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VOL. 20. SMITIIFIELD, N. C., FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 1901. NO. 28.
PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT.
To Continue McKinley's Policy
Unbroken.
CEREMONY MOST PATHETIC
Secretary Root Weeps as He
Addresses the New Pres
ident.
JUDGE HAZEL ALSO AFFECTED.
Roosevelt Masters His Emotion,
Raises His Right Hand Ahove
His Head and Repeats Oath
in Clear Tones.
Fliiialdelphia Kecorr'.
Buffalo, X. Y.,Sept. IT.?Theo
dore Roosevelt became President
of the United States at
o'clock this afternoon. Standing
in a low-ceiled, narrow room in
quaint old mansion occupied by
Ansley Wilcox,in the fashionable
part of Delaware avenue, the
aristocratic thoroughfare of Buf
falo, Mr. Roosevelt swore to ad
minister the laws of the Govern
ment of which he is now the
head.
He stood erect, holding his
right hand high above his head.
His massive shoulders were
thrown well back, as, with his
head inclined a little forward, he
repeated the form of the oath of
office in clear, distinct tones, that
fell impressively upon the ears of
the fortv-three persons grouped
about the room.
? * ... j _ t
ins nice was a sruuy in earn
estness and determination, as he
uttered the words which made
him ['resident of the United
States. His face was much paler
than it was wont to be, and his
eyes, though bright and study,
gleamed mistily through his big
bowed gold spectacles.
His attire was sombre and
modest. A well-fitting worsted
frock coat draped his athletic;
figure almost to the knees. His
trousers were dark gray, with
pin-stripes. His shoes were of
patent leather and broad at the
toe. A thin skein of golden
chain looped from the two lower
liockets of his waistcoat. While
he was waiting for the ceremony
he toyed with this chain with his
right hand.
SCK.NK WAS PlCTl KESQl K.
The place selected for the cere
mony of taking the oath was
the library of Mr. Wilcox's house,
a rather small room, bnt pictur
esque, the heavy oak trimmings
and the massive bookcases giv
ing it somewhat the appearance
of a legaj den. A pretty bay
window with stained glass and
heavy hangings formed a back
ground, and against this the Pres
ident took his position.
Judge Hazel stood near tiie
President in the bay window,
and the latter showed hisextreme
nervousness by plucking at the
lapel of his long frock coat and
nervously tapping the hardwood
floor with his heel. He
stepped over once to Secretary
Hoot, and for about five min
utes they conversed earnestlv.
The question at issue was wheth
er the President should first sign
an oath of office and then swear
in or whether he should swear in
first and sign the document in
t he case after.
At precisely 3:82 o'clock Secrc
? tary Iioot ceased his conversa
tion with the President, and,
stepping back, while an absolute
hush fell upon every one in the
room, said in au almost inaudi
ble voice:
"Mr. Vice-President, I "
Then his voice broke, and for ful
ly two minutes the tears came
down his face and his lips quiv
ered so that he could not contin
ue his utterances. There were
sympathetic tears from those
about him, and two great drops
ran down either cheek of the suc
cessor of William McKinlev. Mr.
Root's chin was on his breast.
Suddenly t hrowing back his head
as if with an effort, he continued
in broken voice:
"I have been requested on be
half of the Cabinet of the late
President, at least those who are
present in Buffalo, all except two,
to request that for reasons of
weight affecting the affairs of
Government, you should proceed
to take the Constitutional oath
of office of President of the 1'nited
States."
Judge Hazel had stepped to
the rear of the President, and Mr.
Roosevelt, coining closer to Sec
retary Root, said in a voice that
at first wavered,but finally came
deep and strong, while us if to
control his nervousness he held
firmly to the lapel of his coat
with his right hand.
Makes a Solemn Statement.
"I shall take the oath'atorce
in accordance with your request,
and in this hour of deep and ter
PRESIDENT THEODORE ROOSEVELT.
rible national bereavement I wish
to state that it shall be nay aim
to continue absolutely unbroken
the policy of President McKinley
for the peace and prosperity and
honor of our beloved country."
The President stepped farther
into the bay window and .luds>e
Hazel, taking up the Constitu
tional oath of office which had
been prepared on parchment,
asked the President to raise his
right hand and repeat it after
him. There was a hush likedeath
iu the room as the Judge read a ;
few words at a time and the
President, in a strong voice and j
without a tremor and with his j
raised hand as steady as if carved ;
from marble, repeated it after!
him.
