrS 1ranllcally yelllng. stewart oil
Pennsylvania and Carr OF California, in their
zeal for Blaine, were trying to outdo Curtis
and Roosevelt IN voice. The massive and
phlegmatic butcher of New York, one oil
Arthur's generals, was laundering away in
the effort to catch the ear and eye of the chair
man of the convention, General Henderson oi
Missouri. There was pandemonium and there
threatened to be panic.
In the midst of the storm Mckinley arose
Although only of medium stature his form
seemed to tower above those around him. His
face was pale and looked like piece of marble
statuary, except that his eyes fairly blazed
Before he had uttered two words his voice
could be heard. He waved his hand and the
tumult ceased. No mistake about 1.-THE was
the master-spirit of that convention. Calm
and like granite he stood. His short speech
was carried in clarion tones all over the i'm
mense hall. AS friend of Blaine, he said, he
recognized and respected the rights of friends
OF other candidates to secure an adjournment
and then he said: "Let the motion be put and
let everybody favorable to the nomination OF
Blaine vote against it."
I That settled it. Under McKinley's leader
ship, assumed spontaneously and boldly, the