WITNESSES OF THE SHOOTING.
The following statements of Wheeler P. Bloodgood, representing the
Progressive National committee; F. E. Davidson, Milwaukee county
chairman of the Progressive party, Capt. A. O. Girard and others set
forth arrangements for Col. Roosevelt's speech in the Auditorium on the
night of October 14, 1912, and present many facts concerning the
shooting of Col. Roosevelt not before made public.
These statements were made to District Attorney W. C. Zabel during the
examination of Schrank conducted by him on Oct. 16.
The purpose of this hearing was to ascertain if possible whether others
were with Schrank in the plot to kill the ex-president.
While the examination developed a second man who was very anxious to
get close to Col. Roosevelt during his stay in the Gilpatrick, no other
evidence concerning this second man's connection with the shooting was
developed.
* * * * *
The following statement by Attorney Wheeler P. Bloodgood was made on
Oct. 16 to District Attorney Zabel:
As the acting national committee man of the Progressive party in
Wisconsin, I called a meeting of the Executive Committee in connection
with the address to be made by Col. Roosevelt in Milwaukee, Oct. 14. By
direction of the committee, F. E. Davidson, county chairman of
Milwaukee County of the Progressive party, was put in charge of
arrangements for the meeting, and was directed to lease the main hall
of the Auditorium in Milwaukee for the evening of Oct. 14.
After Mr. Davidson, who accompanied Mr. Norman L. Baker, state
chairman, in engaging the hall and making other arrangements, had made
his report, I discussed with him the question of proper police
protection for Col. Roosevelt and his party while they were in
Milwaukee, and Mr. Davidson informed me that he and Mr. Paul Heyl, whom
he had appointed sergeant-at-arms, had taken this matter up with the
police department of Milwaukee.
I went to Chicago on the morning of Oct. 14th, accompanied by H. E.
Miles and others. Col. Roosevelt and his party came to Milwaukee. On
the train from Chicago to Milwaukee I advised Colonel Lyon, of Texas,
who was in charge of Col. Roosevelt's person, that we would be met at
the depot in Milwaukee by Mr. Davidson, who was in charge of the
arrangements for the meeting, and by others, and that they would
request that Col. Roosevelt have his supper, at least, at the Hotel
Gilpatrick. I advised them that Mr. Davidson had made all of the
arrangements in Milwaukee for the meeting of the Colonel, and his care,
between the time of his reaching the city and the holding of the
meeting at the Auditorium. Col. Lyon and O. K. Davis strongly objected
to Col. Roosevelt leaving his car, and said it was there that he should
have his dinner and go directly from the car to the Auditorium.
When the Colonel's car reached Racine, Capt. Girard got on the train
and spoke to me in reference to his acting as the Colonel's bodyguard
while he was in Milwaukee. My recollection is that the Colonel was in
the back part of the car when the captain got on board, and he at once
recognized the captain and spoke to him as though he were greeting an
old friend. Then Capt. Girard had a talk with Col. Lyon and Mr. O. K.
Davis, and it was understood that the captain would be with the Colonel
during the whole time he was in Milwaukee, and it was understood that
he was in charge of the Colonel's person.
When the train reached Milwaukee, Mr. Davidson got on the rear platform
and was introduced by me to Col. Roosevelt, and he at once said to Col.
Roosevelt:
"The boys are all anxious that you have your supper at the Hotel
Gilpatrick, and we have made arrangements there so that you can rest.
The hotel is not one of the best known hotels in Milwaukee, but it is a
quiet and good place. The owner has been a great friend of the county
committee and it would please us all very much if you would come."
The Colonel said to Mr. Davidson and to me that he had planned to stay
in the car and go directly from the car to the Auditorium. As I recall
it, Col. Lyon, O. K. Davis, Dr. S. L. Terrell spoke up and said:
"That is the arrangement, and that is what will have to be done."
Then the Colonel turned to Mr. Davidson and wanted to know whether
these arrangements had been made, and whether the boys would be
disappointed if he did not do what had been expected. Mr. Davidson
said:
"We do not want to do anything that will inconvenience you, but I think
they will be disappointed."
Whereupon the Colonel saluted and said:
"I am going."
The Doctor went back to get the Colonel's overcoat, and as soon as he
put on his overcoat the Colonel, accompanied by Mr. Davidson, Capt.
Girard upon one side and Col. Lyon on the other, went through the line
of the marching club and got into the automobile. Col. Lyon requested
of me that the party be made a small one and not have a great many
automobiles. They went directly to the Gilpatrick. At about twenty
minutes to eight I went to the hotel with H. E. Miles, Frank M. Hoyt,
Congressman H. A. Cooper, of Racine, Prof. Merriman, of Chicago, and
others. When I reached the lobby of the hotel I talked with Capt.
