CHAPTER XIII.

Last Hours of the President-"It is God's Way, His Will be Done"-Anxious Multitudes Await the Sorrowful

Tidings-Universal Grief and Sympathy.

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N Friday morning, September thirteenth, the unexpected intel. ligence was sent forth to the world that President McKinley had suffered a serious relapse and was at death's door. The news came with greater force from the fact that through five preceding days the bulletins from the sick room had been so encouraging and satisfactory.

All the hopes that had been inspired of the illustrious patient's recovery were suddenly extinguished. The country may be said to have almost held its breath during the day, which closed with the gloomy announcement that the President could not live. The suspense was universal and gloom was written on every face.

Milburn House, Buffalo, N. Y., Sept. 14.-President McKinley died at the Milburn house at 2.15 A. M. in the morning of September 14th. He has been unconscious since 7.50 P. M. His last conscious hour on earth was spent with the wife to whom he devoted a lifetime of care His last words were an humble submission to the will of the God in whom he believed. He was reconciled to the cruel fate to which an assassin's bullet had condemned him, and faced death in the same spirit of calmness and poise which marked his long and honorable career.

His relatives and the members of his official family were at the Milburn house, except Secretary Wilson, who did not avail himself of the opportunity, and some of his personal and political friends took leave of him. This painful ceremony was simple. His friends came to the door of the sick room, took a longing glance. at him and turned tearfully away. He was practically unconscious during this time. But the powerful heart stimulants, including oxygen, were employed to restore him to consciousness for his final parting with his wife. He asked for her, and she sat at his

side and held his hand. He consoled her and bade her good-bye. She went through the heart trying scene with the same bravery and fortitude with which she bore the grief of the tragedy which ended his life.

Before 6 o'clock it was clear to those at the President's bedside that he was dying and preparations were made for the last sad offices of farewell from those who were nearest and dearest to him. Oxygen had been administered steadily, but with little effect in keeping back the approach of death. The President came out of one period of unconsciousness only to relapse into another. But in this period, when his mind was partially clear, occurred a series of events of profundly touching character. Downstairs, with strained and tear stained faces, members of the Cabinet were grouped in anxious waiting.

KNEW THE END WAS NEAR.

They knew the end was near, and that the time had come when they must see him for the last time on earth. This was about 6 o'clock. One by one they ascended the stairwaySecretary Root, Secretary Hitchcock and Attorney General Knox. Secretary Wilson also was there, but he held back, not wishing to see the President in his last agony. There was only a momentary stay of the Cabinet officers at the threshold of the death chamber. Then they withdrew, the tears streaming down their faces and the words of intense grief choking in their throats.

After they left the sick room, the physicians rallied him to consciouness, and the President asked almost immediately that his wife be brought to him. The doctors fell back into the shadows of the room as Mrs. McKinley came through the doorThe strong face of the dying man lighted up with a faint smile as their hands were clasped. She sat beside him and held his hand. Despite her physical weakness, she bore up bravely under the ordeal.

way.

The President in his last period of consciouness, which ended about 7.40, chanted the words of the hymn, "Nearer, My God, to

Thee," and his last audible conscious words as taken down by Dr. Mann at the bedside were:

"Good-bye, all, good-bye. It is God's way. His will be done." Then his mind began to wander, and soon afterward he completely lost consciousness. His life was prolonged for hours by the administration of oxygen, and the President finally expressed a desire to be allowed to die. About 8.30 the administration of oxygen ceased and the pulse grew fainter and fainter. He was sinking gradually like a child into the eternal slumber. By 10 o'clock the pulse could no longer be felt in his extremities, and they grew cold. Below stairs the grief stricken gathering waited sadly for the end.

All the evening those who had hastened here as fast as steel and steam could carry them continued to arrive. They drove up in carriages at a gallop or whisked up in automobiles, all intent upon getting here before death came. One of the last to arrive was Attorney General Knox, who reached the house at 9.30. He was permitted to go upstairs to look for the last time on the face of his chief.

