Mrs. McKinley Courageous

Bears Up Well When She Hears of the Attempt on Mr. McKinley’s Life.

     BUFFALO, N. Y., Sept. 6.—After the President was cared for at the Exposition grounds, Director General W. I. Buchanan started for the Milburn residence to forestall any information that might reach Mrs. McKinley there by telephone or otherwise. Very luckily, he was first to arrive with the information. The Niagara Falls trip had tired Mrs. McKinley, and on returning to the Milburn residence she went to her room to rest.
     Mr. Buchanan broke the news as gently as possible to the nieces of Mr. and Mrs. McKinley, and consulted with them and Mrs. Milburn as to the best course to pursue in breaking the news to Mrs. McKinley. It was finally decided that on her awaking, or shortly thereafter, Mr. Buchanan should break the news to her, if, in the meantime her physician, Dr. Rixey, had not yet arrived.
     Mrs. McKinley awoke from her sleep at about 5:30 o’clock. She was feeling splendidly, she said, and at once took up her crocheting, which, as is well known, is one of her favorite diversions.
     Immediately on Mr. Buchanan’s arrival at the Milburn home he had telephonic communication therewith cut off, for already there had been several calls, and he decided on this as the wisest course to pursue lest Mrs. McKinley, hearing the continued ringing of the bells, might inquire what it meant.
     While the light of day remained, Mrs. McKinley continued with her crocheting, keeping to her room. When the day began to wane and the President had not arrived, she began to feel anxious concerning him. “I wonder why he does not come?” she asked one of her nieces. There was no clock in Mrs. McKinley’s room, and when it was 7 o’clock she had no idea it was so late, and this is when she began to feel anxious concerning her husband, for he was due to return to Mr. Milburn’s house about 6 o’clock.
     At 7 o’clock Dr. Rixey arrived at the Milburn residence. He had been driven hurriedly down Delaware Avenue in an open carriage, and at once entered the house. At 7:20 o’clock Dr. Rixey came out of the house accompanied by Col. Webb Hayes, a son of the late ex-President Hayes, who is a friend of President McKinley. They entered a carriage and returned to the Exposition hospital.
     After Dr. Rixey had gone, Mr. Buchanan said that the doctor had broken the news in a most gentle way to Mrs. McKinley. He said she stood it bravely, though considerably affected. If it was possible to bring him to her, she wanted it done. Dr. Rixey assured her that the President could be brought with safety from the Exposition grounds, and when he left the Milburn house it was to complete all arrangements for the removal of the President.
     A big force of regular patrolmen were assigned to the Milburn residence.