Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1901-09-15

stairway one after the other, noIseIessly
approaching the threshold of the cham
Der where the dying man lay and gazed
within. Those who came first turned
back appalled, and overwhelmed and did
not pass within the chamber. Seoreta.
ry Wilson remained below, unwilling to
have imprinted on his memory the
picture of his expiring chief. Secretary
Long, who arrived on late train, went
at once TO the chamber and passed di-
rectly to the bedside of the president,
grasping the hand that was already
clammy with approaching death.
Complete Unconciousness.
Meantime the president had lapsed
into a state of complete Inconsistencies,
and it was only a question of hours, per-
haps minutes, when the end would
come. By 10 o'clock there was no per-
ceptible pulse. The extremities had
grown cold and the rigidity of death
was fast falling upon the sufferer. The
physicians who remained at his side de-
tected only the faintest heartbeats.
Some Of them, knowing that all was
over, departed, while others remained,
not because there was any further need
for their minlstratlons. but because of
respect for the expiring president.
DR.. Janeway, the eminent heart
specialist who had been summoned from
New York, arrived shortly before m1d-
night and proceeded at once to the bed
side of the president. An instant's
glance told him the time had passed for
the slightest hope. He turned away,
telling the assem- bled relatives and OIL
cials that the end was near.
Midnight came and still the tremend'
Gus vitality of the president was bat
tling under dissolution. Another hour
passed so and still another. AT O'CLOCK
DIR. Rixey was the only physician III the
death chamber. The others were in an
adjoining room, while the relatives,
cabinet officers and nearest friends were
gathered in silent groups in the apart
ments below AS he watched and walt
ed DR.. Rixey observed slight, convul.
sive tremor. The president had entered
the valley of the shadow of death.
Take Last Look.
Word was at once taken to the lmme'
diate relatives who were not present to
hasten for the last look upon the presl'
dent in life. They came in groups, the
women weeping and the men bowed and
sobblng in their intense grief.
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, Miss Mary Barber,
niece; Miss Sarah Duncan, niece; Lieu
Uenat James T. Mckinley, William M.
Duncan, John Barber. nephew; +. M.
Osborn, cousin; Secretary George b.
Cortelyou, Hon. Charles G. Dawes,
comptroller of the currency; Colonel
Webb o. Hayes and Colonel William y.
Brown. With those directly and 1nd1-
rectly connected with the family were
those others who had kept ceaseless
vigil-the white garbed nurses and the
uniformed marine hospital attendants,
In the adjoining room were DR.. Charles
McBurney. Eugene Wasdtn, Roswell
Park, Charles G. Stockton and Herman
Mynter.
Silent and motionless, the circle OF
loving friends stood about the bedside.
DR.. Rixey leaned forward and placed
his ear close to the breast OF the expiring
president Then he Strengthened UP
and made an effort to speak.
Passed Away Peacefully.
1.-THE president is dead" he said
The president had passed away peace
fully, without the convulsive struggle
of death. 1t was as though he had
fallen asleep. AS they gazed on the
face of the martyred president only the
sobs of the mourners broke the silence
of this chamber of death. Mr.. Cortel-
you had been one of the first to rouse
himself after the stunning effect of the
announcement of death. He passed from
the room and down the stairway.
There in the large drawingroom were
still assembled members of the cabinet,
officials high in the administration
and in the confidence of the president.
AS he appeared at the threshold of the
room they seemed to realize that the
message of death had come, Mr.. Cortel.