The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1901-09-08

Captain Nisser. to whom it had been
handed by the soldier who had recov-
cred it.
Presidents First Words.
In many material points. and particu-
lafly the utterances after the. presi-
dent was shot, the witnesses of yester-
days tragedy at the Temple OF Music
ran to agree The action of the trag-
edy was very fast, and its commission
was followed by a scene of confusion
IN which IL was difficult to either see or
hear with accuracy. however close one
stood TO the president and his assaiIant.
It is now conceded hat the president
did not say May God forgive him
after he was shot. and agreed that his
first audible speech was a reference to
his wife:
I trust Mrs. Mckinley will not be
informed Of this, at least hope it will
not be exaggerated
A newspaper reporter who stood lust
behind the president when the shoot
ing occurred, gave one of the cIearest
ACCOUNTS related so far. He said:
stood about ten feet from the
president and saw CzOlgOsz approach
nlm- The latter had his right hand
drawn up close to his breast. and a
white linen handkerchief wrapped
about it bore the appearance of A
oandage. He extended his left hand.
and 1 am quite sure the president
thought he was injured, for he leaned
forward and looked at him in a sym
pathetic way.
When directly in front of the pres
ldent Czolgosz threw his right hand
Forward and fired I saw the flash and
smoke followed the report, and then
ne heard the second shot. Instantly
John Parker, colOred man, and Sc
cret Agent Foster were upon CzoIgosz.
and they bore him to the floor Cool
gosz, lying PROSTATE, still retained a
hold on his revolver, and seemed to
be trying to get his arm free to fire
again.
The president did not fan. He
raised his right hand and felt his
breast and SCENE to be maintaining
hmis upright position only by wonder
Iul effort am sure he did not speak
at that moment
He gazed fixedly at his assaiIaut
with look which I cannot describe.
but which I shall never forget, and
in a moment reeled back into the arms
OF Secretary CortelyOu- Czolgosz's re-
volver had by that time been knocked
from his hand and someone had
picked up the burning handkerchief
which lay at his feet.
"CZOlgosz was picked up, forced back
and again knocked down. Mr.. COrtel-
you and Mr.. AIiIburn supported the
president and led him to a chair.
heard him ask that the news be kept
from his wife, and, a moment later.
when Secretary COrtelyoU asked him
II ne IelL nuCn pam, ne SAID Ih1S
wound hurts very much
He seemed TO be fairly easy as he
rested in the chair and some OF fading
color came back to his face. He
reached his right hand inside of his
shirt, and when he withdrew il his
fingers were tipped with blood he
paled again at the sight of the blood,
and I think he tainted.
Senior AzpirOz, the Mexican minis
ter broke through the crowd, and.
rushing up to the president cried. My
God, Mr.. President are you shOt?'. The
minister seemed about TO throw him
self at the feet of the president, but
was restrained The presidents answer
came very slowly and in a hating. sub
dued voice, he said: Yes, 1 believe I
am
THE president was attracted by the
scufling of the officers who were drag
ging the vvouId-be murderer away, but
he did not speak His head rested on
the arm of Mr. Milburn. and he
seemed only partly conscious. His
courage was superb. and while he was
Conscious he was the master of the
pain he suffered. When the ambulance
came and a stretcher was brought In
he started forward and partly re-
gained his feet unassisted
4 heard not a word from the as
sailant of the president. He was
struck down the moment he fired the
second shot. and if he did speak il
was probably in exclamation at the
very rough treatment he was receiv-
in-."