Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1901-09-13
shots rang out, one following the other

after the briefest portion of a second.
For the first moment there was all aw-
full hush. The sonata died instantly, the
people stopped and could not breathe.
Then there was pandemonium. The
Chief Executive, it was known, had been
shot.
The President drew his right hand
quickly to his chest raised his head and
his eyes rolled. He swerved a moment,
| reeled and was caught in the arms Of
Secretary Cortelyou, to his right.
May Gsd Forgive Him"
Catching himself for the briefest SEC
ond the President, whose face was now
of the whiteness of death, looked at the
assassin as the officers and soldiers bore
| him to the floor and said feebly and with
| the most benevolent look it is possible to
imagine:
May God forgive him
The President was carried first one
| way, then a step in another direction.
| The excitement was so sudden that for
| a moment no one knew what to do. FL
nally someone advised carrying him IN
side the purple edge of the aisle and seat
ing him on one of the chairs.
The bunting was in a solid piece. No
one had time to produce knife had he
been able to think of such thing. A
couple OF men tore the benches aside and
trampled the bunting down, while Mr..
Milburn and Secretary Cortelyou half
carried the President over the line and
into the passageway leading to the stage,
which had not been used.
The President was able TO walk lit
tie. but was leaning heavily on his e.
corts. In passing over the bunting his
foot caught and for a moment he stum-
bled. A reporter extricated his foot, and
the President was carried 10 seat.
where half a dozen men stood by and
famed him vigorously. Quick calls were
sent for doctors and TO the ambulance
"Tbls Wound Pains Greatly"
While seated for a moment Secretary
Cortelyou leaned over the President and
inquired:
do you feel much paiui"
White and trembling, the President
slipped his hand into the opening Of his
shirt front near the heart and sad:
his WOUND pains BreaUy.
AS the President Withdrew his hand
the first and second fingers were covered
with blood He looked at them, his hand
dropped to his side, and he became
fainter. His head dropped heavily to his
chest and those about him turned away.
During this pathetic scene, while tears
were filing the eyes OF those about the
President, who realized their utter pow
erlessness to help him, Minister Aspi-
roz, OF Mexico, broke through the little
crowd excitedly and awakened the faint
into which the President had sunk by
dramatically exclaiming in English:
"Oh, my God, Mr.. President, are you
shot?
While the excited diplomat was be-
ing restrained from caressing the Ex-
ecutive and falling at his feet the Pres.
dent replied. gaSping between each
word
"Yes-----I-believe--I---am."
The Presidents head then fell back
ward and he partially tainted Mr.. Mil
burn then placed his hand back OF
the wounded mans head AMI supported
it. This seemed to resuscitate the Presi-
dent and he sat stoically on the chair,
his legs spread out on the floor, his hips
clinched firmly, as if he would fight de
terminedy against death Ike was CIV
ing the fight OF soldier, and more
than one turned away tremblingly-all
in the building trembled and shook, not
from fear, but the tension--and remark
ed:
He is certainly soldier"
AS soon as possible the President was
taken to the Emergency Hospital on
the Exposition grounds in an automo-
bile ambulance. At the hospital the SUR
eeons probed for the bullets. Later the
President was removed to the home OF
Mr.. J. c. Milburn.