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The Commoner.
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dence the news was broken to Mrs. McKinley as
'gently as might bo by tbo members of tne Mil
burn family. She bore the shock remarkably well
and displayed the utmost fortitude.
A telegraph office has been established In the
Milburn residence and bulletins giving the public
the fullest information possible are issued at short
intervals. Telegrams have been pouring in by the
hundreds.
' While the wounded president was being borne"
from the exposftion grounds to the Milburn resi
dence between rows of onlookers with bared heads
a far different spectacle was being witnessed
along the route of -his assailant's journey from the
scene of his crime to police headquarters. The
trip was made so quickly that the prisoner was
safely landed within the wide portals of the police
station and the doors closed before any one was
aware of his presence.
When the officers reached police headquar
ters with the prisoner, thousands of men sur
rounded the building. A cry of "Lynch him"
went up, but a large force of policemen rushed the
crowd and finally succeeded in dispersing It.
From a bystander who witnessed the attempt
on the president's life, the following description
was obtained by the correspondent of the Asso
ciated Press:
"When the man fired the shots President Mc
Kinley fell back a step, quivered slightly, but did
not fall. Secretary Cortelyou, President Milburn
and Detective Foster sprang to his aid, while De
tective Ireland and James B. Parker threw his as
sailant to the floor, hurled themselves upon him
and attempted to disarm him.
"Their prisoner struggled desperately and
wrenching his arm free, attempted once more to
fire at the president. The revolver, however, was
struck from his hand, flying several feet away.
"President McKinley himself plucked from his
side the bullet which had struck the breast bone
and. glanced, lodging in the skin, at the same time
saying to the detective: 'Foster, r believe there
ik' another bullet in there.'
"Shortly afterwards he said: 'Do not exag
gerate this to Mrs. McKinley.'
"The president throughout displayed the great
est fortitude, and all the time until I saw him
carried from the building his coolness and cour
age were wonderful."
Inquiries at the home of President Milburn at
this hour, 3 a. m. (Saturday), are fruitless. The
street in the immediate vicinity of the house
where the president lies is roped off and guarded
by police, who will admit nobody.
The would-be assassin is a Pole named Fred
Nieman, twenty-eight years of age, stands'five feet
nine inches high, weighs 160 pounds, has dark
brown hair, blue eyes, smooth face, regular fea
tures with prominent nose. He speaks very good
English and has claimed to come from Cleveland,
Chicago and Detroit, but has told so many stories
that his home is still a matter of conjecture. It Is
not yet known whether he was born in this coun
try or not. The district attorney is now closeted
with him. All the police reserves have been
called into the central office to guard against pos-v
sible trouble and the police headquarters are roped
off for a block distant in each direction.
At the home of John Nowaks, 810 Broadway,
it was stated that Nieman came here last Satur
day. He said he was from Toledo and that he
came to Buffalo to see the exposition. He was
alone and had no visitors. His valise contained
an empty revolver case and a few clothes.
The police later learned that the real
name of the would-be assassin is Leon Czolgosz.
He was born in Detroit and came here from
Cleveland.
Leon Czolgosz, the accused and self-confessed
assassin, has signed a confession covering six
pages of foolscap, which states that he is an an
archist, and that he became an enthusiastic mem
ber of that body through the influence of Emma'
Goldman, whose writings he had read and whose
lectures ho had listened to. He denies having any
confederate and says he decided on the act three
days ago and bought the revolver with which
tho act was committed in Buffalo. He has seven
brothers and sisters in Cleveland. Some of them
are butchers and others in different trades. He is
wow detained at police headquarters pending tho
result of tho president's injuries. Czolgosz does
not appear in the least degree uneasy or penitent
for his action. He says he was induced by his
attention to Emma Goldman's lectures and writ
ings to decide that the present form of govern
ment in this country was all wrong and ho
thought tho best way to end it was by killing tho
president. Ho shows no sign of insanity, but-Is
very reticent about much of his career.- Whilo ac
knowledging himself an anarchist he does not
state to what branch of tho organization ho bo
longs. wi ..-i..i- i
Immediately upon learning, of tho attempt
made on the president's life, Mr. Bryan sent tho
following telegram:
"President McKinley, Buffalo, N.' Y. -Accept
my profound sympathy and my earnest wish for
your speedy recovery."
