Lyon, Cecil Andrew, 1869-1916

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.

Kathleen Dalton explores “a little known side of” Theodore Roosevelt: his love of telling stories. Dalton identifies ghost stories, animal and hunting stories, tales from his days as a cowboy, and stories involving the Rough Riders as some of Roosevelt’s favorite topics. She also says that he liked to talk about his own adventures, such as hiking in Rock Creek Park, or discussing his political friends and foes, and she says that Roosevelt’s favorite audience for his stories was his children. Dalton identifies a number of people who were subjects of Roosevelt’s tales or who, like Rudyard Kipling, were captivated by listening to his stories.

Two photographs of Roosevelt, and an illustration of him telling a camp fire story to children, supplement the article which also has two text boxes with information about the Theodore Roosevelt Association.

In this edition of the “Book Reviews” section, Paul Russell Cutright and Philip J. Roosevelt provide separate but equally laudatory reviews of American Bears, a collection of writings about bears and bear hunting by Theodore Roosevelt edited by Paul Schullery. Kenneth D. Crews finds that Roosevelt plays a minor, but important, role in Carlton Jackson’s The Dreadful Month about the awful death toll in American coal mines in December 1907. John A. Gable examines Paul D. Casdorph’s Republicans, Negroes, and Progressives in the South, 1912-1916 and compares some its findings to his own work on the Progressive Party.

Collection

Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal

Creation Date

1983

Clarece Martin gives a fast-paced, detailed description of the assassination attempt on Theodore Roosevelt in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on October 14, 1912. She provides background on Roosevelt’s visit to Milwaukee, discusses the actions taken by his bodyguards during the shooting, and talks about Roosevelt delivering his speech despite his wound. Martin looks at the role played by Roosevelt’s wife, Edith Kermit Carow Roosevelt, during his hospital stay and closes with Roosevelt’s return to the campaign trail at Madison Square Garden in New York City at the end of October.  

A drawing of Roosevelt’s speech manuscript showing the hole made by the bullet accompanies the article.

This episode of the television program You Are There dramatizes the events of October 14, 1912, when John Flammang Schrank attempted to assassinate Theodore Roosevelt in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The program examines some elements of public opinion regarding Roosevelt’s decision to run for a third presidential term, in addition to mentioning several of Roosevelt’s main accomplishments and philosophies. The program was sponsored by the Prudential Life Insurance Company of America, and includes several advertisements for their services.

Collection

Theodore Roosevelt Association

Creation Date

1957

President Roosevelt tells Postmaster General Meyer to give “a severe wigging” to First Assistant Postmaster General Charles P. Grandfield for his “hideous blunder,” and he advises Meyer to carefully examine the language Grandfield uses in future letters that Meyer is asked to sign. Roosevelt further advises that Meyer explain to Charles A. Culberson what has happened and thank him for calling attention to an improper practice that Meyer will end now that he is aware of it. Roosevelt feels that Grandfield’s letter will not cause real trouble but that the man must understand that a second blunder like this is not acceptable.

Collection

Massachusetts Historical Society

Creation Date

1908-07-06

Theodore Roosevelt asks Judge Burns if W. Sloan Simpson can occasionally consult with Burns on Texas politics.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1916-04-15

Theodore Roosevelt mourns the loss of Cecil Andrew Lyon as a friend and as a citizen.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1916-04-12

President Roosevelt congratulates his son Kermit Roosevelt on his marks and says that Archibald “Archie” B. Roosevelt is not doing as well. Roosevelt talks about walking and swimming in Rock Creek Park and a visit from Douglas and Corinne Roosevelt Robinson, whose son Stewart Douglas Robinson was expelled from Harvard.

Collection

Harvard College Library

Creation Date

1908-02-16

In the unlikely event of war with Mexico, Theodore Roosevelt requests permission to raise a division of cavalry similar to the Rough Riders of the Spanish-American War. He summarizes his plan for creating the unit and argues in favor of its potential effectiveness.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1911-03-14

Theodore Roosevelt’s secretary thanks W. G. Thomas for his letter. He will send Thomas’s name on to Cecil Andrew Lyon.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1912-09-10

Theodore Roosevelt asks E. Mont Reily to travel to Texas in order to “ascertain what the situation is” on behalf of an unwell Cecil Andrew Lyon.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1912-03-29

Theodore Roosevelt has asked E. Mont Reily to travel to Texas and work with Cecil Andrew Lyon on the state’s campaign. Roosevelt hopes that Senator Dixon can arrange to pay Reily’s expenses.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1912-03-29

Theodore Roosevelt congratulates Senator Dixon on the upcoming addition to his family. He would like Dixon to contact Cecil Andrew Lyon and will present Richmond Pearson to Mr. Ward.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1912-02-13

Theodore Roosevelt tells Pearl Wight he will meet with Alexander H. Revell on Monday and encloses a letter to Frank Andrew Munsey, who, like Revell, wants Roosevelt to make a public statement. He asks Wight to show the letter to Cecil Lyon. Roosevelt will be glad to see Wight’s son anytime.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1912-01-26

Theodore Roosevelt does not believe the “war talk” with Mexico will lead to anything serious and hopes there will be no need to intervene. However, if a big power, such as Japan, backed Mexico and serious war resulted, Roosevelt requests President Taft’s permission to raise a division similar to the Rough Riders. He discusses how it would be organized and who he would choose as officers. Elected officers cause inefficiency, as evidenced by the two other Rough Rider regiments. Roosevelt does not intend to boast; instead, he reminds Taft of his regiment’s effectiveness during the Spanish-American War.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1911-03-14

Theodore Roosevelt’s secretary informs Philip Werlein that only he and Roosevelt are coming to New Orleans, Louisiana. They will meet Cecil A. Lyon there.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1911-03-07

On behalf of Theodore Roosevelt, his secretary thanks Mrs. J. N. Porter for the invitation. However, Cecil Andrew Lyon is responsible for arrangements during Roosevelt’s visit to Texas. He directs Porter to contact Lyon.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1911-03-02

Theodore Roosevelt suggests that John A. Loomis contact Colonel Cecil Andrew Lyon.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1911-03-01

Theodore Roosevelt’s secretary explains to Alice Eugenia Young that she must contact Cecil Andrew Lyon, who is responsible for arranging Roosevelt’s trip to Texas.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1911-02-21