Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1901-09-07
GRIEF At washington
News Of the Shooting Was a
Terrible Shock to State
Officials.
Immediate Steps Taken to Garry
the Work OF Departs
ments Forward.
The Terrible Tidings Spread
Like Wildfire and Grief
Was Genuine.

|
Was Genuine.
j Washington, Sept. 1.-THE news oil
the shooting of President Mckinley
which reached Washington first thru
the medium of the Associated Press yes
terday afternoon, caused a tremendous
sensation. So frequent have been ru.
mors of this sort, 80 often put afloat in
/ recent years for stock jobbers' purposes,
i that the general disposition at first was
| to withhold acceptance of the story. But
| when it was confirmed feeling of deep
/ gloom and profound sorrow spread over
the city, for Mr.. McKinley's delightful
personality had endeared him to the cit
liens of Washington, apart from the
official class, in degree that rarely has
been equalled.
1t was sometime before the full force
of the blow was appreciated; the people
We're stunned and they could not re-
spond at once and fully comprehend the
extent of the great disaster that had
fallen upon the country and themselves.
] Then the newspapers began to appear;
the carriers rushed madly thru the
streets, and crowds of people began to
| gather from all quarters of the city
around the newspaper buildings.
! The telephone system of the city was
simply paralyzed for time and many
were the calls upon the news offices and
| upon the officials. who might be sup
posed to have knowledge of the details
| of the shooting, that the operators were
overwhelmed.
reporter for the Associated Press
carried to the white house the first bull
letin announcing the shooting of the
| president. The executive mansion was
| reached about 4:25, and at that time all
Its few inmates Were in total ignorance
of the tragedy in which their chief had
just played SO serious part. A police
man paced up and down under the por-
tico, but his serene countenance indi-
Gated that he was totally ignorant of
the affair. inside there were few to
receive the news, the most prominent
personages there being telegraph oper-
ator, Assistant Secretary Pruden, who
has been in charge of the white house.
having left his office for the day.
The telegraph operator, two watch
men at the door. the policeman on
guard outside and the faithful colored
servant, Uncle Jerry" We're the only
persons about the mansion
They recalled with great satisfaction.
the fact that when the president left
| Washington he was in the most robust
| health and excellent spirits and that he
babe all an affectionate farewell 1t
was recalled also that Mrs. Mckinley
said this circumstance had much to do
with the presidents own condition later
on. When he left here he was accom-
ranied by Mrs. Mckinley, Secretary
Cortelyou, DIR. RiXey and Mrs. McNin-
! ley's nurse.
| The force at the white house since the
presidents departure has been in con-
| slant communication with him, and
while he has conducted most of the
| business of his office at his home in
Canton, the majority of the papers
with which he has had to deal have
been prepared in Washington and for
warded thru the white house clerical
force. All reports received from him by
officials here were cheerful and high
| spirited.
The work of the official day was done
when the news of the great calamity ar
/
partments had generally emptied them
selves of their human workmen and
very few of the officials We're to be
found at their desks. Adee, the acting
head of the department of state, had
quilted the city for his summer home.
i some miles distant from Laurel, Nd.
and the chief clerk of the department
1 was absent with the visiting diplomats
Il n ltIfT 70 M 4 ba
1 Mr.. Hackett, the acting secretary, who
had also quilted the building. was
| speedily recalled by Capt Cowes, the
acting head of the navigation bureau.
and he Immediately put himself in read
mess to take any official action that
might be necessary to meet the emer-
gency. AT Buffalo, in the exposition
4 grounds, the navy had splendid repre-
sentation in the shape of the marine
battalion under Capt. Leonard. and this
force will be made Immediately availa-
4 BILE if it is desired by the persons about
the president that guard is necessary
rear his person.
4 AT the war department, Gen. Gillespie,
chief of engineers of the army, was act
Ing secretary in the absence Of Secre-
tary Root, who is i'll at his summer
4 lOIue III 'ooulHdINptOIl, u. L.. ana ASSIST.
ant Secretary Sander. who is away on
leave. He also had quilted the building,
but he had not been gone half an hour
before word reached him, and he hastily
returned to his desk. He Immediately
cent messages to the secretary of wa,
ard to Gen. Brooks, commanding the
department of the east, giving such I'M
official information as was available. III
order to apprise them of the main facts
as they We're known to him thru the
press dispatches. for official advices
were singularly slow in reaching those
officials in Washington who should be
officially Informed. He also telegraphed
to Maj. simonds, the engineer office,
stationed at Buffalo, asking him to re-
Il port the facts at the earliest possible
moment. Conferences were held be.
tween Acting Secretary Hackett ano
Gen. Gillespie in reference to any joint
steps which the army and navy nigh,
be called upon to take.
Both of the officials, General Gillespie
and Mr.. Hackett. were completely over
whelmed by the sad news, but they
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