The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-09-24
OPERATION
ON ROOSEVELT
President Compelled to
Abandon Trip.
SWELLING IN LEFT LEG
Result of Recent Accident at
PittSfield, Mass.
Administration of Ether Not Neces-
sary and the Surgeons Soon
Completed Their Work-No
Cause for Alarm Exists.

Indianapolis, Ind, Sept. 23.-President
Roosevelts Western trip came to an I'M
timely end in this city today. He was
found to be suffering from swelling in
the left leg between the knee and the
ankle that required immediate surgical
attention. and, instead of being taken
to the train to continue his journey to
veyed to st. Vincent Hospital, where he
was operated on.
The operation occurred at 3:35 o'clock
and lasted only a short time, when he
tai to rest. After taking light lunch
con at 1850 p. M, he was conveyed on a
stretcher to his train which had been
backed upon the ''Y' near the hospital,
and at ten minutes to s o'clock the train
left for Washington.
The first intimation that anything was
wrong came in a form of rumors to the
great crowd that was patiently waiting
around the Columbia Club. and the sol
diers' and sailors monument for the
President to appear. 1t was about 2:3(
o'clock, half an hour of the time-set for
the President to leave the city, that a
few of the favored ones in the crowd re-
ceived intimatian that the President was
sick and the rest of the trip probably
would be abandoned.
Many Rumors Rife.
These statements were as promptly de.
MED as fast as they gained currency, but
soon the rumors began to take on a more
serious character.
THE President has burst a blood yes.
sell" was a whisper that went around
amorR TIE police officers and soldiers
This cannot be true,~ said others. 'for
the President is in the corridor convers.
ing with Senator Fairbanks
Then 1t was said that the President was
sick, that he ha6 tainted, and finally a
rumor was started that he had been shot
These rumors, however, did not appear
to reach the crowd and the thousands
stood patiently after the speech by the
President from the balcony to see him
make his way out of the club. The min
utes continued TO slip away and still
he did not come.
An hour or more passed, and finally IL
was noticed that a movement of some
kind was on. The Presidents carriag &c
stood in front of the entrance of the
club. with Colonel Wilson, the Governor
private secretary. inside holding the
large bunch of American beauty roses
that had been given the President in the
hall. The soldiers of the National Guard
were drawn up along the street just in
the rear The secret service men and the
local police and detectives crowded the
sidewalk in front of the club, keeping
back the people.
Walked With Sturdy Gait.
The command was given to make room
and a path was cleared from the club
entrance to the carriage and as in an
swer to the rumors of his illness, the
President, accompanied by Senator Fair
banks with a quick and sturdy gait
came down the steps of the club, and
hastily entered the carriage. Colonel
Wilson got out and Senator Fairbanks
and Secretary Cortelyou and Governor
Durbin took seats in the carriage with
the President. The carriage started i'm
mediately the horses being urged into a
trot. A second carriage containing the
secret service o GERS followed closely III
its wake, and third one containing AS
sistant Secretaries Loeb and Barnes and
Drs. George ]. Cook and j. j. Richard
son closed up the rear.
No sooner had the carriages started
than Captain Gallon of Battery A, with
tain Hyland with his mounted police,
surrounded them and in a few seconds
the cavalcade swung at a rapid gal'
around the circle and down Meridian
Street. The crowd in the circle had
hardly got glimpse of the carriages be-
fore they were gone. Much to their sur
nrisa the soldiers were left behind, and
also a number of the carriages Yet they
sent up a cheer and apparently took it
for granted that there was nothing unu-
sual IN this method of leave taking. The
cavalcade started south on Meridian
street between rows of banked-up hu-
manity, held back from the street by
ropes.
Excuse for Closed Carriage.
A SLIGHT rain had begun to fall and
this appeared to furnish the reason why
tbe carriage containing the President
,should be entirely closed Amid the sound
of many horses trotting up the asphalt
and the rafting OF the carriages could
ha heard the cheers of the people who,
though they could not see the chief eX-
ecutiye of the nation thought they were
Kidding him good bye.
For three squares along South Meridian
street the carriages and escort went al
a good gait Finally the depot was reach
cd and a slight delay arose in crossing
about to leave. The engine was stoppe
as it started on its way across the street
and the carriages went galloping over
the tracks and on to South Street. Tha
crowd that had gathered at the east end
of the depot looked upon this manouvre
with wonder But the carriages turne
sharply to the east on South Street and
IN a few minutes the distance of several
squares to the St. Vincent Hospital was
covered
AS soon as Captain Hyland of the po-
lice arrived there he alighted and run
ming 10 the door of the Presidents car
Rage. which had stopped, he assisted him
"a alight and walked with Senator Fair
hanks and Governor Durbin up the steps
of the hospital.
" The Hospital Guarded.
The occupants of the third carriage
quickly followed and at the same time
Captain Gallon had stationed his mer
shout the entrance. a squad of police whc
mad been sent to the hospital before thc