Evening star., 1901-12-31
ASSASSINATION OF PRESIDENT.

of
The event of the year Of most profound
Importance to the American people, and,
indeed. to alien though dependent millions
whose interests a reflex of our own,
was the death of William Mckinley. The
first half of the year moved auspiciously
for the most beloved Of Presidents. Op-
portunity was offered In that time for
demonstration of the affection of the citi-
zens Of the United States for him such as
no other President had received Later,
the universal expression of mourning
sounded a greater depth of feeling, but 1t
must be source of qualification to every
one that the President in his lifetime was
enabled to enjoy the proofs. even in part
of the esteem In which he was held as
wise ruler. a Christian gentleman and a
high type of American citizen.
April - the President, with Mrs. McKin-
ley and several members of. his cabinet,
started upon a tour of the west and south.
The journey was first through a section
whose people idolized him for the efforts
he had made to reunite the ties which had
been severed by the civil war, and In which
endeayors he had succeeded better than
any other man. In every city of the south
where the presidential party stopped, and
along the route OF travel, there were DEM
onstrations of regard, the enthusiasm of
which was equaled by their sincerity.
va lAIc dcIuC Slope INS OuIDOurln& OF
the popular affection was equally lavish 1t
was not a tribute to the office he repre-
sented. but testimonial TO the man Out
lying districts and remote regions were
drained OF their Inhabitants who travelled
long distances. congesting the railway sta
tions with crowds of cheering shouting
people. representatives of every walk Of
life gathered to pay voluntary homage
In the midst of this great ebullition there
fell suddenly shadow. the imminency Of a
great sorrow which happily did not ma
terialize Mrs Mckinley. seized by illness,
slipped close to the dread portals, but re-
covered and lived to see her husband enter
them first.
Soon after the Presidents return to the
capital occurred an incident but another
instance Of the Presidents great sagacity
and patriotism. Some enthusiasts who
would have used the wave Of enthusiasm
winch had swept over the country upon
which 70 launch a boom for a third presi-
dental term found their action disavowed
The President himself was the first to bow
acqulescence In the dfsapprobation of the
people TO third-term movements and In
nounced he would have none of them. June
III ne caused statement to be issued from
the White House in which he peremptoriIy
refused TO permit his name to be used IL,
connection with denomination.
President Mckinley spent the greater part
OF the summer in his modest home in Cam
ton, Ohio. transacting public business and
enjoying the society OF his neighbors, whose
homely interests were ever his own There,
too. he found time to formulate the indus
trial idea which he later announced at
Buffalo and which he intended to try to
work out into definite plan for the bet
terment Of the material prosperity Of the
country.
Trip to Buffalo and the Tragedy.
Early in September President Mckinley,
accompanied by his wife and an official
party, went TO Buffalo to attend the pam
American exposition. There. Friday. Sep
tember !. 1901, while in the very act of ex-
tending hand of cordial greeting and
with look of sympathy on his face for sup
posed wounded man, he was shot twice by
Leon Czolgosz. That night while the whole
world waited breathlessly for tidings from
the stricken mans bedside the full power
OF the law was invoked to protect the mis-
Creant who In the name of anarchy had
Gealt the blow. For hours the police nj
Buffalo restrained the maddened crowd that
would have torn the wretch limb from limb
and protected him to furnish an example
or Justice and to receive the most price
less benefit of the social system he would
destroy-the trial by jury and every chance
for his life. The subsequent trial of that
man, with every privilege that an innocent
man could have claimed his rights safe
guarded by eminent counsel, was a strtk-
ing lesson to anarchy.
The days that followed are still we'll re.
membered For a time there was every hone
Tor recovery. The very elements seemed
propitfous, and recuperative breezes muir
INJURED about the chamber where the sick
man was receiving the mnlstrations OF
scierce and love. Then, on an afternoon
when the outlook was brightest when
peace, ike benedicti0n, rested on Mtburn
House. came the change for worse-swift
Temorseiess-until in the early hours of
the racked and tortured body