On October 14, 1912, an assassination attempt was made on former President Theodore Roosevelt while he was campaigning in Wisconsin for his third term as president. Although he was injured by a bullet fired at close range, he assessed that his wounds were not life-threatening and continued to deliver his 84-minute speech to the crowd.

The Would-Be Assassin’s Dream

The assassination attempt was carried out by a German-born salon shopkeeper named John Schrank. After his arrest, a note was discovered detailing a bizarre dream that inspired the shooting. Schrank claimed he had a vivid dream in which the ghost of President William McKinley appeared to him and revealed that Teddy Roosevelt was responsible for his murder. The ghostly McKinley asked Schrank to avenge his death.

On the morning of October 14, while Roosevelt greeted the crowd outside the Gilpatrick Hotel, Schrank walked up to him and fired a .38 caliber revolver at his chest.

Roosevelt’s “Bull Moose” Speech

Despite the chaos, Roosevelt managed to gather himself and evaluate his injuries while Schrank was being apprehended. As an avid hunter and an anatomist, Roosevelt quickly assessed that his injuries were not life-threatening. Noticing he wasn’t coughing up blood, he concluded that the bullet must have missed his lungs.

Shortly after regaining his composure, Roosevelt chose to forgo medical attention and continue with his campaign. He famously opened his speech by displaying his bloodstained shirt, declaring, “It takes more than that to kill a Bull Moose.” The term “Bull Moose” referred to Roosevelt’s Progressive Party, which he established after losing the Republican nomination for reelection. He successfully delivered an 84-minute speech before being seen by a medical professional. 

Doctors concluded that Teddy Roosevelt’s life was saved because the bullet first passed through the 50 pages of paper he was holding while preparing to deliver a speech. It then struck a steel eyeglass case in his pocket. These items slowed the bullet down enough to reduce its impact. However, the bullet could not be removed from Roosevelt’s chest, and he carried it for the rest of his life.

The Aftermath

After his arrest, John Schrank was evaluated and found unfit to stand trial. He was then committed to a mental hospital for the rest of his life, where he died in 1943.

The presidential campaign was temporarily put on hold following an assassination attempt. Both the Democratic and Republican nominees, Woodrow Wilson and William Taft, agreed to suspend their campaigning out of respect for Roosevelt. Despite public sympathy for Roosevelt, the division within the Republican Party ultimately enabled the Democratic nominee, Woodrow Wilson, to win the election.