Albuquerque daily citizen. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1895-1903, 1901-09-14
Milburn House. Buffalo. N. Y. Sept.

l3.-Before 6 o'clock II was clear %
those at the presidents bedside that
ne was dying. and preparations for
the last Offices OF farewell from those
who were nearest and dearest to him
were made. oxygen had been admin.
istered steadily. but with little effect
OF keeping back the approaching
death.
The president came out of one pert
Oh of Inconsistencies only to drop
into another, but In this period, when
his mind was partially clear. occurred
4 series of events profoundly touch.
ing In character. Downstairs, with
strained and tear stained faces, the
members of the cabinet were grouped
In anxious waiting. They knew the
end was ear and the time had come
when they must see him for the last
time on earth.
This was about 6 o'clock. One by
n they assembled the stairway. Sec.
retaries Root, Hitchcock and Wilson
were also there. but they held back,
not wishing to see the president in his
last agony. There was only a mo
mentary stay of the cabinet officers n
the threshold of the death chamber
Then they withdrew, tears streaming
down their faces and words OF In,
tense grief checking their throats.
After they had left the sick room. the
| physicians rallied him to conscious,
ness and the president asked almost
Immediately that his wife be brought
to him.
The doctors fell back into the shad.
ows OF the room as Mrs. Mckinley
came through the doorway and the
strong face Of the dying man lighted
up with a faint smile as their hands
clasped. She sat beside him and held
his hand. Despite her physical weak,
ness she bore up bravely under the
ordeal. His last audible words were:
"Goodby; goodby; II Is Gods way
His will be done" Then his mind
began to wander and soon he compile.
tely lost consciousness.
The presidents life was prolonged
for hours by the administration OF
oxygen and he finally expressed a de,
sire that he be allowed to die. About
$3.50 the administration OF oxygen
ceased and the pulse grew fainter and
fainter. He was sinking gradually
like a child into eternal slumber. By
10 O'Clock the pulse could no longer
be felt in his extremities and they
grew cold.
Below stairs the panic stricken
gathering waited sadly for the end
All the evening those who FASTENED
here as fast as steel and steam could
carry them continued to arrive. They
drove up In carriages at a Callop 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: 80. 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 Secretar-
les Hitchcock. Wilson and Root, Sen.
ators Fairbanks, Hanna and Burrows,
John Day, Abner Mckinley, the pres
ident's brother. and his wife; DR.. and
Mrs. Baer, the presidents niece and
her husband; Mrs. Barber and Mrs.
Duncan. the presidents sisters: Mrs.
Mary Barber, Mrs. Williams, Mrs. Nc.
hinley's cousin; the physicians, Dc.
McBurney, who arrived after 8
o'clock; John G.. Milburn, John N.
Scatcherd: Harry Hamlin, all of this
city; Secretary Cortelyou and a mum.
Der OF others. Rev. G. ID. Wilson, a
Methodist minister OF Tonawanda,
n. Y, who had been the presidents
pastor for three years at Canton.
called at the residence to inquire
whether his services were needed, but
did not enter. Another Methodist
minister, who has a church near by,
remained at the Milburn residence for
W hours in the belief that his serv-
ices might be desired.
At 9:37 Secretary Cortelyou, who
had been much of the time with his
dying chief, sent out formal Motif.
cations that the president was dying,
but the president fingered on, his
pulse growing fainter and fainter.
There was no need of Official bulle-
tins after this. Those who came from
the house at intervals told the same
story-that the president was dying
and the end might come at any time.
His tremendous vitality was the only
remaining factor In the result and this
gave hope only in a brief postpone.
ment OF the end. DIR. Mynter thought
that he might last until 2 o'clock a.
m. DIR. Mann said at II O'Clock that
the president was still alive and
would probably live an hour. Thus
the minutes heightened to hours. and
midnight came with the president still
battling against death.
AT the midnight hour Milburn house
was the center OF a scene as animated
as though IL were midday, although a
solemn hush hung oyer the great
crowd OF watchers, The entire lower
portion OF the house was aglow with
a light and many attendants and
friends and relatives could be seen
within moving about and occasionally
coming In groups to the front door for
a breath Of air, In the upper front
chambers lights We're low and around
on the north side Of the house where
the chamber of death was located
were htful lights, some burning and
then turned low.
Secretaries Root aud Wilson came
from the house about midnight and