"And thus I swear," he ended it. j
The hand dropped by the side,
the chin for an instant rested 011
the breast, and the silence re- \
niained unbroken for a couple of
minutes, as though the new Pres
ident of the United States was
offering silent prayer.
Judge Hazel broke it, saying:
"Mr. President, please attach
your signature." And the Presi
dent, turning to a small table I
near-by, wrote "Theodore Roose
velt" at the bottom of the docu
ment in a firm hand.
"I should like to see the mem
bers of the Cabinet a few mo- j
ments after the others retire,"
said the President, and this was
the signal for the score of the
people who had been favored by
witnessing the ceremony to re
tire.
As they turned to go the Presi
dent said:
"I will shake hands with you
people, gladly," and, with some
thing of his old smile returning,
he first shook hands with the
members of the Cabinet present,
then Senator Depew and finally
with a few guests and newspaper
men.
The Schley Court of Inquiry
met last week in Washington.
Schley challenged the eligibility
of Admiral Howison to serve on
the court, on account of alleged
interviews. The court sustained
the challenge and Howison was
i excused.
The boilers of the British tor
pedo boat destroyer Cobra ex
| ploded yesterday while on her
trial trip in the North Sea and
38 of her crue lost their lives.
THE PRESIDENT'S PROCLAMATION
Yesterday Set Apart as a Day ot
Mourning and Prayer.
Last Saturday as soon as
President Km >sevelt took the
oath of office, he issued thefol
lowinir proclamation:
By the Pkksiukntok the United
States ok America?A Proc
lamation:
A terrible bereavement has be
fallen our people. The President
of the United States has been
struck down; a crime committed
not only agaist the chief magis
trate, but against every law
abiding and liberty-loving citi
zen.
President McKinley crowned a
life of largest love of his fellow
men, of most earnest sndeavor
for their welt a re, by a death of
Christian fortitude, and both the
way in which he lived his life and
the "way in which, in the supreme
hour of trial he met his death,
will remain forever a precious
heritage of our people.
It is meet that we as a nation
express our abiding love and rev
erence for his life, our deep sor
row for his untimely death.
Now, therefore, I, Theodore
Roosevelt, President of the 1'nited
States of America, do appoint
Thursday, September 19th, the
day on which the body of the
dead Pfesident will be laid in its
last earthly resting place, as a
day of mourning and prayer
throughout the United States.
I earnestly recommend all the
people to assemble on that day
m their respective places of divine
worship, there to bow down in
submission to the will of Al
mighty God, and to pay out of
full hearts their homage of love
and reverence to the great and
good President whose death has
smittem the nation with bitter
grief.
T. _ 1 f T 1 1
i it witness wnereoi i nave Here
unto set my hand and caused
the seal of the United States to
be affixed.
Done at the city of Washing
ton, the fourteenth day of Sep
tember, A. I)., one thousand one
hundred and one, and of the In
dependence of the United States,
the tine hundred and twenty
sixth.
Theodore Roosevelt.
Rv the President: John Hay,
Secretary of State.
C. F. Vonllerrman, the weather
observer at Italeigh says that
during August the average rain
fall in North Carolina was 12.18
inches. This is the greatest ever
recorded ifi any month in any
year since 1872 when the weather
observations began. The next
largest was 10 inches, in Septem
ber, 1897. At two stations in
the western district, namely, Flat
Rock, in Henderson county, and
Highlands, in Macon county, the
rainfall in August exceeded .'10
inches, and at 7 stations exceeded
20 inches. This is simply phe
nomenal. Rain fell at some points
23 out of 31 days.
CLEVELAND ONCE WORE.
His Journey to Capitol Four
Years Ago and Yesterday
The Inditterence He Displayed at
Inauguration ot William McKin
ley Was Not Manifest When
He Sat at the Funeral of
his Successor.
Four years ago the 4th of last
March (I rover Cleveland visited
the Capitol just before quitting:
Washington. Ue rode down
Pennsylvania avenue with Wil
liam XlcKinley and accompanied
him on the inaugural stand I
< >n that historic occasion^ rover
Cleveland seemed to take but a
perfunctory interest in the"im
portant ceremony. Apparently
eager to surrender the reins of
government and retire to private
life, there was morj than the
suggestion of a swagger as he I
strode down to t lie platform
where his successor was to take
the oath. His coolness, even in- ]
difference, to what wa? going on
contrasted strikingly with the;
demeanor of William McKinley.
