Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1901-09-19
Farewell Glance.
LAST HOURS OF PRESIDENT.
Touching Scenes in the Sick Room
Where Noble Life Was
Fleeing.

Buffalo. N Y, Sept 13LBefore 6
O'Clock this morning 1t was clear that
President Mckinley was dying, and
preparations were made for the last
sad farewell from those nearest and
dearest to him. Oxygen had been min
istered steadily, but it had little effect
IN keeping back the approach OF death.
Touching Incidents.
The president came out of one period
Of Inconsistencies only to relapse into
another. During this period occurred a
series Of events profoundly touching in
character. Downstairs, with strained
aud tear-stained faces, the members OF
the cabinet were grouped anxious-wait-
ing.
Inst Greeting to Dying Chief.
They knew the end was near and that
the time had come when they must
see him for the last time. About 6
o'clock, one by one they assembled the
stairway-Secretary Root. Secretary
Hitchcock and Attorney-Genera Knox.
Secretary Wilson was there. but he
held back. not wishing to see the presi-
dent in the last agony. There was only
momentary stay OF the cabinet officers
Mt the threshold of the death chamber
and then they withdrew, the tears
streaming down their faces and words
of intense grief choking their throats
Last Parting With Beloved Wife.
After they left. the physicians raj
He'd him. and the president asked al
most Immediately that his wife be
brought to him. The doctors fell back
into tho shadow OF the room as Mrs.
Mckinley eal'- through the doorway
The strong face of the dying man light
ed up with faint smile as their hands
were clasped. She sat beside him, and
held his hand. Despite hor physical
weakness, she bore up byavely under
the ordeal
Presidents Last Words.
The president in his last period of
consciousness which ended at 7:40.
chanted the words OF tho hymn Nearer
My God to Thee and his last audible
conscious words a. taken down by Dr.
/ Mann at the bedside were Good bye,
all; good bye. 1t is Gods way His
will be dons,'
Heasy to Meet Death.
Then his mind began TO wander and
soon he completely lost consciousness.
His life was prolonged for hours by the
administration OF oxygen and the presi-
dent finally expressed the desire to be
allowed TO die At $50 the admin
iStration OF oxygen ceased. the pulse
grew fainter and fainter; he was sink
Ing gradually like child into the eter-
nal slumber At 10 o'clock the pulse
was no longer To be felt in the extremi-
ties and they grew cold.
They Await the End
Below stairs a griefstrickeu gather
Ing waited sadly for the end, Those in
the house were Secretaries Hitchcock.
Wilson and Root. Attorney General
Knox, Senators Fairbanks. Hanna and
I Burrows, Judge Day, Colonel Herrick,
I Ahner Mckinley aud wife. Or. and Mrs.
Bacr. Mrs. Barber. Mrs. Duncan, the
. presidents sister; Mrs Mary Barber,
/ Mrs, McWilliams. Mrs. Mckinley's cou-
sin; the physicians, including Doctors
/ MCBuruey John G. Milburu. John n.
Scatcherd. Harry Hamlin, Secretary
. Cortelyou. and a numbers OF othsrs,
Nearing Eternity.
4 At 9s7, Secretary Cortelyou sent on;
. lh' l'liH0' LNllhNdt4ou N'sl lHc ptSoA'
dent was dying, but the president lin
/ cered on, his pulse growing fainter and
fainter.
Sorrow PIerces Every Heart.
There was no need for official oulle-
tins after this Those who came from
the house told the same story--the
president was dying. and the end might
come n any time Or Mann said az
+ II o'clock that the president WAS still
I alive and would probably live some
/ time. THUS the minutes heightened in
I 70 hours. and midnight camv With the
I prcalacnt still battling against death