Secretary Hay was at The Fells when McKinley was shot by Leon Czolgosz , an anarchist , on September 6 in Buffalo . With Vice President Roosevelt and much of the cabinet hastening to the bedside of McKinley , who had been operated on ( it was thought successfully ) soon after the shooting , Hay planned to go to Washington to manage the communication with foreign governments , but presidential secretary George Cortelyou urged him to come to Buffalo . He traveled to Buffalo on September 10 ; hearing on his arrival an account of the President 's recovery , Hay responded that McKinley would die . He was more cheerful after visiting McKinley , giving a statement to the press , and went to Washington , as Roosevelt and other officials also dispersed . Hay was about to return to New Hampshire on the 13th , when word came that McKinley was dying . Hay remained at his office and the next morning , on the way to Buffalo , the former Rough Rider received from Hay his first communication as head of state , officially informing President Roosevelt of McKinley 's death
was shot
Assassination of William McKinley
John Hay