The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1901-09-17
THE DEAD PRESIDENT
CONTINUED FROM FIRST PAGE
the face somewhat thin. showing evil
dence OF the last struggle.

the face somewhat thin. showing evil
dence OF the last struggle.
1t was decided not to lay out the
body of the president tonight and it
remained throughout the night in the
upper chamber where death had oc-
CURED. A detail of non-commissioned
OFFICERS of the marine hospital CORDS
was assigned to remain with the corpse
throughout the night and the watches
were divided so that two men were al
ways on duty.
Not until tomorrow morning will the
body b. committed to the casket. Up
to this time no n outside of those en-
gagged in the autopsy and the care of
the body have looked upon the face
Of the dead crieftain. even the near
friend and relatives being asked to
wait until the casket was brought down
TO the drawing room tomorrow morning.
At that time the relatives n those
who have been nearest to the president,
including Senator Hanna and Judge
Day. will see his face for the first time
in death and, later, the funeral services
will be held and the body will be borne
to the Buffalo city hall to lie in state.
There were a few callers through the
evening, enator Hanna being among
them but these left early and the house
was practically closed at an early hour.
Mrs. McQinley was induced to retire
" Q ~ I1OSh- I1OSO wv III "SAS
SURPRISED at the strength she had shown
to withstand the trials Of the day. She
went to sleep soon after retiring and no
apprehension was expressed hat any
prostration would ensue at this time.
MRS. MCKINLEY HOLDS UP WELL.
Mrs. Mckinley, feeble and broken as
she is, bears up under her great Sor-
row with remarkable fOrtitude and DIR.
RiXey says he believes h will be able
to go through the trying ordeal of a
state funeral.
A death mask will be made by a
Washington artist named Garet. All
the presidents relatives and friends
agreed that it was desirable that the
features of the martyred president
SHOULD be preserved for the sake Of
history.
Ne %coroner's inquest was held. Pur-
suing the precedent laid down in the
case of Garfield, the coroner simply
viewed the body this morning n later
gave a certificate in accordance with
the result of the autopsy which de-
clared that death was unavoidable by
any surgical or medical treatment and
was ehe direct result of the bullet
wound.
POISONED BULLET THEORY.
The report of the autopsy has given
rise to a theory limited at a day or two
after the president was shot that
CZOlOSOSZ, Ill OIu6I " luSuIe Liz DE-
.complishment of his purpose, poisoned
the bullets which he fired. The gan
creme found in the path of the bullet,
is thought to be strong evidence in
support of this view by DR.. Wasdin, one
of the consulting physicians. DR.. Was
din is considered an expert Of high
standing in the marine hospital SER
vice.
A MEDICAL CONTROVERSY.
A chemical and meteorological exam
inatiOn of the remaining bullets in the
pistol will, however, confirm or abolish
this theory and such an examination
Will undoubtedly be made at once by
the authorities; but whether this
theory is established or not, it seems
probable that the result of the autopsy
will give rise to a medical controversy.
The gangrened condition of the inte-
rior wounds which the physicians
thought were healed and the fact that
the physicians announced positively
that the kidney, which the bullet tore in
its passage through the abdomen, was
uninjured, were so contrary to what
was expected by the public after the
statements of the physicians during the
progress of the case that discussion
seems inevitable. The poisoned bullet
the sudden and puzzling reversal of
President McKinley'S condition just
when the physicians laid such great
stress upon his improved condition and
gave such strong hope of his recovery.
THE BULLET NOT FOUND.
The bullet itself was not found, al
though an hours search was made
for it. The A-ray appliances were not
at hand for the use of the physicians
and the location of the bullet is still
NOW