"THE PRESIDENT IS DYING."

At 9.37 Secretary Cortelyou, who had been much of the time with his dying chief, sent out formal notification that the President was dying. But the President lingered on, his pulse growing fainter and fainter.

There was no need for official bulletins after this. Those who came from the house at intervals told the same story—that the President was dying, and that the end might come at any time. His tremendous vitality was the only remaining factor in the result, and this gave hope only of brief postponement of the end. Secretary Root and Secretary Wilson came from the house about midnight, and paced up and down the sidewalk. All that Secretary Root said was: "The night has not yet come."

Despite the fact that vitality continued to ebb as midnight approached no efforts were spared to keep the spark of life glowing. Dr. Janeway, of New York city, arrived at the Buffalo depot

at 11.40 o'clock. George Urban was waiting for him, and they drove at a breakneck pace to the Milburn house. He was shown to the President's room at once, and began an examination of the almost inanimate form.

Secretary of the Navy Long arrived at the Milburn house at 12.06 o'clock. This was his first visit to the city, and he had the. extreme satisfaction of seeing the President alive, even though he was not conscious of his visitor's presence. Secretary Long was visibly effected.

LOOKING ANXIOUSLY FOR ROOSEVELT.

There was no possibility that Mr. Roosevelt would get to Buffalo Friday night. Ansley Wilcox, who entertained the VicePresident, said to inquirers that the best information he had was that Mr. Roosevelt would arrive next day. He said that the VicePresident would be unable to reach a railroad station much before 4 o'clock next morning, and that would bring him to Buffalo about noon on Saturday. Mr. Wilcox said, in explanation of Mr. Roosevelt's being so far out of touch:

"The Vice President was at all times very optimistic, and when he went away was absolutely positive that the President would recover, and that the convalescence would be rapid. He certainly never expected to-day's sad occurrences."

Shortly after midnight the President's breathing was barely perceptible. His pulse had practically ceased, and the extremities were cold. It was recognized that nothing remained but the last struggle, and some of the friends of the family who had remained through the day, began to leave the house, not caring to be present at the final scenes.

Such an intense state of anxiety existed among the watchers that rumors gained frequent circulation that death already had actually occurred. The arrival of the coroner gave rise to one of such rumors, and numerous groundless despatches were sent saying that the end had come. These were speedily set at rest by an official statement from within the house that the reports of death were groundless, and that the President still lived.

Coroner Wilson said that he had been ordered by the District Attorney of the county to go to the Milburn residence as soon as possible after the announcement of death. He had seen a reputable local paper issued, with the announcement that the President died at 11.06 P. M., and had hurried up so that there would be no delay in removing the body. He was very much chagrined when Dr. Mann met him at the door and told him that his services were not required and that he would be notified when he was wanted. Dr. Mann said that the President was still alive and that Dr. Janeway was examining the heart action. There was really no hope, but they did not desire gruesome anticipation.

One of the members of the Cabinet who came from the house at 2 o'clock for a stroll along the front walk said a meeting of the Cabinet would be held probably in the morning to take such action as would be required by the circumstances. He said the expectation of the Cabinet was that the remains would be taken to Washington, and then lie in state in the Capitol, afterwards going to Canton for final interment.

FELL INTO A GENTLE SLUMBER.

President McKinley's death was entirely painless. He had been sinking gradually but steadily through the entire night, and for almost four hours had been unconscious. When the end finally came, Dr. Rixey alone of the physicians was with him, but so gradual was the approach of death that it is difficult to say the exact second he breathed his last. Dr. Rixey, standing by the bedside, held the President's hand, felt for the pulse that was imperceptible, bending forward he felt the President's heart and listened for the breath that was not drawn, and then announced the end.

When the announcement was first made to Mrs. McKinley that her husband could not live, she seemed to be resigned and bore up bravely, but as the full significance of her loss came upon her, she gave way under the strain, and at the time of her husband's death she was under the care of a physician and nurses.

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