Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1901-09-12
PRESIDENT MCKINLEY SHOT.


Music on the Pan-American Exposi-
ton grounds at Buffalo, N. Y, at Az
o'clock last Friday afternoon. One
bullet took effect in the right breast
and the other in the abdomen. The
first wound was not of a serious nature
and the bullet has been extracted.
The second bullet went through the
Presidents stomach and lodgedin the
muscles Of the back.
The name of the would-be assassin
is Leon Czolgosz, and he proclaimed
himself an anarchist. His home was
in Cleveland, Ohio.
The President was holding public
reception when be was shot. A vast
crowd had just commenced to pass be-
fore him, and to each person he gave
a hand-shake and smile. Detectives
and officials of the Exposition sur
rounded him. A suspicious looking,
dark-faced man was seen in line, and
the detectives watched him closely.
He held the Presidents hand longer
than necessary it seemed, and he was
pushed on by an officer. Immediate
ly following this man was the Presi.
dents assailant. He was rather
tall, boyish-looking fellow. The Sc
cret Service men noted that about his
right hand was wrapped a handker-
chief. As he carried the hand up
lifted, as if supported by sling under
his coat, the officers believed his hand
was injured, and especially as he ex-
tended his left hand across the right
so as to shake hands with the Presi-
dent. 1t was noticed that the person
who was in front of the assassin held
back, apparently to shield the young
man. Innocently facing the assassin,
the President smiled a smile of dignity
and benevolence as he extended his
right hand to meet the left of the sup
posedly wounded fend.
AS the youth extended his left hand
he, quick as flash, as if trained by
long practice, whipped out his right
hand-the one which held the pistol.
Before anyone knew what was trans
piring two shots rang out, one follow
ing the other after the briefest portion
of second.
For the first moment there was an
awful hush. Then there was pande-
monium. The Chief Executive, it was
known, had been shot. The President
drew his right hand quickly to his
chest, raised his head and his eyes
rolled. He swerved moment, reeled
and was caught in the arms of Secre-
tary Cortelyou, to his right. Catch
ing himself for the briefest second the
President, whose face was now the
whiteness of death, looked at the as
sassin as the officers and soldiers bore
him to the floor and said feebly, "May
God forgive him."
The President was able to walk
little, but was leaning heavily on his
escorts. In passing over some bunting
his foot caught and for moment he
stumbled. A reporter extricated his
foot, and the President was carried to
a seat, where half dozen men stood
by and famed him vigorously. Quick
calls were sent for doctors and to the
While seated for mo-
ment Secretary Cortelyou leaned over
the President and inquired
"Do you feel much pain?"
White and trembling, the President
slipped his hand into the opening of
his shirt front near the heart and said:
"This wound pains greatly"
AS the President withdrew his hand
the first and second fingers were COW
cred with blood. He looked at them,
his hand dropped to his side, and he
became fainter. His head dropped
to his chest and those about him
turned away.
While all this was transporting the
tragedy had not yet ended on the scene
of the shooting. The shots had hard
ly been fred when Detectives Foster
and Ireland and big colored man
named James Parker were on top of
the assailant. Ireland quick as thought
had knocked the smoking weapon from
the mans hand and at the same time
he and his companion officer, with a
dozen Exposition police and as many
artillerymen, were upon the assailant.
He was literally crushed to the floor.
Parker reached under the crowd
and by almost superhuman strength
pulled the intended murderer from IN
der the heap. Forcing the man to the
open, Parker clutched him by the
throat with his left hand, saying:
"You murderer"