The Springfield herald., 1901-09-13
president M'KINLEY SHOT
BY AN ANARCHIST ASSASSIN

Buffalo, " V. Sept 6.-President
Mckinley was shot and seriously
wounded by would-be assassin while
holding a reception in the Temple of
Music at the Pan-American grounds Il
few minutes after O'Clock this after
noon. One shot took effect in the right
breast, the other in the abdomen. The
first is not of Il serious nature. and the
bullet has been extracted. The latter
pierced the stomach, making danger
Gus wound.
The President was removed from the
exposition building TO the residence of
John G. Alilburn, president of the Ex-
position company. An operation was
performed, and it was learned that one
bullet had gone through the stomach.
These wounds were dressed and the
President came out of the operation in
satisfactory condition. The bullet was
not located.
At 1910 p. IN. the following bulletin
by the attending physicians was is
sued:
"The President is rallying and is
resting comfortably. At 1915 p. IN.
the temperature was 1904 degrees
pulse 124. respiration 24.' Signed by
p. NJ. RiXey, NJ. b. Mann, r. Parke, II.
Minter and Eugene Wanbin.
1t was just after the daily organ re-
cital in the splendid Temple of Music
that the dastardly attempt was made.
Planned with all the diabolical lngenu-
ity and finesse of which anarchy or nj
hilism alone is capable, the would-be
assassin carried out the work without
Il hitch, and should his designs fail
and the President survive. only to Di-
vine Providence can be attributed that
beneficial result
The President, though well guarded
by United States secret service detect
ives, was fully exposed to such an at
tack as occurred. lie stood at the
edge of the raised dais upon which
stands the great pipe organ at the east
side of the magnificent structure
Throngs of people crowded in at the
various entrances to gaze upon their
executive, perchance to clasp his hand
and then file their way ont in the good
natured mob that every minute
swelled and multiplied ut the points
of ingress and eSress to the building
The President was in n cheerful
mood and was enjoying to the full the
hearty evidence of good will which
everywhere met his gaze. Upon his
right stood John G. Milburn of Buff
falo, president of the Pan-American
Exposition. chatting with the Presi-
dent and introducing to him especially
persons of note who approached. Upon
the Presidents left stood AIR. Cortel-
you.
1t was shortly after 4 p. m. when
out of the thrOng which surrounded
the presidential party. medium sized
man of ordinary appearance and
plainly dressed in black. approached
as if to greet the President. Both Sec
retary Cortelyou and President Mil
burn noticed that the mans hand was
swathed In u bandage or handkerchief.
Reports of bystanders differ as to
which hand. He worked his way
amid the stream of people up to the
edge of the dais until he was within
two feet of the president.
President Mckinley smiled. bowed
and extended his hand in that spirit of
geniality the American people so we'll
know, when suddenly the sharp crack
of n revolver rang out loud and clear
above the hum of voices. the shuffiing
of myriad feet and the vibrating waves
of applause that ever and anon swept
here and there over the assemblage.
There was an instant of almost COM
Dlete silence. The President stood
stock still. n look of hesitancy. almost
of bewilderment, ON his face. Ihen
he retreated step. while pallor be-
gan to steal over his features. The
multitude. only partially aware that
something serious had happened.
paused in surprise. while necks We're
craned and all eyes turned as one to
the rostrum. where a great tragedy
was being enacted.
Then came commotion. Three
men threw themselves forward, as
with one impulse. and spranG toward
the would-be assassin. Two of them
were United States secret service men
who were on the lookout. and whose
duty it was to guard against just such
n calamity ns had here befallen the
President and the nation. The third
was n bystander. n negro, who had
only an instant previously grasped the
hand of the President. In twinkling
the assassin was borne to the ground,
his weapon was wrested from his
grasp, and strong arms pinioned him
down.
Then The multitude which tbronged
the edifice began to come to Il rcaliZ-
ing sense of the awfulness of the scene
of which they had been unwilling wit
nesses. A murmur arose. spread and
swelled to hum of confusion. then
grew to a babel of sounds and later to
pandemonium of noise.
The crowds that moment before
had stood mute and motionleSs, as in
bewildered ignorance of the enormity
of the thing. now with n single i'm
pulse surged forward toward the stage
of the horrid drama. while hoarSe cry
went up from n thousand throats and
thousand men charged forward to
lay hands upon the perpetrator of the
crime.
After the first shock of the shot Mr.
Mckinley retreated n step. Then. as the
detectives leaped upon his assailant
IL.