The new President, thoroughly
conscious of the great responsi
bility he then assumed, looked
pale ami careworn. Imbued with
the solemnity of the occasion,
William Mckinley was in his
most serious mood. Only once
did a smile light up his face, and
this was when he caught the eye
of his good old mother?the noble
Christian woman soon to go to
her reward?who looked proudly
upon her son from a seat on the
Capitol steps above. The ad
ministering of the oath ensued
which made him ruler of the
greatest nation on earth.
All this happened inauguration
day, 1897. (irover Cleveland
saw no more of William McKin
ley in life. The one went quietly
out of town, while the other re
inained to receive the further
plaudits of his countrymen. It
was an illustration of the old;
story of "The king is dead. Lon?
live the king!"
When Grover Cleveland next
visited the Capitol?yesterday?
it was to attend the funeral of
William McKinley, to pay his
last tribute of respect to the man
who succeeded him as President
Reverently he bowed his head as
t he preacher delivered the invo
cation and, a little later, when
the choir sang "Nearer, my God,
to Th"e," the lips of the ex-Presi
dent moved as if he were follow
ing the words, if not joining in
tne singing of the sacred hymn
that gave solace to his distin
guished successor when his life
was ebbing .away.?Washington
Press, 17th.
Smithfield Honors Dead President.
The news of President McKin
le.y's death was received in Smith
field early Saturday morning.
; Our people, in common with the
entire nation, were shocked aud
saddened at the untimely end of
Mr. McKiuley, and their looks
showed that they felt his death,
in a great measure, to be a per
sonal loss. .
Soon after the sad news was re
ceived here, a call signed by seve
' ral.of our citizens, was issued re
' questing the people to meet at
the court house at 3:30 p. m. to
pass suitable resolutions.
At the appointed hour more
than one Hundred people had
assembled to do honor to the
dead chieftain. The meeting was
called to order bv .Mr. Sam T.
Honeycutt. Mr. \V. W. Cole was
called to the chair and Mr. T. J.
Lassiter was made Secretary.
Short talks were made by Hon.
E. W. Pou, James A. Wellons,
Esq., and others.
On motion of Mr. Henderson
Cole, the following committee
was appointed to draft suitable
resolutions: Messrs. E. W. Pou,
I Ira T. Turlington, A. K. Smith,
T. R. Crocker and Dr. G. J. Rob
inson.
The committee retired, and on
returning, presented the follow
ing resolutions, which were unani
mously adopted by arising vote:
|'With grateful hearts to Al
mighty God for the blessings
which nave been bestowed upon
our country in the past, the citi
zen* of the town of Smithfield, in
the State of North Carolina, have!
peaceably assembled on this the
14thday ofSeptember A. D. 1901,
one of the darkest days in thelife
of the ltepuhlic, and nave unani
mously resolved:
"1st. That we deplore the death
of President McKinley more than
words can express. While some
of us have differed from him on
questions of policy, yet we de
clare our'belit f in his patriotism,
and we are reminded to-day as
never before of his stainless char
acter and his beautiful private
life. We believe th at every human
being in this community is grieved
at his death and condemns the
manner of his taking off.
'"2d. That we regard his cow
ardly assassination as a stab at
every person who loves his coun
try, and we call upon Congress
and those in authority to adopt
such measures as will forever ex
pel from this land of freedom all
who sympathize with the mur
derer or the principles he repre
sents.
"?'Id. That we tender to Mrs.
McKinley the deepest sympathy
of all the people of this country.
We woulu have her feel that she
>s the daughter of the Republic.
Insufficient as our expressions of
sympathy are, we can yet hope
tfiat the Comforter may give her
strength to bear this afflictiou.
"4th. Thatacopyof thesereso
lutions be forwarded to Mrs.
McKinley and published in the
press of the State."
Senator Simmons Praises our Dead
Chieftain.
"The startling news of the death
of President McKiulev comes as
a great; shock to the whole people
of the country.
"His brave and Christian en
dnranceof suffering since the fatal
assault upon him has aroused
the pr.ifouudest sympathy.
"It may safely be said that the'
affection of the people for him has
grown immensely during the past
week. His death will be felt as a
great national calamity. It is
doubtful whether the death of
any public man in this country
has ever been sadder or has'
aroused a deeper feeling of per
sonal loss and grievance than
that of President McKinley. If
he had lived doubtless lie would
have returned to the discharge of |
his duties deeply impressed bv
the loyalty of the people and th< ? j
remainder of his administration
would have been a veritable era
of good feeling.
"Mr Roosevelt, who will suc
ceed him, is an able man, who
has seen considerable public ser
vice and will doubtless endeavor
to carry out the general policy ?
