The Attempted Assassination of ex-President Theodore RooseveltRemey, Oliver E.
History
The Attempted Assassination of ex-President Theodore Roosevelt
Remey, Oliver E.
Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919
On September 21, 1912, he left New York City, having first borrowed
$350, and purchased a 38-caliber revolver, for which he paid $14. His
efforts from this time were continuous to come within shooting distance
of Colonel Roosevelt. He missed him at Chattanooga and at Atlanta, and
then went to Evansville, where he remained seven days awaiting Colonel
Roosevelt's return to the West. He then sought to come within range of
Colonel Roosevelt in Chicago, and states that he waited for him at the
exit of the building, where he spoke, but found afterwards that he had
left by a different exit. He then preceded him to Milwaukee, arriving
here at 1 o'clock P.M. the day preceding the attack.
On the evening of the shooting Schrank arrived at the hotel, where he
had learned Colonel Roosevelt would stay, in advance of the time he was
expected to start for the place of meeting. When a crowd began to
collect around the automobile awaiting Colonel Roosevelt at the curb,
he went into the street, standing near the automobile in a line just
behind the front seat on the left hand side opposite the chauffeur's
seat. He says,
"Seeing him enter the automobile and just about to seat himself, I
fired. I did not pick any particular spot on his body. The crowd was
all around me and in front of me. The next minute I was knocked down,
but was not rendered insensible, and the gun was knocked out of my
hands."
The defendant insists that he said nothing during his assault. He was
then dragged to the sidewalk, and getting on his feet was hurried into
the hotel, and the doors were locked. Here he said nothing, and was
taken by the police through the back door to police headquarters.
From the examination at police headquarters, made at 9:25 P.M., October
14, 1912, by the Chief of Police, John T. Janssen, we find that he
objected to telling his name, but did so when it was insisted upon. We
also find that his statements made to the police concerning his
following and attempting to gain access to Colonel Roosevelt, and his
visits to various localities correspond, and his explanations of his
acts agree with those made to us.
Some of his statements to the Chief of Police, are as follows, as
extracted from document submitted herewith, marked Exhibit 3.
Q. Why did you want to meet him?
A. Because I wanted to put him out of the way. A man that wants a third
term has no right to live.
Q. That is, you wanted to kill him?
A. I did.
Q. Have you any other reason in wanting to kill him?
A. I have.
Q. What is that?
A. I had a dream several years ago that Mr. McKinley appeared to me and
he told me that Mr. Roosevelt is practically his real murderer, and not
this here Czolgosz.
* * * * *
Q. Did you know Johann Most when he was alive?
A. No, sir.
Q. Did you ever hear him talk?
A. No, sir.
Q. Did you ever hear Emma Goldman?
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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