The Covington leader. (Covington, Tenn.) 18??-current, 1901-09-13
PRESIDENT M'KINLRY STRUCK DOWN
The HOnOred CHEST of the Pan-Ameri-
can Exposition Shot While Re-
eeiving the People.
"A Brutal Assault ON the Chief Execu.
tive of the Nation that May
Prove Fatal.

The news of the attempted assas.
sination of President Mckinley,
in Buffalo, on Friday evening last,
which reached Covington through
a private telegram, produced a sen
sation and a feeling of deepest re.
greet, equaled only by similar oc-
curFence, when a man named @Gui-
teau, in Washington, shot nigh unto
death President James A. Garfield,
at the Pennsylvania depot in Wash
ton, on July 3, 1881.
At the time of the dastardly, cow
ardly act the President was holding
a public reception in the Temple OF
Music on the Pan American grounds.
Standing in the midst of crowds
numbering thousands, surrounded
hy every evidence of good will, the
blow of the assassin fell, and in an
instant pleasure gave way to pain,
admiration to agony, folly TO fury,
and pandem5niam followed.
1t was just after the daily orgaH
recital in the Temple of Music, a
few minutes after 4 O'Clock in the
afternoon of Friday, September 9th,
that the diabolical attempt was made.
At this hour a medium sized man of
ordinary appearance, and plainly
dressed in black. approached as il
to greet the President. The man s
hand was covered by a banda9eB or
handkerchief He worked his way
up TO the edge of the daiS on which
the President was standing until be
was within two feet of him.
President Mckinley bowed, smiled
and extended his hand, when sud
denly the report of a pistol sounded
above the hum of voices.
There was an instant of almost
complete silence. The President
stood stock still, a look of hesitancy
almost of bewilderment on his face.
Then he retreated a step while a
palor began to steal over his feat
ures. The multitude, only pafti
ally aware that something serious
had happened, paused in surprise
while necks were craned and al
eyes turned as one to the rostrum.
Then came q commotion. With
the leap of tiger three men threw
themselves forward, as with one
impulse, and sprang toward the
would he assassin. Two of then
were United States secret servict
men, who were on the lookout, anC
whose duty it was to guard agains
just such q calamity as had here be
fallen the president and the nation
The third was a bystander, negro
who had only an instant previously
grasped the hand OF the president
AS one man the trio hurled them
selves upon the president s assail
ant. In twinkling he was borne
TO the ground, his weapon was
wrested from his grasp, and strong
arms piniOned him down.
The crowds that nADmeut before
had stood mute aud niotionless, as
in bewildered ignorance of thu
enormity of the thing, now as will
a single impulse surged forward
while hoarse cry welled I'D from {
thousand threats and a Thousand
men charged forward to lay hand!
upon the perpetrator of the crime
For a moment the confusion was
terrible. The crowd surged for
ward, regardless of conseq uences
Some of those nearest the doors tiet
from the edifice in fear of a STAN
pcde, while hundreds of others iron
the outside struggled blindly for
ward in the effort to penetrate tn
crowded building and solve tn
mystery.
President Mckinley, after til
first shock of the assassin s shot
retreated a step, then, as the de
tectives leaped upon his assailant
he turned, walked steadily to chat
and seated himself, at the same tim
removing his hat and bowling hi
head in his hands. In an instan
Secretary Cortleyou and Presiden
Milburn were at his side. Hi
waistcoat was hurriedly opened
the president mean while admOnisf
ing those about him to remain cali
and telling them not to be alarmed
"But you are wounded, erie
his secretary, "let me examine.
mo, think not, answered th
President; ST am not badly hurt,
assure you.
Nevertheless his outer garment
were hastily lOosened, and when
triekling stream of crimson Wa
seen to wind its way down b
breast, spreading it's stain over tt
white surface of the linen, the
worst fears were confirmed.
Spectators crowded down I'll
stairways from the galleries, an
the crowds on the floor surged t
ward the rostrum, while, despii
the strenuous efforts of police al
guards, the throng without strui
Rled madly to obtain admission.
The Presidents assailant in Il
meantime had been hustled TO Il
rear of the building by the expos
lion guards, where he was be
while the building was cleared, ar
later he was taken to police hea
quarters.
As soon as the crowd in the Tel
pie of Music had been disperst
sufficiently the President was 7
moved to the exposition hoSpits
where an examination was mad
In a brief period a number of Buff
los best known practitioners we
at the President 5 side.
The patient retained the full
ercise of his faculties until plac
on the operating table and 81
iected to an anaSthetic. Upon