Girard and told him that I had another machine there and that I found
there was only one machine in front of the hotel; that Mr. Moss, Mr.
Taylor and I thought that machine should be used, and that I, with the
others who had accompanied me, would walk from the hotel to the
Auditorium, my understanding being that Col. Lyon did not want a large
crowd to accompany Col. Roosevelt to the Auditorium. Capt. Girard told
me that he understood that the party would be down and ready to start
promptly, to reach the Auditorium at a few minutes after eight. Mr.
Moss and Mr. Taylor were in the auto in which the Colonel was to drive
from the hotel to the Auditorium. The machine that I had came through
the crowd and got right close to Mr. Moss' and Mr. Taylor's auto.
I went immediately to the Auditorium and went in at the State Street
entrance and went on the platform. Mr. Miles, state treasurer of the
party, had called together Mr. Heyl, Mr. Davidson and some of the
sergeants-at-arms and was making arrangements to take up a collection
from the audience. Mr. Miles had started to go on the platform to
announce this collection and the sergeants-at-arms proceeded to their
various places to get instructions, and I went to the stage door.
Col. Roosevelt came and I knew nothing whatever of what had occurred;
while I noticed the party accompanying him seemed excited. The Colonel
showed no excitement at all, and I said to him:
"Wait a few minutes back of the stage while Mr. Miles takes up the
collection. Mr. Donald Ferguson desires to have it."
The Colonel said:
"Mr. Bloodgood, I have been shot and there is a bullet somewhere in my
body; the important thing is that nothing should be said or done to
cause a panic in the audience. I intend to deliver my address, or at
least a part of it."
Col. Roosevelt then went back of the stage and requested us to go to
the front and prevent any one saying anything. He said:
"It will only be a minute before I will be out."
I also heard the Colonel tell Mr. Cochems to say or do nothing that
would frighten the people.
The appearance of the Colonel on the platform and the circumstances
connected with it have been fully described. Col. Lyon, just before the
address of Col. Roosevelt was made, suggested to me that it was very
important that the crowd should not press around Col. Roosevelt and to
make arrangements to prevent that. I went back and found three men who
said they were detectives, and I asked them to come on the stage and to
make arrangements so as to prevent the crowd from pressing around Col.
Roosevelt. Mr. Cochems, in the mean time, had gone in front of Col.
Roosevelt so as to catch him if he should fall, and had made all
arrangements to prevent the crowd from rushing on the platform after
the address was finished.
Col. Roosevelt, after the address, walked through the aisle, which was
kept open from the stage door, to the automobile; as he got into the
automobile he shook my hand and said that he wanted it made emphatic
that he blamed no one; that the city authorities were not to blame, nor
was any blame to be attached to any one that had charge of this
meeting; that it was an accident and could not have been prevented;
that it might have happened anywhere; and repeated the importance of
making that clear, and that that was his feeling.
That was just before he left in the auto for the Emergency hospital.
* * * * *
The following statement was made by Capt. A. O. Girard, who was in the
automobile when Col. Roosevelt was shot. The statement was made in the
office of the district attorney on Oct. 16, 1912.
I was asked by the secretary of the Progressive State Central committee
to go to Racine and meet the Colonel, having been with him in his
department and been his body guard before, and take some papers down.
The Colonel requested that I stay with him for the evening and after we
got at the hotel I stood in front of the door so he wouldn't be
disturbed, and also at the dining room door.
While sitting in the dining room door there was a slight, dark man who
said he came there especially from New York to see the Colonel, and was
very persistent and wanted to open the dining room door and see him at
the table. I finally forced him away. He was sallow complexioned, 28 or
30 years of age, I imagine, had a dark overcoat on, not so extra well
dressed, smooth face. I noticed his eyes particularly--they were rather
shifty--and he was very, very persistent in getting to the dining room.
He was a man of about five feet ten; this happened at 7 o'clock at the
Gilpatrick dining room.
[Illustration: Dr. R. G. Sayle, Milwaukee.]
I saw him after that after I had told him to go away; he got something
to smoke at the cigar stand and then went out. I did not see him after
that, things happened so rapidly.
The Colonel went upstairs and got his hat and coat on and came down. I
cleared the way going out with Sergeant Murray, and I told the fellows
on the other side of the automobile to get back; they were jammed up
against the automobile; the Colonel started to get into the automobile.
Just as I put my foot on the step of the car, I saw this man raise his
gun, stick it between two fellows' heads at the full extent of his arm,
and Mr. Taylor can tell you the rest.
I started to get into the machine from the sidewalk, and Mr. Moss sat
up on the seat to get out of my way, and Mr. Taylor laid back, as I
remember it, to give him room; after he was laid back, I had my right
foot on top of the car door. That is as far as I got into the machine.
