President McKinley Assassinated, 1901

From the Sept. 26, 1901, issue of Fisherman & Farmer, Elizabeth City, N.C., editorial page of Fisherman & Farmer, W.J. Crowson, editor and proprietor

McKinley Dead

The American nation stands bereft of her President. At 2:15 o’clock Saturday morning Sept. 14^th, 1901, William McKinley, the universally beloved president of this nation, and possibly the most popular of any public man in the history of the country, died from the effect of the wounds inflicted by the assassin’s bullets on the same day a week before.

It seems hardly possible that such a tragic event could take place—that in a crowd an assassin could so easily escape detection and assault unto death the Chief Magistrate of a great country.

Whether as a man or as the President, Mr. McKinley leaves as the heritage of the American people a record of a life of remarkable purity and sweetness. The embodiment of gentleness it seems so strange that he should fall a victim to violence.

The 19^th day of September has been set apart by President Roosevelt as a day of fasting and prayer and the entire nation asked to unite in its observance.

In sackcloth and ashes of humility let this Nation bow before the great God whose wisdom is inscrutable and His ways past finding out.

President Roosevelt

President McKinley died at 2:15 o’clock a.m. At 3:30 o’clock p.m. Vice President Roosevelt took the oath of office prescribed for the President of these United States.

The great hand of the Nation falls but another rises to take his place.

President Roosevelt brings with him great popularity as a leader. We trust God may give him wisdom and discretion to meet the great tasks his high position calls him.

God bless the President of the United States.

The Assassin

During the time when it was thought that the President would recover, it was found by Solicitor General Richards, who looked the question of the possible punishment of Czolgosz, that by making use of some legal technicalities, the assassin could have been sentenced to 50 years in prison. While 10 years is the limit of the punishment for assault, he could have been tried for assault not only on the president but on the two detectives and on Parker, the negro who knocked him down.