Friday, October 14, 2011

This Day in History October 14, 1912

I had never heard this story before, so I found it rather interesting.  Did you know that Theodore Roosevelt was shot?  No, he was not killed, but yes, he was shot.  It was this day in 1912.  Read on.

He was making a campaign speech in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.  He was the presidential candidate for the Progressive Party.  He was shot at close range by  saloonkeeper John Shrank.  Shrank had aimed the pistol at Roosevelt's head, but a bystander deflected his arm as the trigger was pulled.  Roosevelt did not even realize he was shot.  He reached into his pocket to retrieve his 50-page campaign speech (which was folded in half), and he noticed blood on his fingers.  No doubt, that campaign speech slowed down the bullet!  His glasses case was in the same pocket, and it evidently slowed down the bullet, too.  The bullet actually did enter his chest on the right after passing through both items!

Following the bullet wound, Roosevelt went on to deliver his scheduled speech (wow!). His words were: "You see, it takes more than one bullet to kill a Bull Moose."  Unfortunately, the bullet slowed down his campaign.  He did go to the hospital (reluctantly, of course), and after eight days, he was released.  It was just in time for the election--which he lost to Woodrow Wilson. The bullet was never removed, and it caused him no further problems.

What about Shrank, the shooter? They found him insane, and was committed to a mental hospital where he died in 1943.

I really like this story.  Doesn't it sound just like Theodore Roosevelt?  He had already served as president from 1901-1909, and here he was running again.  And a bullet could not even slow him down.  If you want more information, check out these sites:
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/theodore-roosevelt-shot-in-milwaukee
http://www.doctorzebra.com/prez/z_x26a_g.htm

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