I saw this man extend his hand with this gun between two other men's
heads. He reached as far as he could with it. The end of that gun was
probably six feet raised to the level of his eye; he took a good aim.
Everybody was watching the Colonel.
The moment I saw that arm go up I remember distinctly the flourishing
of the gun almost in my face, and at the same time somebody else jumped
from the other end of the machine. We were all on the ground together
and then Sergeant Murray came up and Murray and I took the man over to
the Colonel's seat, Murray having him by the arm and I by the throat.
Mr. Martin had him by the other arm.
The Colonel said, "Bring him to me, bring him here," and we bent his
head back so the Colonel could see him. Then they began to shout,
"Lynch him, kill him."
The Colonel said, "Do not hurt him."
Before that, on the ground, the fellow tried to kick me and made it
more difficult for us to get the man, and as a result I got most of the
kicks.
After we took him to the Colonel, Sergeant Murray and I had a difficult
thing to get that man away. I shouted to Murray: "Into the kitchen."
We fought our way through the dining room into the kitchen with two or
three hundred fellows. Murray left the man in my care until he called
the patrol wagon. Then I started for the Auditorium. After we went to
the kitchen I searched the man again for possible other weapons. I did
not find anything. He said: "My gun is gone; your people took it away
from me."
I forced him down into a chair and held him down until the police got
back.
(Mr. Zabel)--You accompanied the Colonel from the train to the hotel?
(Answer)--Yes.
(Mr. Zabel)--Did you notice the police protection?
(Answer)--They did not have enough men to keep the crowd away from the
side of the Colonel. I think it was one of the ex-President's party who
walked along side of the ex-President. When I got to the hotel I was of
course pretty busy with the Colonel, and Sergeant Murray was there.
Someone asked me to see if he could not get an officer to go with the
carriage to the Auditorium and walk on the side the ex-President was. I
called the Sergeant and he said he would find a man for me there. As to
how many men were there, I do not remember. I know Sergeant Murray was
there and I saw one other man.
(Mr. Zabel)--Any policeman assisting you and the sergeant in making the
arrest of this fellow?
(Answer)--There was another officer there when we started to the hotel
trying to keep the crowd back.
* * * * *
Francis E. Davidson, chairman of the Milwaukee County Progressive
committee, made the following statements to District Attorney Zabel on
Oct. 16:
Mr. Bloodgood called me over to his office and said that I was to take
charge of the Roosevelt meeting in the Auditorium. Among other duties,
I was to inform the police department and ask for protection for Col.
Roosevelt while he was in the city. I went to the office of the chief
of police with Paul Heyl, sergeant-at-arms, two days before the
meeting. The chief of police was not in, but I was sent to the
inspector. We told him that we wanted police protection at the depot,
on the streets and at the Hotel Gilpatrick for Col. Roosevelt, which
was promised. In going away I did not think that he attached enough
importance to what I told him, and I went back and asked him on account
of conditions in the country I wanted extra police protection for the
Colonel, and was informed that he had taken care of Col. Roosevelt
before.
(Mr. Zabel)--When this car arrived in Milwaukee, what police protection
was visible to you?
(Answer)--I think there were two or three policemen down at the station
in uniform.
(Mr. Zabel)--Were there any plain clothes men that you recognized?
(Answer)--Not that I recognized.
(Mr. Zabel)--Are you familiar with them?
(Answer)--No.
(Mr. Zabel)--Where were they stationed?
(Answer)--One in front of the depot and one at the gate.
(Mr. Zabel)--Was the ex-President obliged to pass through the depot on
his way out?
(Answer)--No, through the small gate.
I told Mr. Bloodgood that we had made arrangements which would prevent
any one calling on Col. Roosevelt at the hotel, having a private room
and also police protection.
(Mr. Zabel)--What protection did you notice when you came there?
(Answer)--I noticed a policeman at the door. There may have been plain
clothes men.
* * * * *
The following statement was made to District Attorney Zabel on Oct. 16,
by Thomas Taylor, who was in the automobile with Col. Roosevelt:
We had the honor of escorting the ex-President in our machine from the
depot to the Gilpatrick. We left him there and we kept the machine in
front of the main part of the hotel door all the time. While Mr. Moss
was away I remained with the machine, and when he came back I went into
the hotel.
As I came in, I asked where the Colonel was. They said he was in the
dining room, and I talked to two or three of the committeemen there.
After I got to one side there was a man about twenty-eight or thirty
years of age, smooth face, fairly well dressed, who asked me if I could
get him a ticket to the Auditorium.
I said, "Where are you from?" He said, "I am from New York." Well, I
told him the tickets were all given out, and there was no way for him
to get in unless he wanted to go immediately over to the hall and take
chances with the rest.
