Letter from Oscar K. Davis to George Perkins about assassination attempt on Theodore Roosevelt
Subject(s): Assassination attempt, Cochems, Henry F. (Henry Frederick), 1875-, Ex-presidents--Protection, Gunshot wounds, La Follette, Robert M. (Robert Marion), 1855-1925, Lyon, Cecil Andrew, 1869-1916, Martin, Elbert E., 1881-1956, Roosevelt, Philip J. (Philip James), 1892-1941, Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919, Speeches, addresses, etc., American, Wisconsin--Milwaukee
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In a letter to George Perkins, Oscar K. Davis, a reporter and the secretary of the Progressive National Committee, details the assassination attempt on Theodore Roosevelt in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on October 14, 1912. Davis covers Roosevelt’s decision to leave his presidential train for a hotel in Milwaukee, the subduing of the would be assassin, and Roosevelt’s refusal to go immediately to the hospital. Davis highlights Roosevelt’s insistence on giving his scheduled speech, his dramatic turns at turning away aid, and his subsequent examination and x-ray at a Milwaukee hospital. Davis notes that he wrote the account to counter false stories about the assassination attempt that would appear in newspapers.
The letter is preceded by two introductions by Gregory A. Wynn and William N. Tilchin. Wynn provides the background and context for the letter while Tilchin discusses how he prepared the letter for publication in the Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal. Reprints of one page of the original letter and a page from Roosevelt’s bullet damaged speech join a photograph of Roosevelt’s eyeglass case in illustrating the group.
Collection
Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal
Creation Date
1912-10-15
Creator(s)
Davis, Oscar K. (Oscar King), 1866-1932; Wynn, Gregory A.; Tilchin, William N., 1950-
Recipient
Language
English
Period
Progressive Party Candidate (1911-1912)
Page Count
11
Production Method
Record Type
Image
Resource Type
Rights
No permission is required from the Theodore Roosevelt Association to use items in the Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal collection for educational purposes. For permissions, contact William Tilchin at (516) 921-6319 or by email at wnt@bu.edu.
Citation
Cite this Record
Chicago:
Letter from Oscar K. Davis to George Perkins about assassination attempt on Theodore Roosevelt. [October 15, 1912]. Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal.
https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/digital-library/o308806. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University.
MLA:
Davis, Oscar K. (Oscar King), 1866-1932; Wynn, Gregory A.; Tilchin, William N., 1950-. Letter from Oscar K. Davis to George Perkins about assassination attempt on Theodore Roosevelt. [15 Oct. 1912]. Image.
Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University. March 27, 2026. https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/digital-library/o308806.
APA:
Davis, Oscar K. (Oscar King), 1866-1932; Wynn, Gregory A.; Tilchin, William N., 1950-., [1912, October 15]. Letter from Oscar K. Davis to George Perkins about assassination attempt on Theodore Roosevelt.
Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University.
Retrieved from https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/digital-library/o308806.
Cite this Collection
Chicago:
Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal. https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/collection/theodore-roosevelt-association-journal. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University.
MLA:
Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University. March 27, 2026. https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/collection/theodore-roosevelt-association-journal.
APA:
Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal. Theodore Roosevelt Digital Library. Dickinson State University. Retrieved from https://www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org/collection/theodore-roosevelt-association-journal.
