Teddy Roosevelt became 26th US president after the assassination of William McKinley in 1901. Roosevelt himself was shot on his way to give a speech in Milwaukee on October 14, 1912. His would-be assassin was unemployed saloon-keeper and paranoid schizophrenic John Schrank. Roosevelt continued on to the venue and gave the 90 minute address with the bullet lodged in his chest before seeking medical attention. What did Schrank say was the reason why he shot Roosevelt?

Answer: “In a dream I saw President McKinley sit up in his coffin pointing at a man in a monk’s attire in whom I recognized Theodore Roosevelt. The dead president said – this is my murderer – avenge my death.”

Source: The Americans by J C Furnas

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