Volume 14 , Issue 42

100 Years Ago Today - 15 October 1912

One hundreds years ago, 14 October 1912, the political heat that was rising when a New York assassin in Milwaukee fired a bullet at close range, entering the breast, creating serious wound for Colonel Theodore Roosevelt, candidate on the Bull Moose (Progressive) party. Although Col. Roosevelt was injured, he delivered his speech while flowing blood diminished his vitality.

In The Call, 15 October 1912, out of San Francisco, California, the front page headlines read, "Roosevelt Shot By Lunatic, Infuriated Crowd Threatens to Lynch the Assassin."

Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Oct. 14, 1912 -- Colonel Thoedore Roosevelt, progressive candidate for president, was shot as he was entering his automobile to go to the meeting he was to address at the Auditorium, and only for the fact that the bullet struck the tightly rolled manuscript of the speech he was to deliver, which was in the pocket of his coat, and which broke the force of the bullet, he probably would have been killed.

Who would have thought the Colonel's prepared speech reposing in his overcoat pocket would divert a missile. It was reported the assassin, who at first refused to give his name, afterward said he was John Schrank of 370 East Tenth street, New York. They reported that he was believed to be insane.

How seriously Roosevelt was wounded was not definitely known. The bullet was in his breast just below the right nipple, and it was said at the emergency hospital, where he was taken after he had finished speaking, that as soon as the bullet had been located by the X-ray it would be taken out.

Until Col. Roosevelt had finished speaking it was supposed he was only slightly hurt, but later he was taken to a hospital in a closed cab and there were fears that his condition may have been more serious than was at first supposed.

The reception of Colonel Roosevelt up to the time of the shooting was the tamest of his entire tour. When he reached Milwaukee that night there was barely half a hundred people to greet him, owing to the La Follette sentiment in the city, presumably. This made the assassin's attempt only more simple as the crowd was not so congested as to force a large body of poise to be on hand to keep traffic moving. This very fact made the assassin's attempt so nearly successful.

Roosevelt Dines With Progressives

Colonel Roosevelt was taken to the Gilpatrick hotel for dinner with a group of the local progressive leaders. After his dinner Roosevelt left the hotel to step into his automobile and he was whisked away to the Auditorium, where he was slated to speak.

A crowd was standing outside the hotel to get a glimpse of him and was kept at one side by the few police who had been assigned to guard the entrance. After Colonel Roosevelt had entered his automobile an unidentified stranger stepped through the crowd so quietly that his approach was not suspected as being with murderous intent.

Stepping to the side of the automobile as the colonel started to sit down the man suddenly, and before any one of them near could move, drew a revolver from his pocket, fired point blank at the colonel, just as he was letting go the side of the automobile and turning to seat himself.

Roosevelt staggered, hesitated, turned pale, then put his hand under his coat and pressed his right breast. He had not yet sat down and was still hesitating while the crowd made a rush for his assailant.

Then he raised his hat, whispered a word to his associates, who told the chauffeur to hurry away, and as the machine sped away tot he auditorium Colonel Roosevelt was sitting upon the top of the tonneau waving his hat to the crowd as if to indicate that he was not badly hurt.

Going to the auditorium, he started to speak and talked for fifty minutes. As Colonel Roosevelt faced the audience his white waistcoat was seen to be covered with blood. His hat, with which he frequently gestured, was covered with his own life's blood, but he continued to speak. Time and again he stopped to take a sip of water.

The address was not at all the same as that he had expected to deliver. That speech he had planned to give to the Millwaukee audience was drenched with Roosevelt's own blood. It had been pierced by the bullet.

Roosevelt spoke, "I am carrying the bullet in my body. I have been attacked by an assassin, but I have a message to deliver and will deliver it as long as there is life in my body to speak."

Several times he showed signs of weakness, but kept on until he had completed his address. Then he was removed to the emergency hospital, where six physicians failed to locate the bullet and decided to take an X-ray photograph.

The man who fired the shot was captured a second after he fired the shot. Henry F. Cochems, who was assisting Colonel Roosevelt into the automobile, grabbed him and wrestled his weapon away. Cochems turned the man over to Sergeant Mooney. The would be assessing was at once hurried out of the crowd.

