The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1901-09-20
His Last Words Were an Humble Submis-
sion to the Will of the God in
Whom He Trusted.
WAS lECONcILED TO HIS CpUEL FATE
Mrs. Mckinley Goes Through the Heart
Trying Leave-Taking With Bravery
and FOrtitude.

| able terms to the great sorrow they
| felt. u
| Within thirty minutes of the death a
private of the United States army hos
| pital corpse was detailed for duty and
took his position by the body of the
president.
The Presidents Last Hours.
Buffalo, Sept. A.-Before o'clock it
was clear to those ct the presidents
bedside that he was dying and prepar-
aticns were made for the last sad Off
ces of farewell from these who were
nearest and dearest to him. Oxygen
had been administered steadily, but
with little effect in keeping back the ap-
proach of death. The president came
out of one period of Inconsistencies
only to relapse into another But at
this period, when his mind was partial
ly clear, occurred a series of events of
profoundly touching character. Down
stairs, 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 whea they must see
him for the last time on earth. This
was about o'clock. One by one they
assembled the MISUNDERSTANDING Root,
Secretary Hitchcock and Attorney
General Knox. Secretary Wilson also
was there, but he held back, not wish
Ing to see the president in his last
agony. There was only a momentary
stay of the cabinet officers at the
Threshold of the death chamber. Then
they withdrew, the tears streaming
down their faces and the words of in
tense grief choking in their threats.
After they left the sick room the
Physicians Rallied Him
to consciousness and the president
asked almost imme liately that his wife
be brought to him. The doctors fell
back into the shadows of the room as
Mrs. Mckinley came through the door
way. The strong face of the dying
man lighted up with faint smile as
their hands were clasped. She sat be-
side him and held his hand. Despite
her physical weakness she bore up
bravel3 under the ordeal. The presi-
dent in his last period of consciousness,
which ended about TAO, chsnted the
words Of the hymn, Nearer, My God.
to Thee" and his last audible con-
scious words as taken down by DR..
Mann at the bedside were: Good bye,
all; goodbye. 1t is Gods way; his will
be DONE" Then his mind began to wan
der and soon he completely lost con-
seriousness. His life was prolonged for
hours by the administration of oxygen,
and the president finally expressed a
desire to be allowed to die. At $50 the
administration of oxygen ceased and
the pulse grew fainter and fainter. He
was sinking gradually, like a child.
into the eternal slumber. BY 10 o'clock
the pulse could no longer be felt in his
extremities and they grew cold Be
low stairs the grief stricken gathering
Waited Sadly for the End.
Those in the house at this time were
Secretaries Hitchcock, Wilson and
Root, Senators Fairbanks, Hanna and
Burrows, Judge Day, Col. Herrick, Alb
ner Mckinley, the presidents brother,
and his wife. DR.. and Mrs. Raer, the
presidents niece and her husband;
Mrs. Barber and Mrs. Duncan, the
presidents sisters; Mrs. Mary Barber,
Mrs. McWilliams, Mrs. McKinley's
cousins, the physicians, including DR..
McBurney, who arrived after o'clock;
John G. Milburn, John N. Scatcherd,
Harry. Hamlin, all of this city; Secre-
tary Eortelyou and a number of others.
At 9:37 Secretary Cortelyou, who had
beer much of5the time with his dying
chief, sent out formal notification that
the president was dying. But the pres
ident fingered on, his pulse growing
fainter and fainter There was no
need for Official bulletins after this.
al 10 - IN.
tervals told the. same story-that the
president was dying, and that the end
might come at any time. His tre-a
mendous Vitality was the only remain
ing factor in the result, and this gave
hope only of brief rcstponement of the
end. The Milburn house was the CEN
ter OF scene as animated as though ~
| 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 within moving about and occa-
sionally coming in groups to the front
doorway for a breath of air. In the
! upper front chambers, the lights were
low, and around on the north side
where the chamber of death was loca-
/ ted, there were fitful lights, some
burning brightly and then turned low.
Secretary Root and Secretary Wilson
/ came from the house about midnight
and paced UP and down the sidewalk.
| All that Secretary Root said was: The
night has not come yet" Despite the
fact that vitality continued to ebb az
midnight approached, 70 efforts were
| spared to keep the spark of life glow
ing. DR.. Janeway Of New York city ar
rived at the depot at 11:40 O'clock
George Urban was waiting for him and
they drove at breakneck pace to the
| Milburn house. He was shown to the,
presidents room at once and began an
examination Of the almost inanimate