Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1901-09-19
END CAME AT 2:15 in MORNING.

All Efforts to Sustain Life Prove to
Be Unayailing.
YIELDS TO AssAssIN's BULLET.
All Lands Join in Paying Honor to the
Executive Whom They Respected.
Dead President Begins Journey to
Last Resting Place at Canton.
Milburn House, Buffalo, Sept. IA
President Mckinley died at 2:15 this
morning. He had been unconscious
since 1850 p. m. His last conscious
moment on earth was spent with the
wife to whom he devoted lifetime of
care. He was unattended by a minis
ter of the gospel but his last words
were an humble submission to the
will Of the God in whom he believed.
He was reconciled to the cruel fate
to which an assassins bullet had con-
demned him and faced death in the
same spirit of calmness. and poise
which has marked his long and hon.
orable career.
The president in his last period of
consciousness, which ended about
7:40, chanted the words of the hymn
Nearer, My God, to Thee" and his
last audible conscious words as taken
down by DR.. Mann, at the bedside,
We're: Good bye, all; good bye. 1t is
Gods way. His will be 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
president finally expressed a desire
to be allowed to die. About s.: 80 the
administration of oxygen ceased and
the pulse grew fainter and fainter.
He was sinking gradually, like child,
into the eternal slumber. BY 10
O'Clock the pulse could no longer be
felt in his extremities and they grew
cold. Below stairs the grief-stricken
gathering waited sadly for the end
Last Sad Farewells Taken.
! Before 6 o'clock it was clear to
those at the presidents bedside that
he was dying and preparations were
made for the last sad offices of fare
well from those who were nearest and
dearest to him. Oxygen had been
administered steadily, but with little
effect in keeping back the approach
OF death. The president came out OF
one period of unconsciousness only
to relapse into another. But in this
period, when his mind was partially
clear, occurred 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
time had come when they must see
him for the last time on earth. This
was about 6 O'Clock. One by one they
ascended the stairway-Secretar
Root, Secretary Hitchcock and Attor-
ney General Knox. Secretary Wilson
was also there, but he held back, not
wishing to see the president in his
last agony. There was only mo-
mentary stay of the cabinet officers
at the threshold of the death cham
Der. Then they withdrew, the tears
streaming down their faces and the
words of intense grief choking in
their throats. After they left the sick
room the physicians rallied him to
consciousness and the president asked
almost Immediately that his wife be
brought to him. The doctors fell
back into the shadow of the room as
Mrs. Mckinley came through the
doorway. The strong face of the dy-
ing man lighted up with faint smile
as their hands were clasped. She sat
beside him and held his hand. De-
spite her physical weakness, she bore
up bravely under the ordeal
All the evening those who had hast
ened here as fast as steel and steam
could carry them continued to arrive.
They drove up in carriages at gallop
or We're whisked up on automobiles.
One of the last to arrive was Attorney
General Knox, who reached the house
at $3.50. He was permitted to go up
stairs to look for the last time upon
the face of his chief.
Vitality Was Wonderful.
At 9:37 Secretary Cortelyou, who
had been much of the time with his
| dying chief, sent out formal notifica-
tion that the president was dying.
But the president fingered on, his
| pulse growing fainter and fainter
There was no need for official bull
| letins after this Those who came
from the house at intervals told the
same story-that the president was
dying and that the end might come
at any time His tremendous vitality
was the only remaining factor in the
result and this gave hope only of
| brief postponement of the end.
Shortly after midnight the presi.
dents breathing was barely percepti-
ble His pulse had practically ceased
and the extremities were cold. It was
recognized that nothing remained but
the last struggle, and some Of the
friends of the family who had re-
NAMED through the day began to leave
the house, not caring to be present
at the final scene.