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President Shot
PRESIDENT MKINLEY SHOT
TWICE WHILE HOLDING A PUBLIC
RECEPTION AT THE PAN-AMERICAN EXPOSITION.
Shortly after 4 o’clock yesterday
afternoon while President McKinley was holding a public reception
in the Temple of Music at the Pan-American Exposition he was shot
twice by a man named Niemann. The reception in the Temple of Music
had been in progress about 10 minutes when the terrible event occurred.
Two shots were fired. A man approached the President who was receiving
the people at the public reception. The man had a handkerchief in
his hand which covered a revolver. He was able to approach the President
and was apparently on the point of shaking hands with him when he
suddenly fired twice. Both shots took effect in the President’s
body. The man tried to escape, but was immediately secured. Threats
of lynching were made but officers got hold of him and hurried him
away and locked him up. The greatest excitement prevailed. Word
that the President had been shot spread through the grounds with
amazing quickness and one every hand were heard expressions of deep
indignation and grief. President McKinley was immediately removed
to the Exposition hospital. A colored waiter named Parker was just
behind the man when he shot the President. Parker jumped on the
assassin and pinned him to the floor. Then one of the Exposition
guards jumped on him and he was unable to move hand or foot.
On examination by the physicians it
was found that the first bullet had struck an upper rib on the left
side near the sternum, glanced away and lodged in the fleshy part
of the right chest. This bullet was removed without difficulty and
inflicted no serious injury.
The second bullet entered the upper
portion of the stomach, penetrating both abdominal walls. Much apprehension
is felt in regard to this wound. It is considered dangerous but
not necessarily fatal.
The President fell a victim of a self-confessed
anarchist. Upon being led into the office at the Temple of Music
by the Exposition policeman he told Capt. Valley that he was Fred
Niemann, that he was 28 years of age, born in Polish Germany and
was a resident of Detroit. He said he could read and write and had
been living since Saturday in room 8 at 1078 Broadway, Buffalo.
Niemann said he was a blacksmith by trade and also said “I am an
anarchist and only did my duty.”
There is no question that Fred Niemann
is a ficticious [sic] name. The prisoner confessed as much
to the District Attorney last night, giving his true name as that
of Leon Czologosz, and admitted that he was an anarchist and belonged
to the Knights of the Golden Eagle, a band of anarchists. The police
are now working on the theory that Czolgosz represented a conspiracy
to murder the President and more arrests may follow.
From the bedside of the President
comes the announcement that Mrs. McKinley, herself and [sic]
recently at death’s door, received the news of the President’s affliction
with a calmness and tranquility characteristic of womanhood the
world over. After the President had been borne to the Milburn home
he asked for Mrs. McKinley. She at once went to the bedside and
between the stricken husband and loving wife there passed words
of comfort that were mutually helpful.
Doctors Rixey, Mann, Wasdin, Park
and Mynter are in attendance on the President. Bulletins issued
during the night showed that the President was resting well and
sleeping fairly easy.
.
The latest reports from the bedside
of the President, dated at 1 o’clock this afternoon, are that the
President is resting well and maintains a good measure of strength
and the wounds inflicted upon him seems [sic] to have been
less than first anticipated.
His temperature is 102, his pulse
110. The indications are favorable. Another operation will be performed
to-day to locate the second bullet that was fired. Mrs. McKinley
is bearing up bravely up [sic] in her sorrow and her physicians
feel but little concern on her account.
It is admitted that the most serious
crisis in the President’s condition has not yet come.
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