Volume 14 , Issue 43

100 Years Ago Today - 22 October 1912

Last week in The Okie Legacy Ezine we wrote about the attempted assassination of Colonel Theodore Roosevelt, who was running for a third term as president on the "Bull Moose (Progressive)" party ticket. This week one hundred years ago we find in The San Francisco Call, Tuesday, 22 October 1912, page 3, that Col. Roosevelt was on his way home 21 October 1912, to Oyster Bay, accompanied by his wife, and the bullet still in his body.

Pittsburg, Oct. 21, 1912, On Board Roosevelt Car -- "Although former president roosevelt was weary from his all day ride from chicago to Pittsburg, he snowed no other ill effects on his arrival tonight and the physicians accompanying him were confident he would reach Oyster Bay in almost as good condition as when he left Mercy hospital at 7 o'clock this morning. The train left Chicago at 8:30, having been held on account of a collision on the Burlington tracks.

"Mrs. Roosevelt and the physicians, while believing that the colonel had sufficient strength for the trip, were concerned as to the outcome when the time came for his departure, and during the first few hours they watched the patient closely for any signs of a setback. As the day wore on and it became plain that he was resting comfortably on the bed in his stateroom the tension was relaxed, and tonight every one on the colonel's car was breathing easily.

"Colonel Roosevelt spent the day in reading magazines, talking and sleeping. As soon as he was brought to his car in Chicago he went to bed and remained there throughout the day.

"The hardships of the journey were increased by several severe jolts, caused by the imperfect action of a brake on the colonel's car, and once or twice the train came to such an abrupt halt that the colonel was tossed about in his bed. The colonel was suffering from nervous exhaustion when he left Chicago and he found the motion of the train most tiresome."

Dr. Alexander Lambert of New York, with Dr. Scurry L. Terrell of Dallas, Texas, was caring for Colonel Roosevelt, and said the wound had bled some during the day, but that the bleeding was merely the result of the draining of the wound and was an indication of the healing process. Bulletins were issued by the physicians during the day, but they merely reported that the colonel was resting easy and that his condition was unchanged,. Aided by the X-ray examinations made the day before, Dr. Lambert was able to determine the position of the bullet by an external examination, as he placed a finger on the precise spot.

There was little doubt in Dr. Lambert's mind that Colonel Roosevelt would be well enough to address the campaign rally planned for Madison Square Garden, October 3, 1912. The colonel, said the doctor, would be permitted to speak for half an hour.

As Colonel Roosevelt traveled to Oyster Bay in the private car, he was guarded by two private detectives. Col. Roosevelt wsas due in New York at 8:08 a.m. the next morning.

Until Roosevelt has rallied from the effects of the trip, Colonel Roosevelt would be required to rest absolutely."   |  View or Add Comments (0 Comments)   |   Receive updates ( subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

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