The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-09-14
GLOOM At CAPITAL
THREE MEMBERS OF M.KINLEY.s
CABINET HORROR-STRICKEN
AT SUDDEN CHANGE
TWO STAY At THEIR POSTS
Hay and Gage VIII Have Taeir
Hands Full with the Uaex-
pected Death of the
President.


WASHINGTON, SEPT. 1S.-The news of
the expected death of President Mckin-
ley came as crushing blow to the ma
ton 5 capital. Nowhere perhaps had tle
citizens been so fun OF confidence in the
ultimate recovery of their beloved presi-
dent, and the buoyant bulletins OF the
past week from the sick bed had IulIed
them into false sense of security which
made the shock more terrible when the
news that the Buffalo tragedy would
have a fatal ending came to them.
All day long the bulletin boards were
surrounded by crowds waiting in sup
pressed excitement for the latest word
from the Mllburn home, and numerous
newspaper EXTRAS Were eagerly snapped
up. Little work was done in the great
executive departments. as at the slight
est excuse the clerks dropped their pens
ana turned to talk in small, awe tTickea
groups of the chances that thei. chef
magistrate had against death in the gal
liant struggle he was making in the far
away city on the lake.
HAY. SMITH AND GAGE
The three cabinet officers in the capitol
today We're pictures of distress. Two
days ago Secretary Hay had left his
chief apparently on the road to recovery.
and today Postmaster Smith, who had
left Buffalo even later and reached here
this morning, said that when he came
from the Milburn home yesterday the
president was, according to the best IN
formation, surely on the mend. The post
master general returned to Buffalo on
the 7:15 train tonight. Secretary Hay
had engaged accomn odationS on the
nights New Eng and train, intending to
return to his New Hampshire summer
home for much needed rest, but cancelled
the order early in the day, on him
deYOlved important functions at once on
the presidents demise. He divided his
time between the state department and
his home. waiting for the end in pa
tient resignation, prepared for his s0r-
roWful duty of conveying to the nations
of the world in official form the news
of the demise of the third American
president through the agency OF an
saSsins bullet within the short space
of one human life. AS the senior mem
Der in rank of the cabinet. upon MIR.
Hays shoulders also will rest the burden
OF government of the great republic IN
the short but important interval tat
must elapse before the vice president
under the terms of the constitution as
sumeS the cares and responsibilities OF
the great presidential Office.
AT his home at Woodley Secretary
Case moUrnfully awaited the close of his
chiefs life. During the day he had been
at the treasury department and had kept
that the presidents end might not cause
any official disturbance. that foresight
On the part of his department could
avert. Gen O--nespie, acting secretary Of
war, stuck at his pest in the war Depart
ment for the purpose of making such
army orders as the sad event would force
him to issue. lie got into communication
with Gen. Miles at Seattle, and the Last
ter notified the department that he would
return Immediately.
POSSIBLE CABINET CHANGES.
The fact that the physicians had gwen
up all hope caused some discussion
among the public men in the city of the
probability of an extra session OF con-
sress, and OF early changes in the cabi-
net, bat the consensus of opinion was
that no cabinet changes or important de-
partures in public policy were at all like
~ for some time to come ana that con-
gress would not be assembled until It's
regular session in December
All the cabinet, the chief diplomatic Of
TcialS and the heads of important nu-
reaus, according to custom will tendar
their designations to relieve the president
OF embarrassment. but it is believed NJ
Roosevelt would follow the precedent set
Dy President Arthur. after Garfield's de-
mise, and request them to continue in
80 Office Some Of the cabinet members ere
not in good health and would sincerely
all would waive their personal desires
and continue until such time as tn4y
could be relieved easily, if indeed they
request relief at all
Under the presidential succession act.
cabinet officer becoming chief magis-
trate would have to summon congress
In special session, but this requirement
does not apply to a vice president sue
ceedlng to the office of his dead preie-
cessor, and 1t Is believed no extra ses-
sion would be called in the absence of
statutory requirements as the three
months Intervening until December caa
We oridged over without difficulty. and
there is no special occasion for. congress
assembling In many of the local
churches today men and women assem-
pied Tor quiet prayer that the life of the
president might be spared The largest
OF these meetings were held at the Met
Iopolitan Methodist church. where the
president and Mrs. Mckinley worsl,soed
Here. many women offered earnest pray
ers that the life of the President rnieht
be spared A number Of them ol,ietIv
told of Fretty incidents on the part of
the president that they had witnessed
and dwelt especially on his fondne s for
Children
DO you remember children's day?',
said one of the Sunday school tea cheers
When he invited the little boys who
could not find seats to come in his pew:
Ihey were so proud and happy
They say that just little while be-
fore he was Shot" broke in another, ''te
had shaken hands and spoken the kind
est words to some little child"
Thus, incident after incident illustrate
ing the kindness, the love, the charity.
the religion of the president was re,
called by the little group of women
standing around his empty pew.