In Somber Draping

LIBERAL DISPLAY OF CREPE IN PARIS MARKS RECEIPT OF BAD NEWS
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AMBASSADOR PORTER IS ILL
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News of the Death of the President Has Not Been Communicated to Him as Yet.

     PARIS, Sept. 14.—The news of President McKinley’s death became known here generally at about ten o’clock, and the central portion of the city immediately bristled with furled and crepe-draped flags. The United States embassy and consulate, all the hotels, business houses and the establishments of many French firms on the Avenue d’Opera, the Rue de la Paix, the main boulevards and in the Champ Elysees quarter displayed this mark of respect.
     The United States embassy had not received official notification of the president’s death when the Associated Press dispatch announcing it had arrived, and at half-past nine the news was communicated to the embassy. Ambassador Porter, who has not been well for the past fortnight, was deeply affected by yesterday’s intelligence. He had undergone a very painful but not dangerous operation for a local trouble the previous day, and was upset yesterday by the sudden change for the worse in Mr. McKinley’s condition. His physician, therefore, ordered that he should have complete repose and forbade that the news of the president’s death be communicated to him this morning. He will be notified later in the day.
     Minister of Foreign Affairs Delcasse called at the embassy about ten o’clock, but could not be received. A few minutes later President Loubet drove up. The ambassador’s private physician received him and explained that the news thus far had been kept from Ambassador Porter, and that it was not deemed advisable to allow him to receive anyone. President Loubet expressed deep sympathy with the ambassador and asked that the latter be informed of his visit and that he intended personally to express condolences over the loss sustained by the American people, and departed. The doctor says there is absolutely no danger for Ambassador Porter, who only needs rest to insure his complete recovery within a few days. In fact but for the danger of President McKinley Gen. Porter would have started on a journey to Constantinople next Saturday as planned.
     President Loubet sent the following dispatch to Mrs. McKinley:

     “I learn with deep pain that his excellency Mr. McKinley has succumbed to the deplorable attempt on his life. I sympathize with you with all my heart in the calamity which thus strikes at your dearest affections and which bereaves the great American nation of a president so justly respected and beloved.

—“Emile Loubet.”          

     The premier, Waldeck-Rousseau, called at the residence of the United States ambassador.
     The registers opened at the United States embassy and at Ambassador Porter’s residence are quickly filling with the names of American residents and visitors and with those of notable Frenchmen. Paris is crowded with Americans at the present time, and the boulevards are dotted with little groups reading and discussing the details of the president’s last moments. Numbers of Americans are already wearing black ties and many ladies have donned mourning.
     The expressions of sympathy from Frenchmen is as general and sincere as it was when the cables announced the news of the attempt on the president’s life.
     The death of President McKinley, it is understood, will not interfere with the general programme of the czar’s visit to France. The reviews, maneuvers and receptions will be held by the public. Festivities will be subdued to a great extent.
     All the papers print articles deploring the death of President McKinley, and biographies of the late president and President Roosevelt. The Temps refers to the responsibility of the doctors in giving President McKinley too nutritious aliments. It says:
     “To legitimate sorrow, to the mourning of the entire nation, mingles a gnawing doubt regarding the treatment and skill of the doctors.”
     Alluding to President Roosevelt, the Temps says:
     “What perspectives, what a touch of the magic wand, and what mingled, troubling sentiments must occupy his mind.”
     Another article in the Temps says:
     “The anarchist Czolgosz flattered himself with a vain hope if he thought that by a revolver shot he could root up the famous gibbet, the golden cross on which Bryan wished to prevent humanity from being crucified. The Buffalo murder, therefore, was useless, even from the viewpoint of the anarchists themselves. Political murder is always formidable to dynasties, but quite inoffensive to republics.”
     The Journel des Debats says: “Never did the friendly expressions of the two sister republics appear more justified than at the present moment, when there is only room for a sentiment of profound cordiality.”

PORTER IS TOLD THE NEWS.

     The news of President McKinley’s death was communicated to United States Ambassador Porter this afternoon. Gen. Porter was deeply moved. He kept to his bed all day long, but inquiries made late tonight elicited the information that he is progressing favorably and that the surgeon hopes he will be able to receive callers again on Monday.
     The tricolor over the Elysee palace and other official edifices was flown at half-mast during the day. President Loubet has taken a deep personal interest in the condition of President McKinley since the attack upon him and had sent an officer of the household to the embassy daily to inquire regarding his progress. No official announcement of the fact has yet been made, but it is understood that the gala performance at the theater at Compiegne, fixed for the evening of Sept. 20, has been countermanded as a mark of respect.
     The morning papers all publish articles expressing appreciation of the late president and of President Roosevelt.
     The Gaulois says: “The death of President McKinley will have a greater reverberation throughout Europe than had the disappearance of Garfield, Lincoln or Carnot. He played a bigger part on the world’s stage than any of his predecessors. Bolder than they, he threw down the gauntlet to one of the nations of the old world and inaugurated at the expense of Spain a policy of expansion and conquest. He installed himself in the Philippines and joined uninvited in the European concert in China, and finally took up a determined and very American attitude upon the Panama question. Now this great perturber of our quietude reposes in his tomb. Will his imperialist policy disappear with him? Logically, Mr. Roosevelt is heir to the views and ambitions of Mr. McKinley, and hence nothing will be changed in the United States. So much the worse for Europe.”