He offered resistance, but was helpless in the sturdy, willing hands that grasped him. He was half carried as he was hurried through the corridor of the hotel into the dining room and thence into the kitchen, where he was put through a hurried interrogation by Sergeant Mooney and others present, but without eliciting a single statement. he declined to give his name, and finally was slipped out of the rear door of the hotel into the alley, where the police wagon had been summoned to receive him.

Hundreds of persons followed the patrol wagon as it was driven at breakneck speed down the streets and across the bridge. Men and boys ran shouting behind the wagon and crying, "Lynch him!" "Kill the brute!" and "Get a rope!" Scores reached the central police station in automobiles and carriages before the wagon could be backed up to the station.

The man who did the shooting had a copy of the colonel's itinerary written on a sheet of note paper taken from the Bismark hotel and cafe, Nashville, Tennessee.

The assassin was 5 feet 5 inches in height, weighed 170 pounds, light complexion, bald, fairly well dressed. he confessed tot he police that he fired the shot, and said, "Any man looking for a third term ought to be shot."

Second Shot Intended

It was reported that Albert H. Martin, one of Roosevelt's two secretaries, helped in preventing the firing of a second shot. Martin leaped on the man's shoulders and bore him to the ground. Captain A. O. Girard was on the front seat and jumped almost at the same time and in an instant the man was overpowered and disarmed.

After reaching the auditorium Colonel Roosevelt was advised strongly against attempting a speech. He was told that the effort would probably endanger his life. Roosevelt said, "I will make this speech or die. It will be one or the other."

After the colonel had begun his speech and the news of the shooting had spread through the audience, Cochems stepped tot he platform and said that Roosevelt had been shot, that his injury was not serious and that there was no cause for alarm.

Colonel Roosevelt assured the crowd that he was not hurt badly. Several times he seemed to be growing weak, and members of his party rose to help him. He motioned them to sit down.

While Roosevelt spoke a physician was within a few feet, ready to minister to him should his strength fail and cause his collapse not he stage, but he did not collapse, and when he had concluded his talk he walked from the stage with a firm tread.

That was when he admitted he was hurt, and he could not keep up much longer. It was suggested to him that he be taken at once to the emergency hospital. The idea at first seemed to amuse Roosevelt, but he listened to the physician and was moved tot he emergency hospital, where six physicians examined him.

If this does not give you a clue to how sturdy and determined this "Rough Rider" was, I know of nothing else that would. As the surgeon continue the examination and unable to probe for the bullet, found deep in Roosevelt's chest, Roosevelt laid on the operating table talking politics with the doctors.

It was decided to make no effort to probe for the bullet until an x-ray was taken. This fact showed that there was a doubt as to the seriousness of the wound, but it apparently did not disturb Roosevelt. He was as cool as any of the doctors.

The x-ray was taken without delay, and it was probable that the bullet would be taken out of Roosevelt's body early the next morning, unless it was buried in a vital spot and the removal would endanger his life.

The wound was in the left breast, according tot he best information from the hospital, but the bullet was ranging toward the heart.

Roosevelt talked freely to the doctors about the shooting, but was said to have been much more interested in the political situation even after he was told it was possible there was danger in his wound, than he was in the man who so shot him.

One report made to the place, Colonel Roosevelt was shot after he had climbed into the automobile, the assassin approaching from the other side of the machine. Roosevelt, the report sd, did not see the man. He did not know he as shot. Then a howl of rage went up from the crowd and the man was seized, while cries of "Lynch him!" arose. Colonel Roosevelt stood calmly looking on as though nothing had happened. Martin picked the man up as though he were a child and carried him the few feet which separated them from the car almost to the side of the colonel. As Martin presented the assassin, Martin said, "Here he is. Look at him, Colonel."

All this happened within a few seconds, and Roosevelt stood gazing rather curiously at the an who attempted his life. As soon as he reached the auditorium, Colonel Roosevelt was taken into a dressing room and his outer garments were removed. Doctor Terrell and R. S. S. Sorrenson of Racine, Wisconsin, who were in the audience, came tot he dressing room and made a superficial examination of the wound. They agreed it was impossible to hazard a guess as to the extent of the colonel's injuries, and that he should by all means go at once to a hospital. Despite the protests of the physicians the colonel strode out of the dressing room and onto the stage. A large crowd packed into the big building and cheered loudly.

