Guests stepping into the Hyatt Regency on Kilbourne in Milwaukee are met with a haunting reminder of America's past, just one day after an assassination attempt on Donald Trump . The hotel lobby now stands as a tribute to a near-fatal moment in 1912 when Theodore Roosevelt was almost assassinated, eerily close to where Trump is due to address the RNC convention at the Fiserv Forum on Thursday night.
Previously the Gilpatrick Hotel, where this week's Republican delegations are staying, it's the very place where an attempt was made on former President Roosevelt's life - a tragedy narrowly avoided thanks to a glasses case and a thick speech in his breast pocket.
Roosevelt, who was campaigning for a third term as a third-party candidate, had a brush with death in Milwaukee when John Schrank, an ex-saloonkeeper, aimed a gun at him before a campaign event.
The bullet struck Roosevelt in the chest but was slowed by his steel eyeglass case and the bulky 50-page manuscript of his speech titled "Progressive Cause Greater Than Any Individual," which he carried in his jacket, reports the Mirror .
Schrank was quickly subdued and disarmed, with Roosevelt himself demanding that no harm come to his attacker. He reassured the crowd of his well-being and instructed them not to hurt Schrank. Roosevelt, a seasoned hunter and anatomist, instantly knew he was not in mortal danger. He reasoned that since he wasn't coughing up blood, the bullet hadn't penetrated his lung.
Therefore, he refused immediate medical attention and chose to proceed with his scheduled speech, beginning by informing the audience, "Friends, I shall ask you to be as quiet as possible. I don't know whether you fully understand that I have just been shot - but it takes more than that to kill a Bull Moose."
Following his address, he reluctantly sought medical advice, which confirmed that the bullet had lodged in his chest muscle without reaching the pleura. The doctors concluded that the dangers of removing the bullet outweighed the benefits of leaving it in place, so it remained inside Roosevelt for the rest of his life.
In response to the incident, President Taft and Democratic candidate Wilson paused their campaigns out of respect until Roosevelt recovered. Later on, Roosevelt would often say, "I'm fit as a Bull Moose," in response to reporters' inquiries about his campaign's progress.
The term 'Bull Moose' became a symbol of Roosevelt and his Progressive Party, leading to the party being dubbed the Bull Moose Party, particularly after Roosevelt proclaimed himself "strong as a bull moose" following his loss at the Republican nomination in June 1912.
After a couple of weeks of recuperating, Roosevelt was back on the campaign trail. In correspondence with a mate, he downplayed the bullet still inside him, stating, "I do not mind it any more than if it were in my waistcoat pocket."
The man who attempted to take his life, Schrank, initially confessed to the crime of attempted murder, but a judge dismissed his plea due to questions about his sanity, prompting a full trial. Schrank was eventually found not guilty by reason of insanity and was committed to an asylum for life.
Roosevelt, quite remarkably, became President after his predecessor, McKinley, succumbed to lethal gangrene following an assassin's bullet. McKinley was shot while greeting attendees after a speech in Buffalo, New York, on Sept 6, 1901. He was engaging with the public in a reception line when a gunman shot him twice in the torso at close range. Although McKinley's initial prognosis seemed positive, gangrene developed around the wounds.
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McKinley passed away on Sept. 14, 1901, just into his second term. In echoes of Roosevelt's ordeal, the recent attempt on Trump bore similarities - both men disregarded their injuries to speak to their supporters. About six minutes into his address, gunfire erupted and Trump was grazed by a bullet.
Blood marked his face as he ducked during the shooting. As he rose to his feet, Trump clenched his fist to signal to the onlookers that he was unharmed, despite the visible blood on his face. "USA! USA! " he chanted, with the crowd joining in as his security detail swiftly surrounded him.
Shortly after, Secret Service agents whisked him away in a motorcade. Having received medical attention at a nearby facility, Trump was later spotted descending the steps of an aircraft in New Jersey , sporting a bandage over his ear. He is now en route to resume his campaign trail in Milwaukee, a city all too familiar with such frightening incidents.
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