Martin, Elbert E., 1881-1956

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.

Excerpt from Joseph Bucklin Bishop’s Theodore Roosevelt and His Time about the October 1912 assassination attempt on Theodore Roosevelt in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Bucklin covers the shooting, Roosevelt’s speech, his hospitalization, and the motivations of the shooter, John Schrank.

A drawing of Roosevelt’s speech showing the hole made by the assassin’s bullet accompanies the excerpt.

Collection

Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal

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