The United States Becomes a World Power [excerpt]

     On the afternoon of Friday, September 6, 1901, this country and the whole world were thrown into consternation as the news was flashed over the wires that President McKinley had fallen by the hand of an assassin. That day had been appointed as Presidents’ Day at the Pan-American Exposition held at Buffalo, and elaborate preparations had been made to make this the event of the Exposition, all the high dignitaries of State, including the representatives of all the American governments, were in attendance. On September 5th the President delivered a speech, which was easily his greatest effort, advocating reciprocity in trade and greater encouragement to commerce. On the morning of the 6th, with his wife and party, he had visited Niagara Falls and inspected the Exposition. After luncheon he was to hold a public reception in the Temple of Music to meet his countrymen and take them by the hand. No trouble was anticipated, although precautions had been taken to avoid mishaps. President McKinley, assisted by President Milburn and others, received the people as they moved by in a long, continuous line, shaking hands and smiling upon each. The would-be assassin was a rather tall, boyish-looking fellow, apparently 25 years old; about his right hand was wrapped a handkerchief, giving the impression to the officers that his hand was injured, especially as he extended his left across the right to shake hands with the President.
     Innocently facing the assassin, the President smiled as he extended his right hand to meet the left of the man before him. As the youth extended his left hand he suddenly raised his right, the one which held the pistol, and before any one knew what was transpiring two shots rang out, one following the other after the briefest portion of a second. For the first moment there was not a sound.
     The President drew his right hand quickly to his chest, raised his head, and his eyes looked upward and rolled. He swerved a moment, reeled and was caught in the arms of Secretary Cortelyou to his right. Catching himself for the briefest second, President McKinley, whose face was now the whiteness of death, looked at the assassin as the officers and soldiers bore him to the floor, and said, feebly: “May God forgive him.” The President was first helped to a chair but was quickly removed on a stretcher to the emergency hospital, and all the eminent surgeons within reach were summoned.
     Two wounds were located, one in the breast, which was not serious, and the other in the abdomen, which proved fatal. There was every hope at first that he would recover, but after some days there came a relapse, and, although all that surgical and medical skill could do was done, President McKinley passed [401][402] away early on the morning of September 14th. His last words were memorable: “It’s God’s way; His will, not ours, be done.”
     The world joined the American people in mourning the beloved President. He was given a state funeral at Washington, September 17th, and buried at Canton, his home city, September 19th, amid impressive ceremonies.

THE ASSASSIN.

     The man who assassinated President McKinley was Leon Czolgosz, a Russian Pole and an anarchist. At the time of the assassination he was described as follows: “He is twenty-eight years of age, slim, of dark complexion, with an intelligent and rather pleasing face. His features are straight and regular. He dresses with considerable neatness. There is nothing in his appearance that would attract unusual attention. He is not a suspicious-looking person.”
     Czolgosz’s parents were born in Russian Poland. They came to this country about 1865 as immigrants, and settled in the West. Czolgosz was born in Detroit, and hence was not an immigrant. He received some education in the common schools of that city, but left school and went to work when a boy as a blacksmith’s apprentice. Later he read all the socialistic literature which he could obtain, and finally began to take part in socialistic meetings. In time he became fairly well known in Chicago, Cleveland and Detroit, not only as a socialist, but as an anarchist of the most bitter type.
     Czolgosz was placed on trial in Buffalo, September 23d, and was given able counsel to protect his interests. After an unsensational and impartial trial he was found guilty, and, on September 26th, he was sentenced to die in the electric chair at Auburn Prison, in the State of New York. The execution took place in the early morning of October 29, 1901, in the presence of twenty-two witnesses and the prison officials.