The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1901-05-17


San Francisco, May 1.-THE life Of
Mrs. Mckinley is still in the balance.
Early to-day the attending physicians
could give no more assuring information
than to state that her condition was un-
changed. There had been some improve
ment during the hours before midnight,
and the anxious watchers were filled with
hope, though fearful of a relapse. The
patients vitality is at its lowest ebb dur
ing the early morning, and not until the
critical time is past can the physicians
offer any words. of cheer. Should there
be no sinking spell to-day and the slight
gain of strength noted last night be
maintained, it is possible that there may
be a gradual return to health. How
ever, the doctors will not express any
thing stronger than hope that Mrs. Nc
Kinley Will recover sufficiently to admit
of her removal to her home, though they
do not declare this with confidence.
Conscious at Intervals.
At intervals, Mrs. Mckinley has been
conscious and has recognized her hus-
band, who has remained almost constant
ly at her side. He is bowed with sorrow,
and his careworn expression is noticeable
to all who see him during his brief walks
in Lafayette park, opposite his temporary
home. He has expressed himself as deep
ly touched by the sympathy extended to
him. From every quarter Of the civilized
world cablegrams have poured in, each
message breathing earnest prayers that
the wife of the chief executive may be
spared.
The president has personally requested
each member of his cabinet to keep ali
engagements and not to permit the illness
of his wife to mar the pleasures of their
trip. They have been loath to do this,
however, as all share in the general sor-
row. Secretary Hay. worn out with work
and worry, remained in his apartments all
day yesterday, but expects to join the
other cabinet members in reviewing the
school children of the city on Van Ness
avenue to-day. This was one of the fea-
lures of the weeks program which was
anticipated with pleasure by President
Mckinley, and at his request it will be
carried out, though without his presence.
Functions Abandoned.
According to present plans, the launch
ing of the battleship Ohio will take place,
but the president and members of the
cabinet will not be there. There will be
no banquet by the citizens Saturday night,
and all receptions and trips that have
been in contemplation have been aban-
doned. The only public appearance of
the president in San Francisco excepting
in the neighborhood of the Scott resi-
dence, where he is sojourning, will be
when he takes a carriage to his waiting
train on his way back to the east.
He said yesterday that only sense of
duty had caused him to cancel his many
engagements. He had desired to visit
the northwest, and expected to greatly
enjoy his trip through the Yellowstone
park.
The gift prepared by the employees of
the Union Iron Works for the president,
who was to have addressed them to-mor
row, will be sent to Washington The
Knights Templars will also send to Wash
ington the beautiful silken flag with gold
mounted staff which they intended to pre-
sent to the president in this city.
At a special service held at the Bush
street synagogue, Rabbi Isidore Myers
recited in Hebrew an impressive prayer
for the recovery of Mrs. Mckinley.
Chinese Tribute.
The Daily Chinese World (printed in
Chinese and English) in its latest issue
contains the following:
1t is our custom that each householder
erect within the living-room Of his residence,
however humble though the home may be,
a shrine before which he may worship after
his own faith. And we request that this
night the elder of each and every Chinese
family pray fervently and tenderly to the
Creator to spare and restore to health the
wife Of this great man; the heart Of his
heart, for whom he has shown a devotion
which must excite the admiration Of every
true hearted man, be he Christian or Pa
gan. We may differ materially in our re-
ligious faiths, and because Of thousands of
years of training 1t is sometimes difficult
for US to agree on certain ceremonial laws,
still our love for those whom we have
taken to our hearts is identical, and the
same tender love for wife and family is
common to all mankind. Our sympathy for
the president is as sincere and as intense
as it could be were it expressed by his own
people.
The news from the bedside of Mrs. Nc
Kinley this morning is more hopeful At
8:45 a. m. Secretary Cortelyou gave out
the first official bulletin Of the day that
Mrs. Mckinley had passed a restful night
and appeared very much improved. This
was the first official news that had been
given out since p. N. last night, and 1t
came as a relief, not only to those within
the Scott residence, but also to the band
of watchers that had kept vigil through
out the long hours Of the night. After the
last bulletin of the night had been given
out and DR.. Hirschafelder, the consulting
physician, had left for the night. announc-
ing that he would not return until morn
ing. the lights were extinguished, except
in the sick room, where a shaded lamp
burned low and where only nurse was
in attendance upon the patient.
The night was extremely disagreeable.
Fog came in from the ocean in great
clouds that settled over the hills and soon
developed it to penetrating mist that
saturated everything with water. Not
a single light was shown in any part of
the house, except a faint glow In the
sick room and in the telegraph room.