The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1912-10-15
SHOT BY WOULD-BE
MURDERER, HE MUST
BE OPERATED UPON
Progressive Leader In Chicago, Waiting for Surgeons
to Remove Bullet Which Ploughed Four Inches
Deep-Crank Fired At Him in Milwaukee-De
livered His Speech Despite Wound.

IL In very natural thing. said
Roosevelt. In his speech. that
weak and vicious minds should be
Influenced 10 acts OF violence by
the kind OF foul mendaeity and
abuse that has been heaped upon
me for the last three months by the
papcrs. not only In the interest OF
Air bebs. bat OF Mr.. TAFT and Mr..
Wiipon. Friends. will disown and
fcpntiate amy man OF my party
who attacks with such vile. foul
sIander and abuse my opponents OF
any party
Now. wish TO say seriously to
the speakers and 10 the newspa.
pers representing the republican.
democratic and socialist parties.
that they cannot. month IN and
month out. make the kind of slan.
drfoaa. litter and maievoIent as-
kaulfs that they have made. and not
expect that brutal and violent char
Retsrr. especially when the brutal
ity IL accompanied by a none too
strong mlnd. will be affected by ~
n.
"pon't Care Rap About Being Shot"
= sm not speaking for myself at
All. give you my word do not
care rap about being nhot-not a
rnp have had good many OK
peTiencee IN my time. and this In
only one OF them What do care
for IL ny country. ] wish | were
able 10 impress on our people the
duty TO feel strongly. but TO speak
truthfully. of their opponents. II
say now. have never said on the
stump one word against any oppo-
nent that would not defend in the
library. have said nothing that II
could not suba,anslate. aud nothing
4 ought not 10 have said. nothing
that. looking back. would not say
again. I am all right.
On Operating Table.
Following his speech. which was
one OF the most telling OF his Mid
die Western trip. Col Roosevelt
walked TO the operating room OF the
emergency hospital. DR.. Joseph
Bioodgood OF baltimore, Dr. Ter
rcli. tho colonels physician. and
Dr 4. r. sorenson Of Racine. Wis.
~ero waiting with an x.ray ma
chine.
Laughing and joking. the former
president lay down on the operzt.
isg table. The examination show.
ed that 38-esiIber bullet had
lodged In the wall Of the right
Ghost. Immediately below the tenth
rib. II seemed insdvIssbIe. how
ever, 10 probe for the bullet until
the colonel could reach Chicago.
After the examination the colonel
retired TO hls private car. shaved
himself and went to bed. lie was
soon sound asleep.
Manuscript Saved Him.
Physicians agreed today that the
greatest danger nov lies In blood
poisoning. The bullet was fired
from a rusty revolver. and II is pos.
sible that some infection was de.
posted In the wound. The bullet
struck the right nipple after II had
passed through the eolonel's over
coat. coat and thick bundle of
manuscript. the speech he had In
tended TO deliver at the Auditorium
and his spectacle case.
The manuscript probably saved
the colonel from instant death. The
bullc, passed through Il. clipped
the end OF the spectacle case and
entered the body below the tenth
rib. DIR. Terrell. who travels with
Col. Roosevelt. intended TO remain
at the hotel and had gone TO his
room He was on the fourth floor
when he heard the shot. He rushed
TO the corridor. and. losing his bal.
ance. fell hcadlong down the stairs.
He was badly bruised. Reaching
the colonel's side. he insisted that
the latter should not attempt to de.
liver a speech.
an make that speech" the colo
mel answered, ~ | die while am
making II. Boys, this may be my
last message, but ! am going to de-
liver H."
The colonel had intended to dis
cuss Gov. Wilson's labor record, but
he didn't. He referred briefly, how
ever, TO Senator La Toilette.
ia Follette's attitude In this
campaign" he said. has been a
serious blow to the progressive
cause"
"oet His Message Across"
The speech showed unusual toI-
erance for his opponents. The
coIonei's manner throughout was
that OF man who anticipated a
fatal result from the attack, and he
seemed to be making a supreme ef-
fort 10 get his message across"
When he arrived at the hospital.
Roosevelt's first thought was for
Mrs. Roosevelt. He dictated mes.
sage. telling her that his condition
was excellent.
kilograms Of sympathy.
Hiram w. Johnson, governor of
California. and Roosevelts running
mate on the progressive national
ticket. wired as follows:
"All rejoice at your providential
escape. May God be with you al
ways as tonight