ight close to Mr. Moss' and Mr. Taylor's auto.

I went immediately to the Auditorium and went in at the State Street
entrance and went on the platform. Mr. Miles, state treasurer of the
party, had called together Mr. Heyl, Mr. Davidson and some of the
sergeants-at-arms and was making arrangements to take up a collection
from the audience. Mr. Miles had started to go on the platform to
announce this collection and the sergeants-at-arms proceeded to their
various places to get instructions, and I went to the stage door.

Col. Roosevelt came and I knew nothing whatever of what had occurred;
while I noticed the party accompanying him seemed excited. The Colonel
showed no excitement at all, and I said to him:

"Wait a few minutes back of the stage while Mr. Miles takes up the
collection. Mr. Donald Ferguson desires to have it."

The Colonel said:

"Mr. Bloodgood, I have been shot and there is a bullet somewhere in my
body; the important thing is that nothing should be said or done to
cause a panic in the audience. I intend to deliver my address, or at
least a part of it."

Col. Roosevelt then went back of the stage and requested us to go to
the front and prevent any one saying anything. He said:

"It will only be a minute before I will be out."

I also heard the Colonel tell Mr. Cochems to say or do nothing that
would frighten the people.

The appearance of the Colonel on the platform and the circumstances
connected with it have been fully described. Col. Lyon, just before the
address of Col. Roosevelt was made, suggested to me that it was very
important that the crowd should not press around Col. Roosevelt and to
make arrangements to prevent that. I went back and found three men who
said they were detectives, and I asked them to come on the stage and to
make arrangements so as to prevent the crowd from pressing around Col.
Roosevelt. Mr. Cochems, in the mean time, had gone in front of Col.
Roosevelt so as to catch him if he should fall, and had made all
arrangements to prevent the crowd from rushing on the platform after
the address was finished.

Col. Roosevelt, after the address, walked through the aisle, which was
kept open from the stage door, to the automobile; as he got into the
automobile he shook my hand and said that he wanted it made emphatic
that he blamed no one; that the city authorities were not to blame, nor
was any blame to be attached to any one that had charge of this
meeting; that it was an ac