Unpublished Eyewitness Account of the Assassination of President William McKinley

It is interesting to learn that, not content with allowing the police to take the suspect to jail, a mob of hundreds tried to exercise vigilante justice on the assassin on the spot

 

Our first ever eyewitness account of the McKinley assassination

President William McKinley was shot on the grounds of the Pan-American Exposition at the Temple of Music in Buffalo, New York, on September 6, 1901, six months into his second term. He was shaking hands with the public when anarchist Leon Czolgosz shot him twice, once badly in the abdomen. McKinley died on September 14 as a result of the wounds.

James Arbogast and his wife Edna were at the Temple of Music and witnessed the event. James sent his brother an account of the events that same day.

Autograph letter signed, on Monnen’s Hotel stationery, Buffalo, September 6, 1901, to his “Brother Ab”. “You are of course shocked to learn that President McKinley was shot in the Temple of Music this evening at about 4:15 pm. Edna and I were present and saw the President and party arrive at the Temple of Music where he intended to hold a public reception; but soon after the reception commenced we heard the shots fired and upon looking through the window saw the guards running and great confusion ensued, upon which we conjectured what had happened. Upon going quickly around to the door entrance, I saw the President very plainly carried out by four soldiers upon a stretcher. His eyes were closed, his face very pale, and he seemed to be dead. I saw him plainly.

“Upon receiving the sad news, the people were shocked beyond measure; the case was discussed with little or no knowledge of the facts and universal gloom seemed to settle upon the thousands assembled. When the police started to the police station with the would-be assassin, there was a mad rush by hundreds to capture the fiendish devil, but the galloping horses were too fast for the pursuers.

“The Exposition is very good; the buildings are fine and the attendance good. We will start home tomorrow – Saturday evening. We will go on to the city of Erie, to Cleveland. Very truly, James Arbogast.” The envelope addressed to Mr. Albert Arbogast, London, Ohio, is still present.

After McKinley’s death, Congress passed legislation to officially create the Secret Service and gave that agency the responsibility for protecting the President at all times. It is an interesting detail to learn that, not content with allowing the police to handle the shooting, a mob of hundreds tried to exercise vigilante justice on the assassin.