Latest Bulletin Monday Morning
Secretary Cortelyou says President McKinley
Is holding his own. Last night was included in
the critical period through which the patient must
pass. It was said that if ho camo through tho night
without loss of strength, his chances for recovery
would be much Improved. Tho bullet in his ab
domen has not been located. No attempt was made
to uso the Roentgen ray machine sent from New
York, and none will be unless tho bullet should
cause pain or inflammation. The latest bulletin
reads:
President's condition becoming mors and moro
'satisfactory. Untoward, incidents are less and less
likely to occur. Temperature, 100.8; pulse, 112;
respiration, 28.
A Democratic Opinion.
In the presence of the great calamity that be
fell the American people yesterday wo are all dem
ocrats, we are republicans, we are all populists,
wo are all imperialists and we are all anti-imperialists.
The animosities aroused in the heat of politi
cal strife, however aggravated they seem to be,
are never strong enough to disassociate tho intel
ligent partisan from tho patriotic American.
When kings fall at the hands of assassins even
those subjects of tho kingdom who have -no sym
pathy with monarchies and whoso aspiration has
been that the time might come when tho monarch
ical form of government would bo abolished, find
their political opinions completely engulfed in
their patriotic sentiments.
Such a disposition on the part of the subjects
of a monarchy may bo multiplied a thousand-fold,
and then it will not adequately represent the sen
timent of the citizen of a republic in the presence
of an assault made upon the chief executive of his
nation.
This same disposition of being first and abovo
all things for one's own country and for one's
own people is responsible for the fact, that in tho
presence of an awful calamity such as that of yes
terday, all political bias disappears, all considera
tions of party and of governmental policy -are, for
the moment, abandoned, while the people of tho
greatest and best government over "which God ever
reigned meet in the shadow of a great disaster to
commiserate and sympathize with one another be
cause of a blow that has been aimed at the heart
of every American citizen.
In itself it is a fine tribute to pay to the char
acter of American citizenship when it Is said that
all over this broad land, in every city, in every
town, in every hamlet of this union of states,
when the news of the attempt to assassinate Presi
dent McKinley was announced there was no repub
lican whose grief was greater or regret moro sin
cere than that felt and expressed by every intelli
gent man in every other political party that de
serves the consideration of honest men.
During tho last two presidential campaigns
tho American people congratulated themselves
upon the fact that both candidates for the high
office of president were commended by their per
sonal characteristics to the respect of tho people.
Whatever criticism may have been passed on tho
pioposed policies of either of these candidates,
intelligent and reasonable men conceded to both
that for which their immediate neighbors gave
them credit, the honor of being clean, upright and
honorable men. Whatever criticism may have
been passed concerning Mr. McKinley's policies
no serious word has ever been uttered affecting his
personal integrity or the honor and tho upright
ness of his individual character. It may not be
cut of place to say that the policies of his admin
istration which many of us believe to bo wrong
were successfully established largely because of
tho popular confidence In Mr. McKinley's person
ality. .
So, though the blow of the assassin had been
aimed at the heart of William McKinley, the up
right citizen, the gentle and tender husband, there
would be profound regret among all men who had
been brought to realize the very many excellent
traits of his character. But when the arm of the
assassin is raised against William McKinley, the
chief executive of the greatest nation that, under
God, has risen to bless and prosper mankind, that
arm.ls -raised against tho humblest as well as tho
greatest citizen in tho land. And so today, with
out respect to political prejudice, tho American
peoplo give substantial evidence that thoy feel the
blow, and their tears mlnglo with tho tears of tho
griof-stricken woman whoso own afflictions hav
for so long a period beon tho Bubject of our presi
dent's most tender solicitude.
