Assassination Attempt on Theodore Roosevelt Quiz

Answer: John Schrank

Schrank was born in Bavaria in 1876 and his primary occupation was that of a saloonkeeper. He opposed the idea of a third term for any president; he stated later that he would have tried to kill Ulysses S. Grant when Grant tried to run for a third term in 1880.

The other three men listed in the question also tried to assassinate a soon-to-be or then current U.S. president. Lawrence tried to kill Andrew Jackson, Zangara tried to kill president-elect Franklin Roosevelt and Byck attempted to kill Richard Nixon.

Answer: "General Slocum" fire

Schrank was supposed to go on the cruise on the East River in New York with Ziegler on June 15, 1904 but he could not get someone to cover his shift as a barkeeper so Ziegler went with her family. She was among the over 1,000 people who died that day. Schrank identified her body in the morgue later.

Answer: William McKinley

Schrank would claim to have seen McKinley's ghost twice. The first was the day after McKinley's death in 1901, commanding him to avenge his death and saying that Roosevelt was responsible. The second was in 1912, when McKinley, supposedly, told Schrank not to allow Roosevelt to serve a third term.

Answer: Chattanooga

Schrank saw a newspaper article in New York stating that Roosevelt was on a southern campaign tour. Schrank decided to board a boat and try to intercept Roosevelt during his stop in New Orleans. However, Schrank didn't think he would make it to New Orleans and he got off at Charleston. Schrank saw that Roosevelt would make a stop in Chattanooga. Schrank actually made it to Chattanooga while Roosevelt was still there. Schrank got within ten feet of Roosevelt while in Chattanooga but lost his nerve.

Answer: Milwaukee

After finishing his southern campaign tour, Roosevelt went home to Sagamore Hill for a few days of rest. Schrank guessed that Roosevelt would then begin a midwestern campaign swing, which he did during the early part of October. On Monday, October 13, 1912, Schrank finally made his attempt to assassinate Roosevelt.

Answer: Hotel

Roosevelt had gone to the Hotel Gilpatrick to meet the owner, a Progressive Party supporter. Schrank shot Roosevelt as he was leaving the hotel to go to the Milwaukee Auditorium to make a speech.

Answer: 1

Schrank got off only one shot before he was tackled. The bullet struck Roosevelt in the right chest, penetrating far enough to break his fourth rib.

Answer: Surgeons removed the bullet in Chicago the next day

The bullet passed through Roosevelt's folded speech, which was in his right breast coat pocket. The bullet also passed through his spectacle case. Passing through these two items is what generally is believed that saved Roosevelt's life. Roosevelt's insisted on giving his entire speech, even after being shot and his shirt blood-stained. Reports at the time state that people alternately cheering the speech and begging Roosevelt to go to the hospital. Roosevelt had lost a lot of blood and spent a week in a hospital in Chicago after giving his speech.

However, the bullet was never removed and, when Roosevelt died seven years later, he died with the bullet still inside him.

Answer: Spent rest of his life in mental hospital

Five psychiatrists examined Schrank in the early stages of his trial and all five concluded that he was insane. The trial ended at that point and Schrank was committed to a Wisconsin mental hospital in Oshkosh. In 1914, he was transferred to a mental hospital, where he would spend the rest of his life. Schrank died in 1943.

Answer: No

Schrank and the man who attempted to kill Andrew Jackson, Richard Lawrence, are not included in the musical.