Without a word to indicate what had happened he went to his seat. For several minutes the crowd, no man of whom suspected that the colonel bore a bullet in his body, kept up its cheering.

In telling of Colonel Roosevelt's shooting, Cochems said, "I have something to tell you, and I hope you will receive the news with calmness." His voce shook as he spoke and a deathlike stillness settled over the throng. "Colonel Roosevelt has been shot. He is wounded."

Cochems spoke in a low tone, but such was the stillness that every one heard him. A cry of astonishment and horror went up from the crowd which was thrown into confusion in an instant. Cochems turned and looked inquiringly at Colonel Roosevelt. "Tell us, are you hurt?"

Men and women shouted loudly. Some of them rose from their seats and rushed forward to look more closely at the colonel. Roosevelt walked tot he ere of the platform to quiet the crowd. He raised his hand and instantly there was silence. "Roosevelt spoke, "It's true." Then slowly he unbuttoned his coat and placed his hand on his breast. Those in the front of the crowd could catch sight of the blood stained garment.

Roosevelt continued, "I am going to ask you to be very quiet and please excuse me from making you a very long address. I'll do the best I can, but you see there is a bullet in my body. But it's nothing. I am not hurt badly."

A sigh of relief went up from the crowd and then an outburst of tumultuous cheering. Throughly reassured by the colonel's action that he was in no serious danger, the people settled back into their seats to hear his speech.

It was reported that Henry F. Cochems, one of the Wisconsin progressive leaders, had seized the assassin and held him until policemen came up. A move surged around the man, who apparently was a radical on the subject of Roosevelt running for another term for president. In notes found in the assassin's pockets at the place station were statements that the man had been visited in a dream by the spirit of William McKinley, who had said, indicating Roosevelt, "This is my murderer; avenge my death."

A written Proclamation Found On Clothing of Assassin:

• dated September 15, 1912 -- September 15, 1904, 1:30 am. In a dream I saw President McKinley sit up in a mink's attire in whom I recognized Theodore Roosevelt. The dead president said, "This is my murderer; avenge my death."
• September 12, 1912, 1:30 a.m. -- While writing a poem, some one tapped me on the shoulder, and said, "Let not a murderer take the presidential chair. Avenge my death."
• I could plainly see Mr. McKinley's features. Before the almighty God, I swear this above writing is nothing but the truth.

Another Note Found In Man's Pocket:

• "So long as Japan could rise to the greatest owed of the world despite her surviving a tradition more than 2,000 yard old, as General Nogi so nobly demonstrated, it is the duty of the United States of America to uphold the third term tradition. let every third termer be regarded as a traitor to the American cause. Let it be the right and duty of every citizen to forcibly remove a third termer. Never let a third term party emblem appear not eh official ballot. I am willing to die for my country. God has called me to be his instrument, so help me God. (Signed INNOCENT GUILTY.) In German a strong tower is our God.

Colonel Felt No Pain

Roosevelt felt no pain at the time the shot was fired and was not aware that he was shot until he was on the way to the auditorium. His attention then was called to a hole in his overcoat, and he found that this shirt was soaked with blood. He insisted that he was not hurt badly. A superficial examination of the wound was made when he reached the auditorium and three physicians agreed that Roosevelt was in no immediate danger.

Colonel Roosevelt's special train left for Chicago at 12:50 a.m.As Roosevelt left the he said that he would spend the night on the car and that after remaining a few hours in Chicago he would go on to Indianapolis to fulfill his speaking engagements the next night. The Colonel was under the care of Doctor Terrell, his physician, Dr. Joseph Bloodgood of Johns Hopkins, and Dr. R. T. Sayle. The engineer received orders to make the run as fast as possible, and it was hoped to reach Chicago shortly after 2:30 a.m.

Roosevelt was taken to the Presbyterian hospital in West Congress street, where the four Chicago surgeons who were to have gone to Milwaukee will extract the bullet.   |  View or Add Comments (0 Comments)   |   Receive updates ( subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

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