Adams County news. [volume] (Ritzville, Wash.) 1898-1906, 1901-09-11
PRESIDENT MCKINLEY SHOT.
CONTINUED from first page.)

New York surgeon. who had been
summoned in consultation, after a
thorough examination in which he
said he had found not a single unfa-
vorable symptom, Joined in the last
afternoon bulletin which declared that
the presidents condition was salts
factory to the physicians present. 1t
is not strange therefore that the vice
president, the members of the cabi-
net and other distinguished visitors
who called, came away with lighter
hearts and buoyant tread and gave
expression to the most optimistic SEN
timents.
All Was Thanksgiving.
The encouraging news spread over
the exposition city, with great rapid
ity, and thousands came in carriages,
in street cars and afoot to learn for
themselves of the faith and confidence
that existed about the Milburn house.
The brightness of the day, with its
cool, bracing atmosphere, added to the
general cheerfulness, and when a
score Of newsboys darted into the
crowd about o'clock shouting extra
the president will live." it was with
difficulty that they could repress the
shouts of thanksgiving that rose in
their threats.
And the newspaper men, many Of
whom have been at their posts for
4S hours continuously, remained stead
lastly throughout the day in the little
white walled tents across the street
from the house where the country's
patient lay, and flashed the news over
the land and the sea.
And yet, despite all this optimism.
the president is by no means out of
danger. Not one of his physicians;
not one of his advisors who is admit
ted to the inner councils, has the
temerity to go so far as to declare
that he is. But if he continues to i'm
prove for one day more the danger
Of peritonitis, which is most dreaded,
will have practically disappeared.
Thus far the ball of the assassin,
which is still in the body, gives the
physicians no anxiety. But if the
slightest inflammation appears in the
region of the lead, it will be immedi-
ately extracted. No difficulty is antici-
pated in this regard. One of Edison's
best X-ray machines and his most
skilled operator, DR.. H. A. Knowles,
arrived today. The batteries were
charged and the machine is ready for
instant use. With it the physicians
say there is not the slightest doubt
that the ball can be located perfectly
for an operation.
| Secretary Cortelyou took occasion
today to issue a statement declaring
the trustworthiness of the bulletins of
the physicians.
The cabinent officers feel it to be
their duty to be here in this crisis to
meet any emergency. They are hold
ing no formal meetings, although there
are some matters of public business
which they daily discuss Informally
and the possible contingencies should
the president grow worse are also
| thoroughly canVaSSed.
They do not believe that there is
the most remote possibility that Vice
President Roosevelt will be called
upon to exercise the functions of chief
magistrate under the disability clause
Of the constitution while the president
lives. Vice President Roosevelt will
not hear of such a course. Still in
the event of grave international COM
plications, an emergency might occur
and the question has arisen in their
minds as to who should proclaim the
disability provided for by the consti
tuition. That instrument is silent on
the subject. There is no precedent to
follow.
The members of the cabinet are to
remain in Buffalo for the present and
the plans of departure are indefinite
and not even thought of while the
president is not entirely out of dan
ger. If he should pass the danger
point, however, they will return at
once to Washington.
Today also for the first time, nour-
ishment was administered. 1t was in
liquid form and was injected hypo-
dermically to avoid the possibility of
| irritating the walls Of the stomach.
The exterior wound was dressed this
morning and is progressing satisfac-
torily.
All day the members of the cabinet
and others associated with the presi.
dent in public life came solicitous and
went away almost jubilantly, all re-
fiecting the hopeful outlook at the
Milburn house..
All through the day great crowds
had gathered on the streets watching
the Milburn house. But as darkness
came they gradually disappeared. A
steady line of men and women came
up to the ropes to make anxious in.
quiries.
The weather conditions are regard.
ed as very favorable for the president.
The great confidence which the
president has in his secretary could
not be more strikingly illustrated
than at the exposition hospital, when
he was about to be placed upon the
operating table. The president real.
lied that the sooner the operation was
performed the better and he was per.
fectly willing to submit to the knife.
His only solicitude was as to the com.
potency of the surgeons who were to