The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1912-10-17


the assassin gave up and was carried
without resistance out of reach OF lie
crowd.
COLONEL COOL
Are you hurt, colonel a hundred
voices called out
oh, no." he responded with a
smile Missed me that time. IN
not hurt bit"
4 think we'd better be going on. .
he said to the other members of his
party, or we will be late No one
in the party, including Col. Roosevelt
himself. entertained the slightest no
ton that the colonel had been shot
He felt no shock nor pain and it was
assumed that the bullet went wild.
As soon as Col Roosevelt had assured
himself that the assassin was safe in
the hands of the police he gave orders
to drive on TO the Auditorium.
They had driven hardly one of the
four blocks from the hotel to the Aud
itorium when John MeGrath, another
of Col Roosevelt's secretaries, utter
ed sharp exclamation and pointed
to the colonels breast
Look, colonel he said, there is
hole in your o1ercoat'
Col. Roosevelt looked down, saw
the hole, then unbuttoned the big
brown army coat which he was wear
ing and thrust his hand beneath il
When he withdrew it his fingers were
covered with blood
Col. Roosevelt was not at all dis
mayed by his discovery.
1t looks as though l had been hit,
he said, but don't think it is any
thing serious.
Dr.. Scurry Terrell OF Dallas, Texas,
Col. Roosevelt's physician, who had
entered the automobile just before it
stared off, insisted that the colonel
return to the hotel. He would not
hear of il. however, and the car was
driven on to the Auditorium
WOUND EXAMINED
As soon as they reached the build
ing Col. Roosevelt was taken into
dressing room and his outer garments
were removed. DR.. Terrell with the
help of DR.. John Stratton of MilWau-
kee. and Or. S. S. Sorrenson of Ra-
cine. Wis, who were in the audience
and came to the dressing room on
call from the platform, made super
fetal examination OF the wound. They
agreed that is was impossible to haz-
ard guess as to the extent OF the
coloners injuries and that he should
by all means 90 at once to hospital
Il will deliver this speech or die,
one or the other was Col Roose-
telt's reply.
Despite the protests of his physi-
clans the colonel strobe out OF the
dressing room and onto the stage A
large crowd. packed into the biz
building. cheered loudly as he enter
ed and without a word to indicate
what had happened, went to his seat
For several minutes the crowd, 10
man of whom suspected that the col
onel bore bullet in his body, kept
up its cheering.
DRAMATIC SCENE
Then Mr.. Cochems stepped 10 the
front of the platform and held up his
hand. There was something in his
manner which had it's effect upon the
crowd and the cheering died suddenly
away.
Il have something to tell YOU said
Mr.. Cochems, and l hope YOU viii
receive the news with calmness.'
Ills voice shook as he spoke and a
death like stiffness settled over the
throng.
col Roosevelt has been shot. He
is wounded" He spoke in a low tone
but such was the stiffness that every
one heard. A cry of astonishma'
and horror went up from the crowd
which Was thrown into confusion
in an instant. Mr.. Cochems turned
and looked nquirinely at Col. Roose-
welt.
Tel us, are you hurt
Men and women shouted wildly
Some of them rose from their seats
and rushed forward to look more
closely at the colonel.
Col Roosevelt rose and walked to
the edge of the platform to quiet the
crowd. He raised his hand and in
stantlY there was silence.
Its true" he said. Then slowly lie
unbuttoned his coat and placed his
hand on his breast Those in front
of the crowd could catch sight of the
blood stained garment
I'm going to ask You to be very
quiet said Col. Roosevelt And
please excuse me from making you Il
very long speech. I'll do the best I
can. but you see there is a bullet in
my body. But it's nothing I'm not
badly hurt
A sigh of relief went up from the
crowd and then an outburst of tumul-
tuous cheering Thoroughly reas-