The age-herald., 1901-09-10
MIR. DRENNEN SAW ATTACK ON
 THE PRESIDENT Birmingham Man. Near When the Shots Were
 Fired TELLS A GRAPHIC STORY Says That the Negro, Parker, Was First to Strike Czolgosz-The President Spoke of Ills Wife
 Immediately.
TELLS A GRAPHIC STORY

D. NJ. Drennen, who returned from Buff falo Sunday night, was near the President on Saturday when the attempt was made on his life by the anarchist, Czolgosz. Mir. Drennen Is one of the firm of Drennen and Company. He tells a graphic story of the affair.
 By some singular law of accident was Tn the immediate presence of Presi- dent Mckinley when the murderous an- archist, Leon Czolgosz, shot him." said Mir. Drennen. 'Tn front of me advancing to shake hands with the President was the colored man, Parker, whom I was next to in line in the rear, and who was next to the wouid-be assassin.
 "I was paying the closest attention to the President, and therefore observed Czolgosz, and likewise Parker, they be- ing the only persons between me and the President.
 .'It seemed to me that one of the as- sassins hands was in a black handker- chief, made of what seemed to be silk.
 All In a Moment.
 'It all happened in a moment.
 'The President leaned slightly forward to grasp the assassins hand, saying distinctly,
 "I am glad to see you, my friend
 Instantly two muffied revolver shots sounded. Neither the negro Parker nor I ever reached the Presidents hand, but Parker struck the assassin down and sprang upon him with his feet, crushing his mouth and face in an apparently uncomfortable fit of wild anger.
 Parker spoke no word. None of us spoke a word, until the President said very softly:
 "I am shot. Don't exaggerate it to my wife
 "He then grew faint ree1ed backward and was caugi- In the arms of half dozen attendants.
 'The man Parker knocked the assas- sin down and instantly Jumped on him; the President uttered no cry of pain or anguish. he merely said; as repeat:
 "I am shot. Don't exaggerate 1t to my wife,
 'This seems ito me to have an historic value Its own.
 The Crowd Stunned.
 And there was no cry raised in all that crowd of 75,0Oo people. All that 'throng was stunned as one man, for quick as n flash of lightning the crowd seemed ito understand the Prsident was dead.
 And in this relation, 1t was marvel ous to note that when the officers bore the anarchist out to the waiting carriage to convey him to prison. nobody raised any cry The driver on the box was . negro, and as he lifted the reins crowd of men dashed at the horses heads, no man speaking a word. The negro lashed the horses and they ieaped forward.
 "The assassin was saved in absolute si- lence.
 "And when the attendants had borne the President to the temporary hospital there was still silence.
 "The multitude spoke in whispers. It was the most awful spectacle I ever wit nessed Why, when the President was shot down within arms reach of me l was simply speechless, stunned by the awful crime"
 MT. Drennen, who returned to Birming- ham yesterday, arrived in Buffalo from New York on the morning of the attack upon the President. He was accompanied by his wife.
 Mr. Bradley There.
 John Bradley, clerk of the Criminal court, returned yesterday from .hree weeks trip North. Mir. Bradley was in the exposition grounds at Buffalo at the time the President was shot. He says there were about 5000 people in the grounds at the time and that very few of them knew of the occurrence.
 Probably not more than fifty persons actually saw the shooting. The crowd was we'll handled by the officials and for about three hours after the shooting they did not believe 1t was true. Every officer asked about 1t replied that he knew noth- ing of 1t and the crowd in this way was kept quiet.a