The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1901-09-18

were the last words Of President NJ
Kin!ey, which were addressed u h
wife a few hours before his death. II
had previously murmured the wort
of the hymn, "Nearcr, my God, t
Thee" and soon after Mrs. McKinle
entered the room, when there was a
affecting farewell, after which h
lapsed into Inconsistencies from
which he never recovered.
Thursday for the first time ther,
was an uptUward break in the new.
from the bedside of President McKin
ley, aud there was genuine apprehen
sion as TO his condition. The food he
had taken in the morning did not agree
with him, and his pulse increased to
l2S, when one of his physicians said ii
should be 96. For hours the President
failed to respond to the treatment, but
at midnight relief came and the physi-
clans were much encouraged
Between two and three O'Clock Fri
day morning President Mckinley
experienced sinking spell, and the
physicians at once administered rest ora.
tives, which did not have the desired
effect.
The Associated Press was then autho-
rized to say that the President was crli-
cally ill, and at three O'Clock all the
physicians were at his bedside. 1t was
stated that digltalis was being admini.-
tered at that time, which is given in
extreme cases TO revive the heart ac-
tion.
kilograms in the forenoon were
Indicative of All early and fatal termi.
nation, and at IL O'Clock it was said
that the President could not live four
hours.
A report was sent out from Wash
ington that the President died at 6. 80
p. M, which was in accord with the
news that CAME during the afternoon.
but he fingered until 2.15 O'Clock
Saturday morning, when his spirit took
lts flight from earth.
The following sketch of the life and
work of William Mckinley is from the
pen of F. H. Richardson, of the At
lanta Journal:
William Mckinley, like Andrew
Jackson, Abraham Lincoln, James A.
Garfield anil Grover Cleveland, may
be said to have won his way to the
presidency, without the aid OF acciden-
tai influences.
He was born at Niles, Trumbull
County, Ohio, February 26, 1914. His
parents were in very moderate circum-
stances, but took great pride in their
boy, who at an early age displayed
unusual gifts. Young Mckinley had
the benefit of training in the public
schools in the neighborhood from his
ninth year until the outbreak of the
civil war, when he was little pnsL
sixteen.
Soon after the beginning of hostii-
ties he enlisted in the Twenty third
regiment of Ohio volunteers, with
which command he served in various
capacities until the close of the war,
when he was mustered out as captain
and brevet major, having won the
latter title by gallantry on the field of
battle.
He was just little past 81, and
took up the study Of law. He was ad-
milted to the bar early in 1866, and
very soon acquired considerable
practice by his devotion TO business
and his attractive personal character
istics.
In 1869 he became prosecuting at
tOrney for Stark County, in which he
had opened Ills first law office, and held
that position two years. His natural
love of politics developed about this
time. He became one of the most
popular ard effective of the Republi.
can campaign speakers in his part of
Ohio, and was elected to the Forty
Fifth Congress, and held his seat for
ak consecutive ,erms He was then
deiented by the popular uprising
against the tariff act of which he was
the chief author, and with which his
name is permanently connected.
He had not been in Congress long
before he developed remarkable powers
as an orator and debater. He became
favorite of his party by reason of his
readiness on all occasions, his strict
party loyalty and his efficacy in party
service. At the same time, his geni.
ality and courtesy won for him many
friends among his political antagonists.
Before he was 40 years old William
Mckinley was recognized Republi.
can leader and a prominent national
figure in politics.
The nobility of his nature was prov
IA in the national convention of his
party in 1888, where he was chairman
of the Ohio delegation. OHIO had pre-
sented John Sherman as its candidat,
for President, but it be came evident OF
the first ballot that he could not b,
nominated. The convention was vor,
much at sea. Mckinley had more per
sonal friends than any man whose nam
had been proposed to the convention
and the Ohio delegation was ready l.
60 TO him In body. The suggestion
Of his nomination, which came fror