Evening journal., 1901-09-14
last EAREWEll
THOUGHT Oh GOD
III Is Gods Will" SAID Na-
tons Marlyred President
DVing Mans Face Lighted With Smile
as His Niie ClaSped His Hand
for the Last Time

| clear 10 those at the IreSldCnL bed
sido that he was dying. and prepara.
tions were made for the last sad Of
fees Of farewell 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 p esident
came ont OF one period Of unconscious
ness only to relapse into another But
IN this period, when his mind was
partially clear. occurred a series Of
events of profoundly touching char
actCr. Down stairs with strained and
tear-s,ained faces. members of the
cabinet were grouped in anxious wait
1g. They knew that the end was
near, and that the time had come
when they must see him for the last
time on earth. This was about s
o'clock One by one they ascended
the stairway-Secretary Root. Secre.
tary Hitchcock and Attorney General
Knox Secretary Wilson also was
there, but he held back. not wishing to
see the President in his last agony
There was only a momentary stay of
the cabinet officers at the Threshold
of the death chamber. 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 the President to
consciousness. and he asked almost
Immediately that his wife be brought
to him. The doctors fell back into
the shadows Of the room as Mrs. Nc
Kinley came through the doorway. The
strong f1ce of the dying man lighted
up with a faint smile as their hands
were clasped She sat beside him
and he held his hand. Despite her ply
steal weakness she bore up bravely
under the ordeal.
The President in his last period
Of consciousness which ended about
740, 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,
were:
Goodbye, all; goodbye It is Gods
way. His viii he done.
Then his mind began to wander. and
soon afterward he completely lost
consciousness. His life was prolonged
for hours by the administration Of
oxygen. aud the President finally ex-
pressed q desire to be allowed to die.
About $50 the administration of oxy-
gen ceased. and the pulse grew fainter
and fainter. He was sinking gradually
like a 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.
All the evening those who had has
tened here fast as steel and steam
could carry them, continued to arrive.
They drove up in carriages at gallop
or were whisked up in automobiles all
intent upon arriving here before death
came. One Of the last to arrive was
Attorney General Knox who reached
the house at $50. He was permitted
TO so mp stairs to look for the last
time upon the face Of his chief Those
in the house at this time were Score
tarics Hitchcock. Wilson and Root.
Senators Fairbanks. Hanna and Bur-
rows, Judge Day. Colonel Herrick, ABB
ner Mckinley, the Presidents brother
and his wife; Dr. and Mrs Baer. the
Presidents niece and her husband
Mrs. Barber and Mrs. Duncan. the
Presidents sisters; Miss Mary Barber.
Mrs. McWilliams. Mrs. McKinleys
cousin; the physicians. including Or.
McBurney who arrived after o'clock.
John G.. Milburn, John n. Scatcherd.
Harry Aamlin, all Of this city; Sec
retary Ccrtelyou, and a number Of 9th
ers. Rev. C, ID. Wilson. a Methodist
minister, Of TOnawanda. n. Y. who
was the Presidents pastor for three
years at Canton. called at the resi-
dence to inquire whether his services
were needed but did not enter the
house. Another Methodist minister
who has a church nearby remained at
the Milburn residence for two hours
in the belief that his services might
be desired. At 9.37 Secretary Cortel-
| You. who had been much of he time
with his dying chief, sent out formal
notification that the President was
dying But the President fingered on.
his pulse growing fainter and fainter.
At the midnight hour the Muburn
house was the centre of a scene as
animated as though it were midday.
although n solemn hush hung over
the great crowd Of watchers. The
entire lower part Of the house was
aglow with light, and the many at
tendants, friends and relatives could
be seen within, moving about and oc-
casionally coming in groups to the
front doorway for a breath of air. In
the upper front chambers the lights
We're low. and around on the north
side. where the chamber of death is
located. there were htful lights. some
burning brightly and then turned
low.
Secretary Root and Secretary vii
son came from the house about mid.
night and paced up and down the
Sidewalk. All that Secretary Root said
was. Tho ufrhf has nor ro--,o -r0t