The thing that struck me after that was that he did not go immediately
over to the hall, but stood about talking. His appearance is just
exactly as Capt. Girard described. He was a man that would weigh
probably 145 pounds, five feet nine, probably nine and a half, smooth
face, no emblems that I could see, but was very anxious about getting
into that hall.
Soon after that another man came to me with the same request and wanted
to know if I knew of any way he could get in. I told him the same
story.
I said, "Where are you from, are you a stranger here?"
And he said: "I am from Ohio," but I do not recall what place.
I returned to the machine and had it all ready when the ex-President
was seen coming down the stairs to the door. I turned on the power,
opened the door and the Colonel came right along; Capt. Girard was
right near him. Martin jumped into the machine first, and, turning his
back, started to assist the ex-President. Capt. Girard stepped up, as
he has described, and Henry F. Cochems had got in.
Just then, right to my side, I heard the very low report. I hunt a
great deal and shoot, and the flash of a gun doesn't scare me but sets
me instantly on my nerve.
Quick as a flash, I saw this man with his arm about so (indicating).
I was knocked down by Capt. Girard, and when I sprang to my knees Capt.
Girard and Martin were on top of Schrank.
A dark man took Schrank's arm; he looked like a laborer. He grabbed him
and seemed to be struggling with him. The laborer got hold of Schrank
first; I think the captain was up as soon as any man.
I turned to the Colonel and he was just sitting in his seat. Henry F.
Cochems put his arms around him. It was only for a second or two, and
the Colonel rose up and said:
"Do not kill him; bring him here; bring him here."
He must have said that five or six times immediately after, and they
brought the man back and bent his head back on the back of the machine.
The ex-President looked into his eyes for a second or two and the
ex-President shook his head, and then turned away. I turned to the
ex-President and I said:
"Colonel, he hit you."
He said:
"He never touched me; he never touched me."
I said:
"You have a hole in your coat," and the Colonel put his hand to his
side and said:
"He picked me; he picked me."
This did not scare him. Then he addressed the crowd and said:
"We are going to the hall; we are going to the hall; start the machine;
go ahead; go on."
After we got up and turned on Wells street, we turned up about a block
and a half and the doctor and some friend opened the front of
Roosevelt's coat, and he turned then and saw the blood. Then he turned
pale. That is the first time I saw him turn pale was when he saw that
blood. Before we got to the Auditorium he had recovered as far as the
paleness was concerned. He was immediately taken into a side room
there.
(Mr. Zabel)--Did you have charge of taking the tickets at the
Auditorium?
(Mr. Taylor)--I was one of the committee the same as the rest of the
people that were around there with badges on; I had given out some
tickets.
What strikes me as peculiar about this affair is that this man Schrank,
claiming not to be familiar with the use of firearms, should be able to
select the kind of revolver that was used, a 38-caliber Colt with a 44
frame, one of the most deadly weapons made.
I may explain that the frame being large enables the shooter to have a
more deadly aim. The Colonel also remarked the same thing in regard to
this weapon, 38-caliber, a 44 frame.
Col. Cecil Lyon held the gun up to us to look at, and it was an ugly
looking weapon.
* * * * *
Reference: It will be noted was made by members of the Roosevelt party
to a laboring man who struck Schrank's arm as he fired, and who was one
of the men who struggled with Schrank immediately after the shot was
fired. That man was Frank Buskowsky, 1140 Seventh avenue, Milwaukee. In
an interview Buskowsky said:
"I was so excited when I realized that the man next to me had shot at
Roosevelt that I felt like killing him, and I cried out at the top of
my voice as I held him, 'Kill him, kill the d----n scoundrel.'
[Illustration: John T. Janssen, Chief of Police.]
"The police must have thought that I meant Roosevelt, for when one of
them came up to me he yelled, 'What in h----l is the matter with you?'
and hustled me away.
"As I cannot speak good English, I could not explain that I had meant
Schrank and not Roosevelt. I was so excited when the police took me
away that way that I went immediately home.
"If I could have explained myself that patrolman would have heard
something from me for the way he clubbed me on my head. My hat was
smashed in.
"I came home, disgusted with the treatment I had received by the
police. The next morning I read all about Martin capturing that man and
it made me mad, for I was the first one to grab him and prevent him
from shooting any more."
Buskowsky is a Bohemian and has been in America seven years, during
which period he has been an enthusiastic supporter of the Bull Moose
leader.
Affidavits corroborating what is set forth in statements presented were
made by Donald Ferguson, of Goldfield, Nev.; Arthur W. Newhall, 812
State street, Milwaukee; Jacques R. Thill, 574 Jackson street,
Milwaukee, and Sergeant Albert J. Murray, Milwaukee police department,
and Abraham Cohen, 519 North avenue, Milwaukee.