Connecticut western news., 1901-09-12


 frances to gaze upon their we'll beloved executive. perchanee to clasp his hand. and then fight their way out In the good natured mob that every minute swelled and multiplied at the points of ingress and egresS to the building
 A.sa.rin Come. on the Scene.
 The president was In n cheerful mood and was enjoying to the full the hearty evidences of good will which every. where met his gaze. Upon his right stood John q. Milburn of Buffalo. pres ident of the pan-American exhibition. chatting with the president and intro. ducing to him especially persons of note who approached. Upon the presi dents left stood Mir. Cortelyou, secre tary to the chief executive.
 It was shortly after 1 D. m. when one of the throng which surrounded the presidential party, medium sized man of ordinary appearance and plain ly dressed in black. approached as if to greet the president. Both Secretary Cortelyou and President Milburn notic- ed that the mans hands were swathed in bandare or handkerchief Reports of bystanders differ as to which hand He worked his way amid the stream of people up to the edge of the dais until he was within two feet of the presi. dent
 President Mckinley smiled. bowed and extended his hand in that spirit of geniality the American people so we'll know, when suddenly the sharp crack of revolver rang out loud and clear above the hum of voices the shuffiing of myriad feet aud vibrating waves of applause that ever and anon swept here and there over the assemhlsge. There was an instant of almost com plete silence. like the hush that fol lows a clap of thunder or the momen. tary silence that comes after the dis charge of bomhshell The president stood stock still look of hesitancy, almost of bewilderment. on his face. Then he retreated a step. while pallor began to steal over his features. The multitude, only partly aware that something serious had happened, paus- ed in the silence of surprise. while necks were craned and all eyes turned as one toward the rostrum where great tragedy was being enacted.
 Criminal Captured After the Deed.
 Then came commotion. With the leap of tiger thIpe men threw them selves forward as with one impulse and sprang toward the would be assassin. Two of them were United States secret service men who were on the lookout and whose duty it was to guard against just such a calamity as had here be- fallen the president and the nation. The third was a bystander a negro. who had only an instant previously grasped in his dusky palm the hand of the president
 As one man the trio hurled them selves upon the presidents assailant In twiukling he was borne to the ground. his weapon was wrested from his grasp, and strong arms pinioned him down.
 Then the vast multitude which thronged the edifice began to come to a realizing sense ef the awfulness of the scene of which they had been unwilling witnesses,
 A murmur arose. spread and swelled Co a hum of confusion, then grew to 8 babel of sounds and later to a pands mouium of noises.
 The crowds that moment before had stood mute and motionless in be- wildered ignorance of the enormity of the thing now with single impulse surged forward toward the stage of the horrid drama. while a hoarse cry welled up from a thousand throats and a thousand men charged forward 10 lay hands upon the perpetrator of the dastard,y crime.
 For a mouent the confusion was ter rible. The crowd surged forward re