Was Theodore Roosevelt Shot During a Speech?

Key Takeaways

• T.R. was preparing for a campaign speech in Milwaukee in October 1912
• He insisted on delivering his speech, which turned out to be 90 minutes
• T.R. carried the bullet in his body for the remainder of his life

Theodore Roosevelt was in Milwaukee on Oct. 14, 1912, preparing to give a campaign speech during his run for a third term as president.

Roosevelt was staying at the nearby Gilpatrick Hotel and rode in an open car toward the auditorium. Waiting for him there was John Schrank, a 36-year-old Bavarian immigrant who owned his family’s tavern, who had been stalking Roosevelt for weeks. He wanted to prevent Roosevelt from becoming president again and fired a .38-caliber Colt revolver at close range into Roosevelt’s chest just as he stood in his car to wave to supporters.

The bullet was said to have been slowed by the 50-page folded speech in Roosevelt’s pocket. That, and a metal eyeglass case, are what prevented the bullet from going deeper into his body. Despite bleeding, Roosevelt insisted on delivering his speech before seeking medical attention. He delivered it as planned and spoke for nearly 90 minutes.

“Friends, I shall ask you to be a quiet as possible,” he said to start. “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.” Having served earlier as a Republican, Roosevelt had switched to the Progressive ticket, which was called the Bull Moose party.

Physicians later determined that the bullet was in a position in his chest muscle where it was safe to leave it there rather than to remove. So Roosevelt carried it in his body for the rest of his life, which was another seven years.

Schrank was declared legally insane and committed to a mental hospital, where he spent the rest of his life and died in 1943.

Roosevelt did not win the election as he and the Republican nominee, incumbent William Howard Taft, left their respective parties highly divided on whom to vote. Woodrow Wilson earned 41.84 percent of the popular vote and collected 435 electoral votes. Roosevelt captured 88 electoral votes and 27.4 percent of the popular vote. Taft earned 23.17 percent and 8 percent, respectively.