1 of his predecessor.
alt f ill r . 1
tie is prooauiy one 01 ine
youngest men who ever became
President of the United States;^
[ but he has been a great studhnt!
of political questions and will
bring to the discharge of his du
, ties extensive acquaintanceship
with our institutions and general
1 system of government.
"There is no reason to believe
that the change of administra
tion brought about by the death
of President McKir.ley, will seri
ously effect the business interests
of thi* country, or disarrange the
orderly conduct of the govern
ment.
"The loyalty of our people is so
; great and republican institutions
so firmly established in the hearts
of the people that circumstances
which might bring about dis
orders in a less stable govern
ment are dangers from which we
are happily exempt.
"In due time Congress will
doubtless devise suitable meas
ures for safe-guarding the lives
of the heads of the government?
men whom this teirible experi
ence has shown are subject to
dangers from which the ordinary
citizen is exempt because they
represent the authority ol law
and government?and to stamp
out anarchy,
"No measure which is not ade
quate to the utterextinction and
elimination of this horrible sect
of which Czolgosz is a representa
tive, will satisfy the popular de
i mand and the exigency of the
i situation."
1
BEAUTIFUL SERVICE AT METHO
DIST CHURCH.
Large Congregation Assembled to
Pay a Last Tribute to the "
Lamented President.
Yesterday in accordance with
President Roosevelt's proclama
tion places of business through
out the land were closed and the
people gathered in t heir respect
ive places of worship to spend an
hour fn prayer and sympathy.
The citizens of Hmithtield were
not lacking in their devotion to
the nation's martyred President
and at 11 o'clock a large assem
blage had gathered at the Metho
dist church. Turlington Insti
tute attended in a body and
almost every seat in the large
church was taken.
Places of business were closed
from 11 to 12 o'clock, in order
that the business men and their
clerks might attend. The court
house bell was tolled, and its
solemn tones reminded all who
heard it that the nation's dead
ruler was being borne to his last
resting place.
The services began by singing
"Beyond the Smiling and the
Weeping" by the choir. At its
conclusion Rev. K. I). Holmes,
the pastor of the church, an
nounced the hymn, "Come, ye
Disconsolate," which was sung
by the congregation standing.
Rev. .J. ,1. Harper, of the Chris
tian church, led in a fervent and
beautiful prayer.
n^i * . ? ? ?
me congregation tnen sang
that old song which has been the
solace of many, "Itock of Ages,"
after which Itev, J. \V. Snttie, of
the Baptist church, offered a
most earnest and appropriate
prayer.
Rev. Mr. Holmes then read a
portion or the 12th chapter of
I. Samuel.
Next that beautiful hymn which
the dead President loved so well,
and whose words he chanted in
his dying moments, "Nearer my
God, to Thee," was sung by the
congregation.
This was followed by brief re
marks by Rev. Mr. Holmes and
Rev. Mr. Harper, in which they
spoke of Mr. McKinlev's life as a
man, as a husband, as a ru'er
and as a Christian.
After the singing of "Lead
Kindly Light," another favorite
hymn of the dead President, the
benediction was pronounced by
Rev. Mr. Suttle.
The services were simple, yet
beautiful auil the entire congre
gation seemed impressed with the
solemnity of the occasion. In
that solemn hour all political
differences were forgot and all
were Americans, grieved at the
loss of the nation's first citizen?
pure man. devoted husband, wise
ruler and faithful Christian.
Prophecy Written in Fire.
Buffalo, Sept. 14.?There are,
as usual, stories of premonitions
of the accession of President
Roosevelt, State Senator John
Laughlin tells that not over four
weeks ago, while a display of fire
works was being made at the
P a n - A m er icu n ex po si t i o 11
grounds, a huge picture of the
then Vice-President was shown
in the tire. Underneath it was
the words:
" oljit vice-president."
Hardly had the picture been
lighted when the word '! Vice"
burned out and left standing in
large letters under Mr. Roose
velt's picture the words:
"OUR PRESIDENT."
In a minute or two the word
"our" accidentally burned out
as had the word "vice" and for
several minutes the word "Presi
dent" stood out in bold relief.
Senator McLuughlin says that
everybody in the place was im
pressed with the strange occur
rence. Now it would seem pro
phetic.
Near Murphy last week John
McKinne.v, alias Jim Lowrv.who
killed Policeman Jones, at Shelby,
IN, C., on August 4th, while resist
ing arrest, was shot and killed in
self-defense by ex-Town Marshal
i W.J. Watson, formerly of Orange
county, N. C., one of the posse.