New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1901-09-15
PRESIDENTS LAST HOURS
SAD SCENES OF THE NIGHT OUTSIDE
THE HOUSE OF DEATH.
rBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNE


Buffalo Sept 14-None who saw It will ever
forget the sad weird picture OF the Milburn
house and surroundings during the dying hours
Of the President Friday night. Early in the
morning. when ii was known that his condition
had become critical closer guard IVES placed
about the roped area. AS evening came and the
ges from the house became more grave
the crowds all sides for blocks around in
creased With strained and eager faces men
and women pressed closer to the ropes and asked
rs there anything later?" He is sinking,
was the answer given always by the policemen
on guard, and the words were spoken in whis-
pers. With this answer the crowd would move
quietly back and wait until the next person
came from the house and passed hurredly out
into the darkness. Then again the same ques-
ton But there confusion, no excited or
hasty jostling or movement of the people, not
even so much as perceptible murmur in the
crowd. Nor it even necessary for the police
to speak in tones of ordinary command to the
throngs of men and women pressing anxiously
forward.
In the immediate vicinity of the house a scene
of greater animation taking place But
here, too. where army of newspaper men
were waiting in momentary expectation OF the
last crushing words He is dead" there was
no sound of voices. unnecessary ciamor Vi
activity. nothing but the muffled sounds OF
and fro over the smooth pavement The house
of death was two doors distant from the in
tersection OF Delaware-ave. and West Ferry
ST where the crowd waited 1t was dark and
silent. The great trees surrounding II cast
their shadows over the closely curta1neo VIII
dows and softened the CLEAN of the arc lisnts
blazing over the street where the men waited
Sentries of United States soldiers walked with
bowed heads back and forth in the dusky YARD
Of the house. Occasionally light passing
window within the house threw its rays upon
the FURNISHED bayonets of the sentries. caus-
ing them to fash and CLEAN in the darkness
ANXIOUS NEWSPAPER MEN.
Bordering the curb of the avenue on the east
side. tents had been put up for the accommoda-
ton of the newspaper men, and from these came
the monotonous clicking Of the telegraph instru-
ments Knots of anxious correspondents gathered
about the doors of the with paper and pencil
nervously gripped in their hands, and whenever
a dark form emerged from the house and moved
slowly toward the roped Enclosure. they surged
forward with suppressed excitement to catch
each whispered word that was spoken. Time
and again after the evening fell until the last
message was brought from the house this scene
was witnessed. AS the person bearing the news
from the death chamber spoke. nothing could
be heard but the low words of the speaker and
the constant rustling of paper and pencil as the
reporters wrote. will you speak a little loud
err" voice in husky tones would say from the
outskirts of the crowd Then. in tones tremu-
lous with grief, the brief message would be re-
peated. With the last words of the speaker
would the sound again of the scurrying
feet across the pavement, and more the
hum of the telegraph instruments would be
heard as the bulletin of approaching death was
fyir 70 oil ~ he inf
| the silence and the shadows again moved the
watchers. to await the next words from the
bedside
THE AUTOMOBILE SERVICE.
Often through the night. when the silence and
the suspense seemed TO grow almost beyond
durance, the low purring of the wheels of
automobile far down the avenue toward the city
would cause all eyes to turn in that direction
as the cleaning lights of the vehicle appeared
and it sped with express train speed toward the
house of death Before the carriage could stop
it would be surrounded on all sides by the wait
ing crowd. There would be few whispered
sentences, the ropes would be lifted and the
visitors pass on into the melancholy shadow of
the house Horses were too slow for those who
were called to the bedside of the dying Presi-
dent All the best automobiles in the city were
offered for service. and many of them were put
to the severest test The distance from the
Milburn house to the Union Station is bout four
miles, and over that stretch of smooth pave
ment some remarkable records were made dur
ing the night When DR.. Janeway arrived from
New-York there was automobile to be had
and the best horse available was taken. George
Urban, jr., drove the doctor from the train and
when they arrived al the house the horse. wet
and foaming, reeled and staggered to the pave
ment But no one stopped to think Of the horse
beyond giving IL what care humanity demanded
Without moments delay the physician sprang
from the carriage. and ran to the house. but his
services were of avail. He had arrived too
late and the President beyond human skill
long before DR.. Janeway reached the city. All
through the night. little apart from the crowd
in the shadows in Ferry-st.. a line Of automo-
biles We're kept waiting. with the hands of their
drivers upon the levers. So silent the place
that the slightest buzzing grinding Of the ma
seemed to echo with cruel volume from the
walls Of the darkened house.
MESSAGES FROM THE DEATHBED
Aside from the relatives OF the President
Senator Hanna seemed TO feel most deeply the
overwhelming burden Of grief Only once dur
Ing the night did he emerge from the house.
and then when he sought to speak to those
about him his voice wavered and cholxed his
utterances. Putting his hands to his face he
turned away, sobbing like heartbroken child.
with grief before their brief sentences could be
II. IL