Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1901-09-18
PERIOD OF Inconsistencies onlv To
relapse into another. But in this

pei1oo OF unconsc1ousness onlv n
relapse into another. Rut in +h;s
a,a' peloo' "nen his mind was partially
sreat, occurred series of events -ot
ptotoundiy touching character. Down.
stalrs' with strained and tear-stained
races. members of the cabinet were
srouped In anxious waiting. They
knew the end was near and that the
tlme mad come when they must see
aim Tor the last time on earth. This
was about 6 o'clock. One by one they
ascended the stairway-Secretary
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 a 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
their throats. After they left the sick
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 6ravely 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 bedside,
were:
Goodbye, all; goodbye. It is Gods
way. His will be DONE"
Then his mind began to wander and
so 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 $3.50 the
administration of oxygen ceased and
the pulse grew fainter and fainter
He was sinking gradually, like 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 gath.
ering waited sadly for the end. All
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 getting here before death
came. One of the last to arrive was
Attorney General Knox, who reached
the house at $50. He was permitted
to go upstairs to
Look for the Last Time
upon the face of his chief. Those in
the house at this time were Secre-
taries Hitchcock, Wilson and Root,
Senators Fairbanks, Hanna and Bur-
rows, Judge Day, Colonel Herrick,
Abner Mckinley, the presidents
brother, and his wife, DR.. and Mrs.
Baer, the presidents niece and her
husband; Mrs. Barber and Mrs. Dun
can, the presidents sisters; Mrs.
Mary Barber, Mrs. McWilliams, Mrs.
McKinley's cousin; the physicians,
including DR.. McBurney, who arrived
after 8 o'clock; John G. Milburn, John
N. Scatcherd, Harry Hamlin, all of
this city; Secretary Cortelyou and a
number Of others. Rev. G. D. Wilson,
Methodist minister of Tonawanda,
N. Y, who was the presidents pastor
for three years at Canton, called at
the residence to inquire whether his
services were needed, bSt did net en-
ter the house. Another Methodist min
lister who has church near by re.
NAMED at the Milburn residence for
ices might be desired. At 9:37 Sec.
retary Cortelyou, who had been much
Of the time with his dying chief, sent
out formal notification that the presi-
dent was dying. But the president
fingered on, his pulse growing fainter
and fainter. There was no need for
Official bulletins after this. Those
who came from the house at intervals
told the same story-that
The President Was Dying
and that the end might come at any
time. His tremendous vitality was
the only remaining factor in the re.
suit, and this gave hope only of brief
postponement of the end. DR.. Mynter
thought he might last until 2 a. m.
DR.. Mann said at II o'clock that the
president was still alive and probably
would live an hour. Thus minutes
heightened to hours and midnight
came with the president still battling
against death. At this midnight hour
the Milburn house was the center OF
scene as animated as though it were
midday, although a 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 moving about and occasion.
ally coming in groups to the front
doorway for breath of air. In the
upper front chambers the lights were
low and around on the north side,
where the chamber of death is 10:
Gated, there were fitful lights, some
burning brightly and then turned low.
Secretary Root and Secretary viii.
son came from the house about mid
night and paced up and down the side.
walk. All that Secretary Root said
was: "The night has not come yet. .
Despite the fact that vitality contin.
ued to ebb as midnight approached
no efforts were spared to
Keep the Spark Of Life Glowing.
DR.. Janeway of New York city arrived
at the depot at IL: 40 O'clock. George
Urban was waiting for lin and they
drove at q breaknecek pace to the
Milburn house. He was shown to the
presidents room at once and began
an examination of the almost mani
mate form. Secretary Of the Navy
Long arrived at the Milburn house at
1906 o'clock. This was his first visit
to the city and he had the extreme
satisfaction Of seeing the president