The Washington times., 1901-09-08
saw The PRESIDENT SHOT
Eyewitnesses Describe the Circum-
stances in Detail.
The story of Frank w. BiIIey. Who
Was Among the First to Reach
Mr. McAincy's side = Remark
able Cooiness of the Executive.

Mar. McAincy's side - Remark
able Cooiness of the Executive.
| BUFFALO, Sept 7.-One of the men
closest to President Mckinley when he
was shot was Frank w. Lilley, of Clar-
| ence, Erie county. a travelling salesman.
He stood at his side almost before the
! shooting and helped to support him as ne
was escorted to the chair in which he
! rested until the arrival of the ambulance.
Mr. Lilley tells the story of the occur
renee graphically Il saw the assailant
as he was approaching the Presi-
dent" he said this morning,
| but 1 took no notice of him till the mo-
ment that the shooting occurred. My first
impression was that some fool had ex-
ploded tirecracker, and did not realize
what had occurred till after the second
shot, when l saw a revolver in the mans
hand. Then ! had no thought for him.
hardly. My attention was riveted on the
| President was that of the great ma
| jority around him. / saw his assailant
Knocked down, and remember distinctly
that he gave his captors an awful strug-
gle but | was listening to the President
rather than paying attention to anything
else.
II think it was Secretary Cortelyou who
asked him If he was shot, and L heard the
President reply: Yes; yes Then i saw
him stretch his arm toward Cortelyou and
heard him say: See that no exaggerated
report reaches Mrs. Mckinley
when the President had been cared
for turned to look at his assailant, and
Just then he was being hustled away by
his captors, who seemed determined on
getting him to a place of safety. The
IL ttc,,
ize what had happened. and they were
disposed to lynch the prisoner. L had
something Of that desire myself. and it
was shared by everyone in the Temple
save those who had him in charge. 1t
was their prompt action that saved a
lynching. That is certain
With regard to the shooting Mr.. Lilley
said: My particular recollection is that
Of hearing two shots in rapid succession
and seeing a smoking revolver in the as
sassin's hand. There was no time to see
more and no time to do anything. 1t was
all so sudden and SO surprising that pre-
ventive action was impossible. do not
blame the police or the soldiery. / would
decry such functions now, but was then as
eager for it as anyone. l wanted to see
the President and | wanted to shake
hands with him. So did everyone, save
one WIS alOIlt anu IN SucH IL CrONu
l don't see how his attack could have
been averted. 1t was well planned. 1t
was stealthy. 1t was sudden"
Detective Sergeant Geary was standing
next to the President when the shots were
fired. He caught the President in his
arms Immediately afterward and led him
to a seat, as Detective ireland, of the Sc
cret Service force, who was standing on
the other side of President Mckinley.
jumped for the assassin
According to Geary's story, the Presi-
dent was not aware at first that the bull
lets had entered his body. He said as
the detective caught him: II wonder If
1 am shot,''
Il am afraid you are, sir" said Geary.
The President threw open his vest
There were two holes in his shirt, one
over the abdomen and the other a little
above. Blood soaked the white linen.
You are shot. SIR, said Detective
Geary.
Yes. guess 1 am" replied the Presi-
dent very coolly as he sank into a chair
George Foster, one of the Secret Serv-
ice men detailed to guard the President,
said: After we had Czolgosz on the floor,
1 kneeling with one knee on each arm, he
made desperate effort to shoot again.
He struggled fiercely. raised one hand.
and tried to pull the trigger. President
Mckinley did not fall. He stood on his
feet for three minutes after being shot,
and opened his vest himself. 1t was
after we were in the ambulance that he
displayed the greatest fortitude. We were
on our way to the hospital. 1 had one
arm under him with his head resting on
his arm. He felt his breast and said
quietly: Foster. does not that feel like a
bullet?' l put my hand to his breast and
felt something hard and oblong under the
skin. Yes, it does, Mr.. President 1 re-
piled. Well, We have got one of them,
anyway he said, and smiling family, he
closed his eyes