The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1901-09-25
CONTINUED flom Page ID

end had been expected the actual an
nouneement that Mr.. Mckinley wa
dead fairly stunned these men who ha
been his closest conf1dants and adviser
Then a groan of anguish went up fror
the assembled officials. They cried Xix
children. All the pent up emotions o
the last few days were let loose. The.
turned from the room and came froI
the house with streaming eyes.
MILBURN HOUSE, BUFFALO, Sept
13-Before O'Clock it was clear to those
at the presidents bedside that he was
dying, and preparations were made FOR
the last sad offices of farewell from those
who were nearest and dearest to him.
Oxygen had been administered steadily,
but with little effect in keeping back the
approach of death. The president came
out of one period of Inconsistencies
only to relapse into another. But in this
period, when his mind was partially
clear occurred a series of events of pro-
foundly touching character. Downstairs,
with strained and tear-stained faces,
members of the cabinet were grouped in
anxious waiting. They knew the end was
near and that the time had come when
they must see him for the last time on
earth. This was about o'clock.
One by one they assembled the stair
way. Secretary Root. Secretary Hitch
cock, and Secretary Wilson were there.
There was only momentary stay of the
cabinet officers at the threshold of the
death chamber. Then they withdrew,
tears streaming down their faces and
words of intense grief choking in their
Threats. as2a
ASKS FOR HIS WIFE.
After they had left the sickroom the
physicians rallied him to consciousness
and the president asked almost imme-
diately 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 was lighted up with
a faint smile as their hands were clasp
ed. She sat beside him and held his
hand. Despite her physical weakness
she bore up brayely under the ordeal.
The president, In his last period Of
consciousness, which ended about TAO,
chanted the words of the hymn,
Nearer, My God, to Thee" and his last
audible words, as taken down by DR..
Mann, at the bedside, were: Good by.
all; good by. 1t is Gods way. His will
be done"
soon he completely lost consciousness.
His life was prolonged for hours by the
administration of oxygen. and the pres
ident finally expressed a desire to be al
lowed to die About $50 the administra-
ton of oxygen ceased, and the pulse
grew fainter and fainter. He was sink
ing gradually, like child, into the eter-
nal sIumber. 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 the evening those who had has,
tened here as 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 At
torney General Knox, who reached the
house at $50. He was permitted to go
upstairs to look flor the last time upon
the face of his chief. Those in the house
at this time were Secretaries Hitchcock,
Wilson and Root; Senator'S Fairbanks,
Hanna and Burrows; John Day; Abner
Mckinley the presidents brother, and
his wife; Dr. and Mrs. Raer, the presi-
dents niece, and her husband; Mrs. Bar
Der and Mrs. Duncan, the presidents
sisters Mrs Mary Barber, Mrs. Will
icians, including DIR. McBurney, who ar
rived after O'Clock; John q. Milburn
John NJ Scratched, Harry Hamlin, all
of this city; Secretary Cortelyou and a,
number of others. Rev. c. d. Wilson, a.
Methodist minister, who was the presi-
dents pastor for three years at Canton,
called at the residence to inquire wheth-
sr his services were needed, but did not,
enter the house.
WORD THAT DEATH IS NEAR.
Another Methodist minister who has
a church near by remained at the Mil
burn residence for two hours, In the be-
lief that his services might be desired.
At 9:37 Secretary Cortelyou, who had
been much of the time with his dying
chief, sent out formal notification that
the president was dying. But the presi- !.
dent fingered on, his pulse growing faint !
er and fainter.
There was no need for official bulletins
after that. 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 remain
ing factor in the result and this gave
hope of brief postponement of the end
DIR. Mynter thought he might last until
q. m. DR.. Mann said at II o'clock that
the president was still alive and prob
ably would liye an hour. Thus moments
heightened to hours, and midnight came I
with the president still battling against
death.
At THE MIDNIGHT HOUR.
At the midnight hour the Milburn
house was the center of a scene as ami
mated as though it were midday, al p
though solemn hush hung over the =
great crowd of watchers. The entire
lower part of the house was aglow with
light, and the many attendants, friends
and relatives could be seen within NOV
ing about and occasionally coming in
groups to the front door for breath of
air. In the upper front chambers the
lights were low, and around on the north h
side, where the chamber of death Is To-
Gated, there were fitful lights, some burn B
Ing brightly and then turned low. e
Secretary Root and Secretary Wilson q
came from the house about midnight &
add paced up and down the sidewalk. All i
that Secretary Root said was. 'The night i
has not yet come" B
Despite the fact that vitality continued 8
TO ebb as midnight approached no efforts =