Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-09-24

the police and the soldiers were not given
until the last moment. and in this way the
knowledge that something was amiss was
confined to those who had an official inter
est in the Presidents movements.
The first public knowledge OF the true
state OF affairs came In the form of bulie-
tin. which was issued by Secretary Cortel-
you, and In short time the newspaper Of
hces were the center of excited crowds.
After the President entered the operat-
Ing room. he sat down and waited for in
structions from the physicians and sur
geons, watching their preparations with
keen interest.
Il am awfuliy sorry I cannot continue
my western trip" said he. Cant you let
me go ahead with 1T after this thing is
over?'
Several Of the surgeons turned to him.
and one said:
1T is my opinion that you would be very
indfscreet to continue on your feet. as would
be necessary In your speechmaking trip. af-
ter your operation. This Is by no means a
serious thing. and there Is absolutely no
danger of serious consequences from 1t. II
you are careful and stay OF your feet until
the trouble Is over. But you should by all
means. Mr.. President, discontinue your
trip"
way. said the President resignedly. Il Will
do as you gentlemen say. Now. what do
you want me to DOR
Jokes With the Doctors.
The President was told to remove his
shoes and stockings and neither garments.
He also removed his coat and vest. A
moment later, however. he was told SIM
ply to remove his shoe, and the physicians
would be required to bare the leg only.
This was done. The President walked to
the operating table alone, and as he lay
down he remarked with a smile:
"Gentlemen, you are formal. see you
have your gloves on
This was a reference to the antiseptic
gloves OF the surgeons.
Mr.. President" said a surgeon. with a
smile. ut Is always in order to wear gloves
at Presidents reception"
This caused the President to exclaim:
Good, well said"
The operation was begun without delay.
The pain caused the President to mutter
several times in a low voice, but he said
nothing that was distinct, except to ask
for glass Of water before the needle had
been removed. After the operation was
over he made several laughing remarks
concerning trivial matters. and asked II he
would be allowed to use his leg long enough
to walk upstairs himself.
you will be hauled upstairs in a wheeled
ambulance said the surgeon.
When they brought the vehicle in the
President said: why. that's a wheelbar-
row."
After being taken to an upper room from
the operating room the President was served
with light luncheon and chatted pleas
antly to those In the room. He made sew
eral kind remarks to the attending nurses
about the trouble he was causing, and
shifted his position several times nervously
At 1:40 pm. a white blanket was thrown
around him and he was placed on the hos
pital stretcher and escorted by company
of infantry, was carried to the car block
away by four negro porters from the train.
He bade goodby to the nurses as he was
being carried out of the hall to the elevator.
and thanked them for their kindness He
did not talk during his trip to the car. Sem
at0r Fairbanks Governor Dnrhin and 10
prominent citizens were at the train to
bid him goodby.
Cause of the Swelling.
The swelling Of the Presidents leg. which
| made operation necessary, was occa-
stoned by bruise he received at the time
of the trolley car accident at Pittsfield
Mass.
Besides being injured in the face and
across the eye, the President at that time
received a blow upon the inner part Of the
left leg. between the ankle and the knee,
but, Enthusiastically. he paid no attention
to 1t, ignoring it as being a slight bruise
not worth talking about For several weeks
he took no heed of 1t, but finally it began
to pain him to enforce his attention.
After starting on his western trip he deter
| mined that perhaps DR.. Lung. who was
aboard the train. should examine it. The
doctor did so and pronounced 1t to be a Sc
rious matter. When in Detroit the doctor
finally declared that something should be
done. After consulting with DR.. Richard
son. another member of the party, it was
decided that. in order to avoid the posi-
bility of blood poisoning, 1t probably would
be wise to have an operation performed.
The President was very much averse to
anything of the kind, but. nevertheless.
when Logansport, Ind, had been reached
he had been prevailed on to deliver the
| tariff speech which had been prepared for
delivery at Milwaukee, and which was re-
garded as one of the most important of his
cd I.nC
port Senator Beveridge boarded the train.
and. after a consultation with him, 1t was
decided that he should summon several of
the best physicians of Indianapolis to meet
the President, and, with this end in view,
the senator telegraphed to DR.. George III.
Oliver, DR.. George ]. Cook and DR.. Henry
Jameson to be at the Massachusetts ave-
nue. station. When the train pulled into
the station the doctors were there and
they were taken by the senator INN ediately
into the Presidents car.
Physicians Remain With Him.
The physicians accompanied the party to
Tomlinson Hall, and it was thought by
those who noticed them that they were pres
ent as members of the reception committee.
When the President rose to acknowledge
the reception given him at the hail, and
also when he rose to make his address, it
was noticed by those near him in the front
of the hall that he stood with all his weight
on his right leg, and the posture seemed
so awkward and much like a pose
that it caused more than one comment Lit
tie did any one think that he stood in the
way he did because Of the pain in his left
leg. During the delivery Of his speech,
when he had become aroused. he stood on
both legs, and at one point in the speech he
seemed to forget about his injury SO COM
pletely that he took several steps, and in so
doing hit his leg against a gun that was
stacked with others on the stage. An eX-
preston of pain passed quickly over his
face, which was remarked upon by many
listening to him. who could not understand
why he should make such peculiar facial
expressions.
The trip to the Columbia Club followed
without any feature that would give even
a hint that the great western trip Of the
President was at end. Every one In
Guiding even the Presidents party. outside
of Secretary Cortelyou and the physicians.
had no thought but that the program was
to be carried out to the end. and 1t
gay throng that marched into the club to
take luncheon and have short rest; but in
stead of going into the dining room, the
President was taken in a private room,
where, unknown to the busting crowd in
side and outside Of the club, he was made
the subject of a serious consultation by the
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