In Temple When Shot Was Fired

Miss Vincent, of Richmond, Describes Scene.
——
NEAR THE PRESIDENT
——
Within a Few Yards of Him When He Was Wounded.
——
A GREATLY EXCITED CROWD.
——
n [sic] Hour in Getting Out of the Building, and Was So Fatigued
That She Nearly Fainted—The Assassin Would
Have Been Lynched but for the Prompt
Action of the Police.

     Miss Mamie Vincent, of No. 213 South Pine Street, a tailoress in the employ of O. H. Berry & Co., was in the Temple of Music, at Buffalo, when President McKinley was shot by Leon Czolgosz on Friday afternoon.
     Miss Vincent, with her brother, Master Linwood Vincent, returned to the city yesterday afternoon, after a stay of several days at Buffalo and Niagara. Miss Vincent, when seen at her residence last night by a representative of The Times, gave the following graphic account of the shooting as she witnessed it:
     “We arrived at the Exposition grounds early in the afternoon and visited several of the places of interest. We then went into the Temple of Music, where the President was shaking hands. We passed down the aisle some distance from the dais on which he was standing, but in full view of him. I looked at him as we passed by, and he seemed to be in a very cheerful mood and was chatting with one of the gentlemen on the stand. We moved slowly down the building, as the mass of people, numbering thousands, would not allow us to move otherwise, viewing the magnificent building and its contents.

THE SHOOTING.

     “Possibly we were twenty-five yards beyond the dais when I heard two clear, distinct reports of a pistol or other firearm. I paid no attention to them, thinking it was the Indians or military on the campus at practice. Silence reigned supreme for a few minutes. Suddenly it was announced that the President was shot.
     “I cannot recall what happened then. I turned to see if it was so, but I could not see the President for the immense crowd that thronged around the dais. The message was passed from lip to lip, and in a few moments the confusion was terrible. Men shouted and several women around me fainted and children screamed. We decided to get out of the building as soon as possible to avoid being in the stampede. The crowd grew thicker and thicker every second.
     “Finally, after an hour had elapsed, we reached the door of the Temple and were soon in the dense crowd which thronged around the door.

NEARLY FAINTED.

     “We were nearly trampled to death in reaching the open air. If I had not reached the open air when I did I think I would have fainted.
     “When we passed out of the gate I heard some one say that the President had been carried to the hospital.”
     The reporter asked Miss Vincent if she saw the man who did the dastardly deed.
     “No, I did not,” said she, “as the crowd between me and the dais numbered several thousand, and it was impossible to hear your own ears. I think he would have been lynched had it not been for the quick work of the police and the secret-service men. We took the first car for Mrs. Neylon’s, where I was staying, and I was so excited and fatigued I do not remember what occurred. The crowd at the exposition on that day numbered one hundred and seventeen thousand people.”