Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1912-10-22
As TOLD BY ROOSEVELT.
Vivid Impressions Of Experience at
Milwaukee.

Vivid Impressions Of Experience at
Milwaukee.
Chicago, Oct. 18.-The vivid impress
sions Of Colonel Roosevelt when he
was shot in Milwaukee, were related
tonight from the colonels own lips
Apparently well on the way to recov-
cry he was permitted to enjoy a great
er degree Of freedom and for the first
time he gave an account Of the hap
penings in the first few hours after the
bullet found its mark. The colonel said
that on Monday he expected to leave
for Oyster Bay and hoped to be back
In the campaign, making speeches
again week after next.
Il feel as lively as bulldog" said
the colonel by way Of preface. He was
sitting In a huge leather chair by
window in Mrs. Roosevelt's room ad-
joining his own.
What seemed to impress Colonel
Roosevelt most strongly was not the
shooting itself-he seemed to accept
that as thing of the past to be dis
missed once 1t was over-but rather
his hour on the stage Of the Milwau-
kee Auditorium when he was speaking
with a bullet in his side. But he in
sisted that to make the speech was
only what any other man would have
done under the circumstances.
TT was nothing-nothing," he said.
Il felt little pain but 1t was not Sc
we're. When I stretched out my arm or
reached for my manuscript 1t made me
gasp bit but that was all.
TT was quite amusing" he went on.
when I reached for my manuscript to
see that 1t had hole In 1t from the
bullet, and there was hole in my
spectacle case too"
The colonel chuckled as he recalled
the surprise he had felt at his discov-
cry.
Amusing did you say, colonel?"
asked one Of his hearers.
WELL" he qualified, 1T was inter-
esting."
Colonel Roosevelt showed no indica-
tion that he had felt the fear Of death.
He said he had no means Of knowing
as he delivered the speech he had
promised to make, whether he was
wounded fatally but accepted as mat
ter of course that he should go on un-
til he had finished, If his strength held
out. But when It was all over and he
had turned away, to go to the hospital.
he said, he found It difficult to keep his
temper when half dozen men scramble
ed over the edge Of the platform and
asked him to shake hands.
"They wanted to shake hands," he
said, though 1t still surprised him.
Didn't they know that 1t is impossible
for q man who has just been shot to
shake hands with genuine cordiality?"
OF the shooting itself Colonel Roose-
Welt had little to say. No once did he
mention the name Of John Schrank,
his assailant. He talked in an unemo-
tional way Of being shot, as though he
was discussing the case Of a man with
whom he was not acquainted. He said
he bore no bitterness or rancor. Z.
In q dispassionate way, Colonel
Roosevelt spoke Of his present condi-
ton and speculated upon the chance
that he would have lood-poisoning or
some other serious complication.
isn't 1t a curious thing" he said.
that little spot,"-he placed his
thumb near the top Of his forefnger to
indicate how small spot he meant
"can become infected and set the whole
thing back?"
Then, he said, there was the possibil-
ity, the physicians had told him, that
pneumonia might develop.
The colonel said he felt no pain at
present He placed his right forefin-
ger carefully on his breast to indicate
the position Of the wound and said that
while he still had an occasional twinge
to remind him of 1t, he was at ease.
AS he talked he moved his arms
freely, although he was careful not to
move his body. He punctuated his re-
marks with gestures but they were not
the same vigorous gestures which he
is wont to make.
The colonel still had trouble with his
broken rib, he said. His only apparent
worry was that the rib would not knit
quickly enough to permit him to make
a few speeches in the closing days OF
the campaign.
IF can get that rib to knit so that
the edges hold" he said, "and 1t does
not pain me to take deep breath, I
hope to make some speeches week af-
ter next"
AS his thoughts turned to the cam
paign, Colonel Roosevelts manner
changed. Although he had been eau
toned not to forget that he was far
from q we'll man, and to guard against
excitement, his face flushed and his
gestures became more vigorous.
They'll have to be short speeches at
first" he said, but I'll make some good
ones"
The colonel paused for moment He
set his jaw hard and clenched his fists
for the only time during the interview.
II ask no quarter" he said.
1T is amusing to see the predica-
ment Of Governor Marshall" he added
with laugh. "The governor has been
making his campaign on the assertion
that was not at San Juan Hill. This
may stagger him, but in a week he
will discover that I was not shot at
all and that anyway 1t was bird shot
and that It hit another man instead OF
me, and finally that was in Oshkosh
that night"
Colonel Roosevelt expected, he said,
to bring the campaign to a close, just
as though he had not been shot. He
hoped to be able to put In a week OF
campaigning and say "a few things
although he might be unable to travel
as he had been doing, making some
times a dozen speeches in day. HIS
physicians told him probably he could
leave for Oyster Bay Monday or Tues
day, and the colonel at once made up
his mind he would go on the earliest