Fisherman & farmer. [volume] (Edenton, N.C.) 1887-19??, 1901-09-19
IT'S PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT.
Re Takes the Oath OF Office With Inn
nressixe Ceremonies.

Roosevelt was 25 miles from a ra!road
station in the AdIrondac mountains on
4 hunting expedition. Then began
the effort to convey the intelligence to
| him. Special relays 3f messengers
were detailed 10 notify him and toNe
him to Buffalo. He vas found ana
escorted to the railway station where
4 special train took him to the scene
! Of tho Presidents deltA. He reached
! Buffalo on Saturday ana repaired 10
the Milburn House. HIS fl 8. act was
TO express to Mrs. Mex nley his con
dolence The president was attirsd in
black frock coat and dark striped
trousers. and wore silk hat. He
was sombre Of countcnance, and Gp-
paared 10 feel both the solemnity OF the
OCCASION and its responsibilities for
him.
He alightod at the MilbUrn house at
exactly 2:3S o'clcch. He was accom-
PANIED by his hest. MIR. Anslcy WilccN,
and one CT tha secret service force.
President Roosevelt came cut Of the
Miibu1n house at .: IS aid drove to rhe
| Wilcox home, re- hing there at $40.
A ten minutes wait for the members
Of the cabincs ensuel, Al pseparau1Es
were made for taking the oath o. o.
fee
The place selected was the library
CT Mr. Wilcox's house, a rather small
room. but picturesque, the heavy
oak trimmings and the massive beck
cases giving il somewhat the appear
ance of a legal den. A pretty bay
window. with stained glass and heavy
hangings. formed a background, and
against this the president took his pJ-
sition Surrounding him were the five
members Of the cabinct-Secretarie5
| Root. Hitchcock, Long Wilson aad
Postmaster General Smith. Nearby
him was Senator Chau1cey NJ D2pew,
Judge of the Court OF Appeals Haight,
Jchn S2atchard, Mr.. anl Mrs. Ansley
Wilcox, Miss Wilcox, George P. Saw
yer, Drs. Mann, Park and Stockton,
Mr.. and Mrs. Carleton Sprague, Jr.,
George B. CortelyOu secretary to th6
dead president; DR.. and Charles Carey,
| r. C. Scatchard. J. d. Sawyer, VIM.
Jcffers. official telegrapher of the Uni
ted States Senate, and Judge Of the
|
Hazel.
Judge Hazel stood near the president
| in the bay window, and the latter
showed his almost extreme nervous
ness by plucking at the lapel Of his
lcng frock coat and nervously tapping
the hardwood floor with his heel. lie
stepped over once to Secretary ROot,
and for about five mi, utes they con-
versed earnestly. The question at IS
sue was whether the president should
first sign an cath Of office, and then
swear in, Cr whether he SIN -,uld swear
in first and sign the document in the
! case after
7 SECRETARY ROOT BREAKS DOWN
At precisely 3:22 O'Clock Secretary
Root ceased his conversation with the
president and, stepping back, while an
absolute hush fell upon everyone in
the room, said, in almost inaudible
voice:
Mr.. Vice President: T'-Then his
voice broke, and for fully two minutes
the tears came down his face and his
lips quivered 50 that he could not con
tinue his utterancc5. Thee were
sympathetic tears from these about
him, and two great drops ran down
either cheek Of the successor OF Will
liam Mckinley. Mr.. Roots chin was
on his breast. Suddenly. throwing
back his head as if with an effort, h9
continued, in broken voice:
Il have been requested. on behalf Of
the cabinet of the late president, at
! least those who are present in Buffalo,
all except two, to request that, for lea-
sons Of weight affecting the affairs OF
! government, you should proceed TO
take the constitutional oath of pres
dent of he United States"
/ Judge Hazel had stepped to tho rear
Of the president. and Mr. Roosevelt,
coming closer to Secretary RCQot, said
in voice that at first Wavered but
! finally came deep and strong. while.
as if to control his nervousness, he
held firmly to the lapel CT his ccat with
his right hand:
Il shall take the cath a. once, in ac-
cordance with your request, and in this
hour Of deep and terrible national b..
reavement [ wish to state that it shall
be my aim to continue absolutely un-
broken the policy of President McKin-
ley for the peace and prosperity and
honor Of our beloved country"
THE OATH OF OFFICE TAKEN.
The president stepped farther into
the bay window, and Judge Hazel. tax
ing up the constitutional cath # Of
flee, which had been prepared on
parchment, asked the president .
raise his right hand and repeat it after
him. There was hush like death IN
the room as the judge read a few
words at a time and the president, in
I n CT
and with his raised hand as steady as
If carved from marble repeated j. after
him. And thus | swear he ended.
The hand dropped by his side, the chin
for All instant rested c1 the breass,
and the silence remained unbroken fur
q couple Of minutes, rs though the
new president Of the United States was
Offering silent prayer. Judge Hazel
broke it, saying: Mr.. President,
please attach your signature" and the
president. turning to small table
nearby, wrote Theodore Roosevelt"
at the bottom Of the document III
! firm hand
Il should like to see the members IF
the cabinet a few moments after the
others retire" said the president, and
this was the signal fo- tho score Of
people who had been favored by wit
Messing the ceremony, to retire. AS
they turned to go, the president said: .
Il will shake hands with yea people
gladly" and with something OF his old
smile returning, he first shcok hands
with the members of the cabinet pres
ent, then Senator Depew, and finally
with few guests and newspaper
men.