This commemorative streamer fly is the culmination of a concept I thought of last September but after the fateful date of September 6th. I’ve had this in mind for a year, and this September I’m a day early. The President McKinley Streamer honors the 25th President of the United States, and it also comemorates the effective performance by the American Judicial system. That was back when the US court system actually worked - efficiently.

President William McKinley was serving his second elected term. In September 1901, he and his wife attended the Pan-American Exposition in Buffalo, New York. On September 6th, the President and his wife had just returned from Niagara Falls and were meeting the public in a reception line. An anarchist, Leon Csolgolz, made the decision on September 4th to assassinate the President. He was unable to get close enough on September 5th to be certain of his target, but on September 6th, Czolgolz was in line to greet the President. Reaching the front of the line, his gun was concealed in a handkerchief. Czolgolz fired twice, hitting McKinley in the abdomen. Czolgolz was immediately set upon by onlookers, and according to some reports, even members of the Presidential Security Guard, but McKinley gave instructions for them to break the news gently to Ida, his wife, and secondly, to call off the mob that had set upon Czolgolz. This probably saved the attacker’s life. Temporarily.

It was initially thought that the President would recover, but McKinley died eight days later, on September 14th of complications from the wound. Crowds began gathering around the prison where Czolgolz was being held, demanding his release so they could “exact justice.” Not to worry, folks.

Czolgolz was put on trial just nine days after McKinley’s death, sentenced to death on September 26th, and executed on October 29th, 1901. The trial lasted three days. That’s how justice was done in the good old days.

President McKinley Streamer, with an antique 48-star American flag. The best I could do since there were only 45 states in 1901.

Here is the recipe:

President McKinley Streamer

Tag: Embossed silver tinsel

Ribbing: Embossed silver tinsel

Body: Black floss

Underbelly: Peacock herl and white bucktail

Underwing: Golden pheasant crest. Both the underbelly and underwing are as long as the wing

Throat: Black hackle fibers, then red hackles fibers

Wing: Two gray hackles, flanked on both sides by one blue hackle and one red hackle

Shoulders: Silver pheasant body feathers, then a golden pheasant yellow rump feather

Cheeks: Jungle cock

Head: Black

President McKinley Streamer – created by Don Bastian. The hook is a Gaelic Supreme size #1 – 10x long, 3x stout.