Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1901-09-17
DIVINE WILL.
PRESIDENT huMsLY SUBMITTED
TO IT.
LAST CONSCIOUS HOUR WAS SPENT
WITH HIS WIFE.

!. Buffalo, Sept. 14.-President McKin'
. lev died at 2:15 this morning. He had
been unconscious since 7:50 p. m. His
last conscious hour on earth was spent
, with the wife to whom he devoted q
lifetime Of care.
y He died unattended by a minister of
, the gospel but his last words were an
, humble submission to the will Of the
God in whom he believed. lie was
reconciled to the cruel fate to which
an assassin's bullet had condemned Linn,
and faced death in the same spirit Of
calmness and poise which has marked
his long and honorable career.
His last conscious words. reduced to
writing by DIR. Mann, who stood at
his bedside when they were uttered,
We're: Goodbye; all goodbye. 1t is
L
Gods way. His will be DONE"
His relatives and the members Of his
official family were at the Milburl
house. except Secretary Wilson, who
did not avail himself of the opportunity,
and some Of his personal and political
friends took leave of him. This pain
full ceremony was simple. His friends
came to the door of the sick room, took
q longing glance at the dying statesman
and turned away.
He was practically unconscious dur
ing this time. But the powerful heart
stimulants. together with oxygen, were
employed to restore him to conscious
hess for his final parting with his wife
He asked for her, she sat ut his side
and held his hand. He cOnsOled her
and babe her goodbye. She went
through the scene with the same BRAY
cry and fortitude with which she has
borne the grief of the tragedy which
ended his life.
The members Of the family, with the
exception of the bereaved wife, were
at the death bed. Mrs. Mckinley was
in an adjoining room. DR.. RiXey was
the only physician present.
The announcement of the death to
| the members Of the cabinet was made
by Webb Hayes. who said: 1T Is all
| over"
When the news was impaired to
| those downstairs great sigh Of an
guish went up from the strong men
there assembled. The members Of the
cabinet, senators and close friends re-
NAMED but few minutes. Then, with
mournful tread and bowed heads, they
came out in the darkness and went
away. There was not one among them
with dry eyes, and some moaned In an
agony Of grief.
The immediate cause Of the presi-
dents death is undetermined, and II
| will possibly require an autopsy to fix
finally the exact cause. The presidents
remains will be taken to Washington
and there will be a state funeral.
Pre-, dents Las, Moments
Before 6 O. clock last night It was
clear to those at the presidents bed
side that he was dying, and preparations
were made for the last farewell from
those who were dearest to him. Oxy-
gen had been administered steadily, but
with little effect. The president came
out of one period. Of Inconsistencies
only to relapse into another.
But in this period. when his mind was
partially clear, occurred series OF
events of profoundly touching char
scter. Down stairs. with strained and
tear-stained faces, members Of the cab
met were grouped in anxious waiting.
They knew the end was near, and that
the time had come when they must see
him for the last time on earth. This
was about 6 o'clock.
One by one they ascended the stair
way-Secretary Root Secretary Hitch
cock and Attorney General Knox. Sec
rotary Wilson was also there, but he
held back, not wishing to see the pres
ldent 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 stream
Ing down their faces.
After they left the sick room the ply
sicians rallied him to consciousness ana
the president asked almost Immediately
that his wife be brought to him. The
doctors fell back into the shadows OF
the room, as Mrs. Mckinley came
through the doorway. The strong face
of the dying man lighted up with faint
SMILE as their hands were clasped. She
sat beside him and held his hand. De-
spite her physical weakness, she bore
up bravely under the ordeal
The president, in his last period OF
consciousness, which ended about 1:4o,
chanted the words Of the beautiful
hymn, Nearer, My God, to Thee,"s nd
his hast audible conscious words as
taken down by DR.. Mann at the bedside
were: Goodbye; all goodbye. 1t Is
Gods way. His will be DONE"
Then his mind began to wander, ana
soon afterward he completely lost con.
seriousness. His life was prolonged
for hours by the administration OF oxy-
gen, and the president finally expressed
a desire to he allowed to die. About
$50 the administration Of oxygen
ceased, and the pulse grew fainter ana
fainter. He was sinking gradually Ike
a child into the eternal slumber. Is!
10 o'clock the pulse could no longer be
felt In his extremities. and they grew
cold.
Below stairs the grlef-strlcken gather
Ing waited sadly for the end.
Friends Hurried to Buffalo
All the evening those who had has
tened here fast as steel and steam could
carry them, continued to arrive. They
drove up In carriages at a eallop, or
were whisked up in automobiles, all In
tent upon getting here before death
came. One Of the last to arrive was
Attorney General Knox. who reached
the house at $50. He was permitted
to 20 up stairs to look for the last time
upon the face of his chief. Those In
the house at this time were Secretaries
Hitchcock, Wilson, Root, Senators Fair
banks, Hanna and Burrows, Judge Day,
Colonel Herrick, Abner Mckinley. the
presidents brother, and his wife, Dr.