The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1901-09-19

death chamber where the dying man
lay, and gazed within. Those who
came first turned back appalled, and
overwhelmed and did not pass within
the chamber. Secretary Wilson re-
NAMED below, unwilling to have i'm
printed on his memory the picture of
his expiring chief. Secretary Long,
who arrived on late train, went at
once to the chamber and passed direct
ly to the bedside of the President, grasp
ing the hand that was already clammy
with approaching death.
COMPLETELY UNCONSCIOUS.
Meantime the President had lapsed
into state Of complete unconscious
ness and it was only q question of
hours, perhaps minutes, when the end
would come. By 10 o'clock there was
no .perceptible pulse. The extremities
had grown cold and the rigidity Of
death was fast falling upon the sufferer.
The physicians who remained at his
side detected only the faintest heart
beats. Some OF them, knowing that all
was over, departed, while others re-
NAMED, not because there was any fur
ther need for there ministrations, but
because of respect for the expiring
President.
DIR. Janeway, the eminent heart spe.
cialist, who had been summoned from
New York, arrived shortly before mid
night and proceeded at once to the bed
side of the President. An instant's
glance told him the time had passed fol
the slightest hope. He turned away,
telling the assembled relatives and Off
Gals that the end was very near. Mid
night came and still the tremendous
vitality of the President was battling
under dissolution. Another hour pass
cd so and still another. At O'Clock
DR.. Rixey was the only physician in
the death chamber. The others were
in an adjoining room, while the rela.
tives, Cabinet officers and nearest
friends were gathered in silent groups
in the apartments below. And as he
watched and waited, DIR. Rixey observes
q slight, conyulsiye tremor. The Presi.
dent had entered the valley of the shad-
ow OF death. Word was at once taken
to the immediate relatives who were
not present to hasten for the last look
upon the President in life. They came
in groups, the women weeping and men
bowed and sobbing in their intense
grief.
AT THE FINAL MOMENT.
Grouped about the bedside at this
final moment were the only brother Of
the president, Abner Mckinley, and
his wife, Miss Helen Mckinley and
Mrs. Sarah Duncan, sister Of the presi
dent Miss Mary Barber, niece; Miss
Sarah Duncan, neice Lieut.. James F
Mckinley, VIM. F. Duncan, John Bar
Der, nephews f. M. Osborn. a cousin
Secretary George B. Cortelyou, Hon
Charles e. Dawes, comptroller Of thu
currency; Webb @. Hayes and Col
VIM. @. Brown. With these directly
and indirectly connected with the fam
lily were those others who had kept I
ceaselesss vigil-the white-garbed nur
ses and tie uniformed marine hospita
attendants. In the adjoining room
were Doctors Chas. McBurney, Eugene
Wasdin, Roswell Park, Chas. G. Stock
ton and Herman Mynter.
The minutes were now flying, and i
was 2:15 o'clock.
Silent and motionless the circle o
loving friends stood about the bedside
THE PRESIDENT DEAD.
DR.. Rixey leaned forward and placed
his ear close to the breast of the expir
ing president. Then he Strengthened
up and made an effort to speak.
''The President is dead" said he.
The President had passed peacefully
away, without the convulsive struggle
Of death. 1t was as though he hat
fallen asleep. As they gazed on th,
face of the martyred President only th,
sobs of the mourners broke the silence
of this chamber of death. Mr. Cortel
you had been one of the first to rous
himself after the stunning effect Of tn
announcement OF death. He passes
from the room and down the stairway
There, in the large drawing-room
were assembled members OF the Cabi
net, officials high in the administra
ton and in the confidence of the Pres
3 ident. As he appeared at the threshold
! of the room they seemed to realize tina
: the message of death had come. Nh
Cortelyou halted at the door, and sum
moning all of his effort, be said
= Gentlemen, the President has pass
, ed away"
| Realizing, too, the momentous ma
ture of the event to the people of th
country, Mr.. Cortelyou stepped througl
the outer doorway OF the Milburn Hous
! and, advancing down the walk to til
newspaper men at the front gate, calm
iy announced:
"The President died at 2:15 o'clock.
Thus closed the final chapter in th
D life Of William Mckinley.
; All that remained was to perforT
! those gruesome offices which follo'
death. There was the sending Of til