The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1901-09-20
NJ KINLBY IS DEAD
The NATION AGAIN CALLED ON
TO MOURN A MARTYRED
PRESIDENT.
HIS WIFE All THE BEDSIDE
LAST CONSCIOUS HOURS ON
EARTH DEVOTED TO HER
CONSOLATION.
SHOWS GREAT FORTITUDE
THE STRICKEN WOMAN GOES
BRAVELY THROUGH THE
TRYING SCENE.

Buffalo, Sept. 14.-President Nc
Kinley died at 2:15 a. m. He had beer
unconscious since 1850 p. N. His last
conscious hour on earth was spent
with the wife to whom he had de
voted a lifetime of care. He died I'M
attended by minister of the gospel
but his last words were an humble
submission to the will Of the God in
whom he believed. He was recon
ciled to the cruel fate to which an as
sassin's bullet had condemned MIN
and faced death in the same spirit of
calmness and poise which has marked
his long and honorable career. His
last conscious words, reduced to writ
Ing by Dr.. Mann, who stood at his side
when they were uttered, were as fol-
lows:
Goodbye, all; goodbye. 1t is Gods
way. His will be DONE"
His relatives and the members Of
his official family were at the Milburn
house, bade him farewell, except Sec
rotary Wilson, who did not avail him
self Of the opportunity. Some others
OF his personal and political friends
also took leave Of him. This painful
ceremony was simple. His friends
came to the door of the sick room,
took longing glance at him and
turned tearfuIly away. He was prac-
tically unconscious during this time.
But the powerful heart stimulants,
including oxygen, were employed to
restore him to consciousness for his
Final Parting With His Wife.
He asked for her and she sat at his
side and held his hand. He consoled
her and bade her goodbye. She went
through the haart-trying scene with
the SINE bravery and fortitude with
which she mas borne the grief of the
TRAGEDY Whlch ended his life.
The immediate cause OF the presi-
dents death is undetermined. His
physicians disagree and it will pos
siDIy require al autopsy to fix the
exact cause. The presidents remains
will be taken to Washington and there
viii be state funeral Vice President
Roosevelt, VINO now succeeds to the
presidency, may take the oath of Of
nee wherever ne happens to hear the
news. The cabinet will, of course,
resign il body, and President Roose-
YeIL viii have an opportunity of form
Ing new cabinet if he SO desires.
a noticeable theme OF comment was
occasiOned by the hour at which the
death occurred. 1t partook somewhat
OF the proVidential that the event
should have come in the dead of night
instead Of the early evening when the
thousands who gathered on the streets
OF the city were in no tender mood
Had the death come earlier it is pos
Sic that the authorities would have
had to cope with more or less yio-
lence.
The Last FareWeiIs Said.
Before o'clock it was clear to
those at the presidents bedside that
he was dying and preparations We're
made for the last sad offices of fare
well from those who were nearest and
dearest to him. Oxygen had been ad-
ministered steadily but with little
erect in keeping back the approach of
death. The president came out OF one
period OF Inconsistencies 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 o'clock. One by one they
assembled the MISUNDERSTANDING
Root, Secretary Hitchcock and Attor-
ney General Knox. Secretary Wilson
also was 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
(uClI LulOd A1ICl IAOJ ASAt SAO 01Sh
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 shadows of the room as Mrs.
Mckinley came through the doorway.
The strong face of the dying man
lighted up with faint smile as their
hands were clasped. She sat beside
him and held his hand. Despite her
physical weakness she
Bore Up BraveIy Under the Ordeal.
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 beusi0es