The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-09-16
from any military body" exclaimed

from any military body" exclaimed
Colonel Roosevelt
Just say to your commanding on
Ger that have revoked your orders
DO not want your men behind me, and
L positively decline your escort
The vice president had his way 50
far as military escort was concerned
but he could not shake OF the police
A mounted man on each side accom-
panied the carriage Up Delaware ave
nue.. while IN the open carriage which
followed CploneI Roosevelt were three
men who were recognized at Intervals
along the road as popular Buffalo de-
tectives.
The visit to the Milburn house. which
followed this episode. was brief as 4
matter of course The vice president
stepped into the room where Mrs Nc
<inley was and IN few words WltE
eyes filed with tears. expressed MS
sorrow at her great calamity. and with
becoming tact disappeared before TIE
scene became more trying. As soon as
Colonel Roosevelt had left Mrs. AcKtn-
ley he fastened again 10 his carriage
and, still accompanied by his police
bodyEuard drove rapidly back to the
Wilcox residence
Soon after arrived the carriages con
tanning the members of the cabinet
Colonel Roosevelt had preceded them
into the house, and as they stepped
under the folds of the great American
flag already draped with black he
greeted each Of them without ceremony
and ushered them into the parlOr-
The official witnesses were the i've
members Of the cabinet IN town-See-
rotary Root Secretary Long. Post
master General Smith. Secretary VIII
son. and Attorney General Knox
Besides them however. were Senator
Depew. John D Milburu. George P
keating- William JEFFERSON, r C seat
chard, DR. C Z Stockton. one Of the
physicians who attended President Nc
ki1ley, Secretary COrtelyOu- Dr. and
and Mrs Mann. Dr. Park. George 3
1IeteaIf George Urban, Colonel Bing-
ham, Mr.. and Mrs Carlton Sprague-
Mrs 1lilburn. Mr. Loeb. secretary 70
the vice president w f Roosevelt
his nephew. and OF course Mr. and Mrs
Ansley Wilcox, with Miss Wilcox
The owner Of the house announced
that in accordance with the decision OF
the cabinet the only other persons who
would be admitted would be the rep
reSeutativeS Of three press associations
This restriction caught the ear Of the
nouuced that all the correspondents
who were gathered on the porch and
numbering no small total were TO be
admitted as welcomed guests.
The ceremony OF administering the
oath. while extremely brief and simple,
was undenfabIy impressive After 4
preliminary consultation. Secretary
Root who was the ranking member OF
the cabinet on account Of the absence
Of Secretaries Hay and Gage-a announced
IN a voice II hfch betrayed the deep emo
ton he felt that the members Of the
cabinet believed II TO be for the interest
OF the government that he should take
the oath of office before doing anything
else
The explanation did not go into de-
tails at ali, but il was quite well under
stood that it referred to the fact that
If anything should happen TO Mr. Rose
welt before he had been sworn IN as
president It might cast cloud upon
the title OF Secretary Hay. who, in such
an event would become president under
the presidential succession law
There was 10 one IN the whole assem-
bly, whose nerves we're not strained 70
the breaking point By the trag1cal
events Of the previous twenty-foEEr
hours. and the secretary Of war there
fore played upon q tense chord when he
said
Mr.. Vice President. am requested
BY All the members Of the cabinet who