Let us hopo that through the skill of tho sur
geons and under tho providence of God, William
McKinley may pass successfully out of the shadow
that has now fallen over his life.
Lot us hopo that tho peoplo of tho United
States, who have been required to witness tho as
sassination or attempted assassination, within one
generation of three of their. presidents, will not
again bo called to pass under tho rod of this terri
ble affliction.
Let us hopo that tho nest of assassins whose
blows aro aimed at tho constituted rulers of tho
earth may, in this Instance, bo cheated of its
prey.
At this moment ono thought, ono hopo is up
permost in tho American mind. It is tho thought
and tho hopo that tho president of this republic
may survive.
At this moment ono sentiment controls the
American heart, t is tho sentiment of devotion
and loyalty to this nation, to society, to law and
order. It is the sentiment of sympathy for tho
legally constituted head of this government and
of tender commiseration for thoso dearest to him
in this hour of their affliction.
At this moment there is ono message fore
most on the tonguo of tho American citizen. It is
the message of that tenderness and sympathy that
abounds in tho American breast In every crisis In
which Is involved tho honor and tho safety of our
government and its institutions.
From tho Atlantic to the Pacific and from the
lakes to the Gulf, tho hopes and tho sympathies
of tho peoplo of this country aro aroused; and
speeding over tho prairies and rolling over tho
mountains and through the valleys of this nation
of freemen these hopes and sympathies reach tho
bedside of tho stricken president of this republic,
and interpreted Into living words breathe into tho
ear of the wounded statesman the tender message:.
Our hearts, our hopes, aro all with thee;
Our hearts, our hopes, our prayers, our tears, ,
Our. faith triumphant o'er our fears,
Aro all with thee, are all with theo.
Omaha World-Herald.
A Republican Opinion.
The torrlblo news from Buffalo has made the
whole country sick with a common sorrow, in
which poignant regret, intense indignation and a
certain feeling of dismay aro mingled.
It may bo said of the president, who was so
murderously assaulted, that he has had no per
sonal enemies. Like Garfiold, who porished by tho
assassin's hand just twenty years ago, like Lin
coln, tho earlier martyr, he has ever been the most
amiable of men. Gentleness and kindness of heart
wero a natural endowment, which ho has retained
unimpaired throughout all the fierce storms of poli
tics. Like his predecessors whom wo have named,
he came, too, from tho common peoplo, who wero
exalted by his exaltation. He has been our most
popular president since Lincoln, popular in every
section of the country, and it well-nigh incompre
hensible how any sane person could have medi
tated his murder.
But the anger against his assailant and against
tho Ideas and tho associations which ho represents
ic at white heat. The nation demands his ex
emplary punishment and a stricter surveillance
over anarchist clubs and all threatening enemies
of the government. In this hour the lesson Is fear
fully enforced that we are much more likely to lose
liberty through license than through a calculating
tyranny.
It is an appalling thought that, the great re
public, with all its promises and au its deeds for
oppressed humanity, exposes its chief magistrate
to more deadly chances than does any empire or
kingdom. But seven men regularly elected presi
dent in the last thirty-six yars, and three of them
brought low with tho assassin's bullet!
The predominant feeling now, however, is one
of anxious hopo for the innocent and much rev
ered sufferer at Buffalo and of no less anxious sym
pathy for his stricken wife. Upon her he has lav
iFhed such a wealth of rare tenderness and devo
tion that all women call him blest. He has been
her strength and her shield through many years
of sickness, tho very ideal of what a husband
should be. From thousands of homes the prayer
is raised that he may still be spared to her, and
that she may not be completely shattered by
tho dreadful event of yesterday. Chicago Record
Herald,