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Great Indignation Expressed in Toronto
Tragic Occurrence Throws a Pall of Sadness Over
Canadian Exposition.
——
TORONTO, Ont., Sept. 7.—When the
news of the attempted assassination of President McKinley reached
Toronto it was immediately posted on bulletin boards throughout
the city and at the exhibition grounds, where great crowds surged
around to obtain the latest information. There were many American
visitors at the exhibition grounds who had seen President McKinley
at Niagara Falls earlier in the afternoon, and it was almost impossible
to persuade them at first that the report was correct. The utmost
indignation was expressed on all sides. Mayor Howland, who learned
of the terrible occurrence after returning from a luncheon given
to the Pan-American State and foreign commissioners, said:
“On the theory that it is the deed
of a crank the question will occur: How can prominent men be protected
from such incidents? Are they equally exposed in all parts of the
world? It seems probable that while many half demented men may be
at large in every country, the tendency of their disorder to result
in violent action may be influenced by the surrounding temper of
their country at times.
“May not the wave of murderousness
which is going over the Southern States and furnishing daily incidents
of a horrible and exciting nature throughout the United States,
have an influence upon this class of semi-demented beings? They
are usually by no means uneducated men or unlikely to be readers
of the daily papers or participators in the incidents of their times.”
Col. Sewell, United States Consul
here, who had seen the President at Niagara Falls and talked with
him for a short time two hours before the shooting, and who is one
of the President’s close personal friends, was completely overcome
on learning of the terrible event, and spoke very pathetically of
the tenderness and love in the President’s home circles.
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