The pioneer press. (Miller, Hand County, S.D.) 1893-190?, 1901-09-19
WAS pEcONCIED TO HIS CpUEL FATE
Mrs. Mckinley Goes Through the Heart
Trying Leave-Taking With Bravery
and FOrtitude.

went up from the strong men there as
| sembled. The members of the cabinet,
senators and close friends remained but
a few minutes. Then, with mournful
| tread and bowed heads they came out
into the darkness and went away.
dry eyes and some moaned in agony
| of grief.
The military guard was augmented
Immediately upon the announcement.
Tho waiting crowds melted away
rapidly, giving expression in unmistak-
able terms to the great sorrow they
| felt
| Within thirty minutes of the death
private of the United States army hos
pital corpse was detailed for duty and
| took his position by the body Of the
president.
The Presidents Last Hours.
Buffalo, Sept 15.-Before 6 o'clock it
was clear to those at the presidents
bedside that he was dying and prepar-
| aticns were made for the last sad Off
| ces of farewell from these who were
| nearest and dearest to him. Oxygen
| had been administered steadily, but
with little effect in keeping back the ap-
proach of death. The president came
out of one period of Inconsistencies
| only to relapse into another. But at
this period, when his mind was partial
ly clear, occurred a series of events of
profoundly touching character. Down
stairs, with strained and tear-stained
faces members of the cabinet were
grouped in anxious waiting. They
knew the end was near and that the
time had come whea they must see
him for the Lass time on earth. This
was about O'Clock. One by one they
assembled the MISUNDERSTANDING Root,
I Secretary Hitchcock and Attorney
General Knox. Secretary Wilson also
was there. but he held back, not wish
ing to see the president in his last
agony. There was only a momentary
stay of the cabinet officers at the
Threshold of the dealh chamber. Then
they withdrew the tears streaming
down their faces and the words of in
tense grief choking IN their throats.
After they left the sick room the
Physicians Rallied Him
to consciousness and the president
asked almost imme liately that his wife
be brought to him. The doctors fell
back into the shadows Of the room as
Mrs. Mckinley came through the door
way. The strong face of the dying
man lighted up with a faint smile as
their hands were clasped. She sat be-
side him and held his hand. Despite
her physical weakness she bore UP
bravely under the ordeal The presi-
= l. -
which ended about TAO, chsnted the
words of the hymn, Nearer. My God,
to Thee" and mis- last audible con-
scious 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 wan
der and soon he completely lost con-
seriousness. His life was prolonged for
hours by the administration of oxygen,
and the president finally expressed a
desire to be allowed to die. AT $3.50 the
administration OF oxygen ceased and
the pulse grew fainter and fainter. He
was sinking gradually, like child.
into the eternal slumber. BY 10 o'clock
the pulse could no longer be felt in his
extremities and they grew cold. Be-
low stairs the grief-strioken gathering
Waited Sadly for the End.
Those in the house at this time were
Secretaries Hitchcock, Wilson and
Root Senators Fairbanks, Hanna and
Burrows. Judge Day, Col. Herrick, ABB
ner Mckinley, the presidents brother.
and his wife, DR.. and Mrs. Baer, the
presidents niece and her husband;
Mrs. Barber and Mrs. Duncan, the
presidents sisters; Mrs. Mary Barber,
Mrs McWilliams. Mrs. McKinley's
cousins, the physicians. including DR..
McBurney, who arrived after o'clock
John G.. Milburn. John N. Scatcherd,
Harry Hamlin, all of this city; Secre-
tary Cortelyou and a number of others.
At 9:37 Secretary Cortelyou. who had
beer much of the time with his dying
chief, sent out formal notification that
the president was dying. But the pres
ident fingered on, his pulse growing
fainter and fainter There was no
need for official bulletins after this.
Those who came from the house at in
tervals told the same story-that the
president was dying, and that the end
might come at any time. His tre-
mendous Vitality was the only remain
Ing factor in the result, and this gave
hope only Of brief postponement of the
end. The Milburn house was the CEN
ter of a scene as animated as though 1t
oil q