Jasper County Democrat, Volume 15, Number 57, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 19 October 1912 — ROOSEVELT RUNS CAMPAIGN IN BED [ARTICLE]

ROOSEVELT RUNS CAMPAIGN IN BED

Dictates Statement That Puts Him Back in Politics. CRISIS TO BE PASSED TODAY Doctors Are Optimistic Over Colonel’s Condition—They Do Not Believe Blood Poisoning Will Develop. Chicago, Oct. 18—Convinced that he is beyond all possible danger, Theodore Roosevelt resumed the active campaign from his sick room in Mercy hospital by dictating a statement in which he requested his political opponents to continue the fight as if nothing happened to him. “If I had been killed the fight would have gone On exactly the same,’’ declared the colonel in this pronouncement. He practically challenged Woodrow Wilson to abandon his intention of quitting the stump and characterizes’ Bryan’s declaration that the act of an assassin should not determine the issues of the campaign as “manly and proper.” Answers Several Dispatches. Mr. Roosevelt answered dispatches from President Taft, Cardinal Gibbons, the crown prince and princess of Germany and several other of those who had sent messages of sympathy. When he was informed that Hiram W. Johnson, candidate for vice-presi-dent, would be here tomorrow and make three speeches he expressed great pleasure at this news, and only the orders of his wife to stop talking politics prevented him from sending for his western lieutenants and discussing with them what Johnson ought to say. Crisis Reached Today.

The colonel has not yet passed from the danger zone, but his physicians have every confidence that he will do so some time today. examination yesterday showed that his lungs are in good shape and that his general condition is excellent. His pulse, respiration and temperature have been normal and his blood count, which was sent up by the injection of the anti-tetanus serum, is where it should be once more.

“Unless complications occur the bullet will not be removed,” is the way the surgeons worded their encouraging report. Under the direction of Mrs. Roosevelt all visitors save the three Roosevelt children, Mrs. Longworth, Miss Ethel and Theodore, Jr., Cecil Lyon, Henry Cochems and O. K. Davis were excluded.

Mrs. .Roosevelt, however, failed in her attempt to enforce absolute rest on her husband. The eggs and tea he ate for breakfast fed his appetite for labor, and shortly after he had his Milwaukee speech in hand and was busy penciling in corrections before it should go to the printer as a campaign document.

When he had the speech fixed up, he sent for Stenographers McGrath and Martin, and told them to bring in some of the more important telegrams that had come in during the preceding days. Three Bulletins Issued.

Only three bulletins were issued through the day by the physicians, and these showed no material change. Dr. Lambert, the Roosevelt family physician, said that while blood poisoning might develop at any time, no such contingency was anticipated. He added that the rest amd quiet the colonel has had since the arrival of his wife have been of the greatest benefit. The colonel was asking eagerly how soon he would be able to leave, but it was announced positively by Dr. Terrell that he will not be permitted to get out of the hospital before Sunday, at the inside. The idea of a departure Saturday was abandoned because of the desire to give the splintered rib plenty of opportunity to begin the process of healing before the colonel is shaken up by a railroad journey. Schrank Talks to Prosecutor. Milwaukee, Oct. IS.—ln a prolonged conversation with the district attorney, W, C. Zabel, John C. Schrank, who shot Colonel Roosevelt Monday, told three important new phases of the case. Schrank said that he did not want to kill Colonel Roosevelt during the reception to the ex-president in the Hotel La Salle, Chicago, Saturday morning, because it would look “awful bad.” • “There were so many people receiving him,” Schrank said,.“and I suppose the city of Chicago would like to give hitn a decent, respectable reception. It would look awful bad if at the reception he would get shot down.”

Nerve Failed at Chattanooga. Only three times, Schrank said, was he close enough to shoot Colonel Roosevelt during all of the time he trailed the ex-president. He did not shoot at Chattanooga, Tenn., because his courage failed him. Schrank borrowed $350 from Herman Lauringer of New York, on a ninety days’ note just three days before he started on the trail of his intended victim, according to a telegram received by Police Chief Janssen from the New York police. This explains how Schrank managed to get enough money together to enable him to follow Roosevelt from place to place, watching for an opportunity to shoot..