President Shot

PRESIDENT MCKINLEY 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.

ONE O’CLOCK REPORT.

     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.