Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1901-09-20

tomb of silence. Lights-r5t extin-
guished--were dimned. visitors were
denied admittance. and the mourning
family and their uio.e intimate friends
were left alone with ihcir distinguished
dead.
Before G o%'cloc., it was clear to those
ut tie presidents bedside tilat he WAS
dvih=. and preparations We're made for
the last sad offices of farewell from
those who We're nearest and dearest to
him. Oxygen had becn administered
steadily. but with little effect, in keepin.
back the approach of death. The pres
ldcnt came out of one period of uncon.
seriousness only TO relapse into another,
But i'll this period. when his mind WAS
partially clear, occurred IL series OF
events of profoundly touching character.
Down stairs, with strained and tear
stained faces, members of the cabinet
were grouped in anxious waiting. They
knew the end was near. and that the
tim had come when they must see him
for the last time on earth. This wa;
about q O'Clock. One by one they as.
ccl.ded the NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. Root,
Secretary Hitchcock and Attorney Gen
eral Knox. Secretary Wilson also WAS
there. but held back, not wishing to see
the president in his last agony. There
WAS only n monrentary stay of the cab
met officers at the threshold of the death
chamber. Then they Withdrew, the tears
streaming down their faces. and the
words of intense grief choking in their
t%liroats.
After they left the sick room the ply
sicians rallied him to consciousness and
the president asked almost Immediately
that his wife he brought to him. The
doctors fell back into the shadows of
the room as Mrs. Mckinley came
through the doorway. The face of the
dying president lighted up with Il faint
smile as their hands were clasped. She
sal beside him and held his hand. de-
spite her physical weakness, she bore up
bIavcly under the ordeal.
Tho president in the last period of con-
seriousness. which ended about $40 p.
m. chnntc3 the words of the hymn.
Nearer. My God to Thee and his last
audible. conscious words. as taken down
by l>r. Mann at the bedside. were:
"Goodby. all: goodby. 1t is Gods way.
His will he DONE"
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 Il desire to be al
lowed to die. About $50 the admins
tration of oxygen ceased and the pulse
grew fainter and fainter. He was sink
ing gradually. like Il child. into the ctcr-
nal slumbcl. BY 10 O'Clock the pulse
could no longer he felt in his extremi-
ties. and they grew cold.
Below stirs the grief stricken gather
ing waited sadly for the end.
Nh the evening those who had hast
cnrd here as fast as steam and steel
could carry them continued to arrive. /.
They drove up i'll carriages at IL gallop
or were whiskel up in automobiles, all
intent upon getting here before death
came. One of the last to arrive was At
toliicy General Knox, who reached the
up stairs to look for the last time upon
house at $3.50. He wis permitted to 20
the face of his chief. Those i'll the house
at this time We're Secretaries Hitchcock.
Wilson and Senators Fairbanks, Hanna
and Burrows. Judge Day. Col. Hcrrick.
.Alncr Mckinley. the presidents BROTH
er. and his Wife. DIR. and Mrs. Bner. the
presidents nicccs. Mrs. Barber and Mrs.
duncan. the presidents s%istcrs, Miss
Mary Barber, Miss McWilliams. Mrs.
McNinley's cousin. the physicians. in
GLIDING DIR. McIsuimey. who arrived
after $ o'clock. John q. Milburn. John
=. Scatclerd. Harry Iiamlin. all of this
city. Secretary Cortclyou and Il number
of others. Rev. {. ID. Wilson. - AIetho-
dist minister of T~onawanda. y. Y, who
was the presidents pastor for three
years mt Canton. called N the residence
10 inquire whether his services were
| needed. but did not enter the house. An
| other Methodist minister who has IL
church near by remained at the Milbuln
residence fer two hours i'll the belief that
his services might be desired. At 9:37
O'Clock Secretary Cortclyou. who had
been much of the time with his dying
chief. sent out Il formal notification that
the president was dying. but the presi-
dent lil.ycred on, his pulse growing faint
er and fainter.
There was 10 need for official bulle-
tins after this. Those who came from
the house nj intervals told the same
story-that the president was dying and
that the end might col.e mt anytime. His
tremendous vitality was the only re-
naming factor in the result. and this
gave hope only of brief postponcment OF
the end. DIR. Myntcr thought he might
last until . IL. IN. DIR. Mann said ut IL
O'Clock that the president was still alive
and probably would live an hour. Thus
minutes heightened into hours, and mid
night came with the president still bat
thing against death.
At the midnight hour the Milburn
house was the center of Il scene as ami
mated as though it were midday. al
though a solemn hush hung over the
great crowd of watchers. The entire
lower part of the house was aglow with
light. and the many attendants, friends
and relatives could be seen within, NOV
ing about and occasionally coming in
groups to the front doorway for a breath
of air. In the upper front chamber the
lights were low. Around on the north
side. where the chamber of death is To-
Gated, there We're titful lights. some
burning brightly and then turned low.
Secretary Root and Secretary Wilson
i'came from the house about midnight
and paced up and down the sidewalk.
All that Secretary Root said was, 1.-The
night has not come yet"
UsEE MAILS TO DEFRAuD.