Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1901-09-12
STORY OF THE CRIME

would-be assassin while holding a
reception in the temple of music at
the Pan-American Exposition few
minutes after o'clock yesterday after
noon. One shot took effect in the
right breast, the other in the abdomen.
The first is not of serious nature,
and the bullet has been extracted. The
latter pierced the abdominal wall and
has not been located.
1t was a few moments after p. m.
while President Mckinley was holding
a public reception in the great Temple
of Music on the an-AmericaH grounds
that the cowardly attack was made,
with what success time alone can tell.
Standing in the midst of the crowds
numbering thousands surrounded by
every evidence of good will, pressed
by a motley throng of people, show
cred with expressions OF love and 10y
atty, besieged by multitudes all eager
to clasp his hand. amid these sur
roundings and with ever recurring
plaudits of an admiring army of sight.
seers ringing in his ears the blow of
the assassin fell and in an instant
to agony, folly turned to fury and pan
demonium followed
1t was just after the daily organ
recital in the splendid temple of music
that the dastardly attempt upon the
life of the President was made.
Planned With DiaboIicaI Ingenuity.
The President, though well guarded
by United States special service de-
tectives, was fully exposed to such
an attack as occurred. He stood at
the edge of the raised dais upon which
stands the great pipe organ at the
east side of the magnificent structure.
Throngs of people crowded in at the
various entrances, to gaze upon their
executive, perchance to clasp his hand,
and then fight their way out in the
good-natured mob that every minute
swelled and multiplied at the points
of ingress and egress to the building.
The President was in a cheerful mood
and was enjoying to the full the hear
ty evidences of good will which every
where met his gaze. Upon his right
stood John G. Milburn, of Buffalo, the
president of the Pan-American Expo
stion, chatting with the President and
introducing to him especially persons
of note who approached. Upon the
Presidents left stood Mr. Cortelyou.
1t was shortly after p. M, when
one of the throng which surrounded
the presidential party, medium-sized
man of ordinary appearance. and plain
ly dressed in black, approached as if
to greet the President.
Sharp Crack of the Revolver.
President Mckinley smiled bowed
and extended his hand in that spirit
of geniality the American people so
well know. when suddenly the sharp
crack of revolver rang out loud and
clear above the hum of voices, the
shuffling of myriad feet and vibrating
waves of applause that ever and anon
swept here and there over the assem-
blage.
There was an instant of almost com
plete silence. The President stood
stock still, look of hesitancy, almost
of bewilderment on his face. Then
he retreated step, while pallor be
gan to steal over his features.
Then came commotion. With the
leap of tiger three men threw them
selves forward, as with one impulse
and sprang toward the would-be assas.
sin. Two of them were United States
secret service men who were on the
lookout, and whose duty it was to
guard aginst just such a calamity as
had here befallen The President of the
nation. The third was a bystander. a
negro, who had only an instant pre-
viously grasped in his dusky palm the
hand of the President. AS one man
the trio hurled themselves upon the
Presidents assailant. In a twinkling
he was borne to the ground, his wea-
pom was wrested from his grasp and
strong arms pinioned him down.
Crowd sureed Forward.
For moment the confusion was ter
rible. The crowd surged forward re-
gardless of consequences.
Men shouted and fought, women
screamed and children cried. Some OF
those nearest the doors fed from the
hundreds of others from the outside
struggled blindly forward in the effort
to penetrate the crowded building and
solve the mystery of excitement and
panic. which every moment grew and
swelled within the congested interior
of the edifice.
But of the multitude which wit
messed or bore a part in the scene OF
turmoil and turbulence there was but
one mind which seemed to retain it's
equilibrium, one hand which remained
steady, one eye which gazed with un-
fiinching calmness, and one voice
which retained it's even tenor and fall
tered not at the most critical juncture
They were the mind and the hand and
the eye and the voice of President Nc
Kinley
President Remained Calm.
After the first shock of the assas-
sins shots, he retreated step then