, 1901-09-14

his hand. Despite her physical weak.
ness she bore up bravely under the or
deal. The president in his last period
of consciousness, chanted the words
of the hymn. Nearer, My God, to
| Thee and his last audible words. as
taken down by DR.. Mann at the bed
side. were: Goodbye, all: goodbye.
1t is Gods will. His will be done"
Then his mind began to wander, and
soon he completely lost consciousness.
His life was prolonged for hours by
the administration of oxygen, and the
president finally expressed a desire to
be allowed to die. About $50 the ad-
ministration of oxygen ceased and the
pulse grew fainter and fainter. He
was sinking gradually, like a child, in
to eternal slumber. By 10 o'clock the
pulse could no longer be felt in his
extremities and they grew cold. Be
low stairs a paIic-stricken gathering
waited sadly for the end. All the ev-
ening those who had fastened here
as fast as steel and steam could carry
them, continued to arrive. They drove
up in carriages at a gallop or were
whisked up in automobiles. all intent
upon getting here before death came.
One of the last to arrive was Attorney
General Knox, who reached the house
at $3.50. He was permitted to go up
stairs to look for the last time upon
the face of his chief. Those in the
house at this time were Secretaries
Hitchcock, Wilson and Root; Senators
Fairbanks, Hanna and Burrows, Judge
Day, Abner Mckinley, the presidents
brother and his wife, DR.. and Mrs.
Barber, the presidents niece and her
husband, Mrs. Barber and Mrs. Dun
can, the presidents sisters, Mrs. Mary
Barber, Mrs. Williams. Mrs. McKin-
ley's cousin, physicians, including DIR.
McBurney, who arrived after 8 O'Clock,
John G. Milburn, John N. Satcherd,
Harry Hamlin, all Of this city; Secre-
tary Cortelyou III a number of 9TH
ers.
At 9:37 Secretary Cortelyou who had
been much Of the time with his dying
chief, sent on a formal notification
that the president was dying. But the
president fingered on, his pulse grow
ing fainter. There was no need for
official bulletins afte -,ttis. Those who
came from the house at intervals told
the same story-that the president
was dying and that the end might
come any time. His tremendous vi.
tally was the only remaining factor in
the result, and this gave hope only of
a brief postponement of the end. DR..
Mynter thought he might last until 2
m. DR.. Mann said at II o'clock the
president was still alive and probably
might live an hour. Thus minutes
into hours, and midnight
came with the president still battling
against death. At the midnight hour
the Milburn house was the center of a
scene as animated as though it were
midday although a solemn hush hung
over the great crowd of watchers. The
lower portion of the house was
aglow with light, and many attendants,
and relatives could be seer
moving about and occasionally
coming in groups to the front door for
a breath of air. In the upper front
lights were low, and around
on the north side, where the chamber
of death was, there were fitful lights,
burning brightly and then turn
ed low.
Secretary Root and Secretary vii
son came from the house about mid
night and paced up and down the side
walk. All that Secretary Root said
was: Night has not yet come" De-
spite the fact that vitality continued to
ebb as midnight approached, no eff
were spared to keep the spark OF
like glowing. DR.. Janeway, of New
York City, arrived at the station at
11:40 o'clock. George Urban was
waiting for him and they drove at a
breakneck pace to the Milburn house.
He was shown to the presidents room
at once, and began examination OF the
inanimate form . Secretary Of
the Navy Long arrived at the Milhnln
house at 1906 o'clock. This was his
first visit to the city and he had the
extreme satisfaction of seeing the pres
ident alive, even though he was not
conscious of his %-:s.tcr's presence.
Secretary Long was visibly affecte!
Shortly after midnight the p"esi'
denis breathing was barely percep-
ible. His pulse had practically ceasea
and the extremities were cold. 1t was
recognized that nothing remained but
the last struggle, n some friends of
the family who had remained through
the day began to leave the house. Such
an intense state of anxiety existed
among the watchers that rumors gain
ed frequent circulation that death had
already actually occurred. The arrival
of the coroner gave rise to one such
rumor and a flood Of groundless dis.
patches was tent saying the enc had
come. These we're speedily set at rest
by the official statement from WITHIN
the house that the reports Of death
were groundless and the president still
" -yfv--- - III