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VOL. XII. PLYMOUTH, N. C, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER ?, 1901. NO. 36.
7"
CZOLGOSZ IS
Murderer of President McKinley Pays the Pen
alty For His Crime.
REMAINS OBSTINATE TO THE END.
Prisoner Went to His Death Without
Confession Ms Final Interview
With His Brother.
Auburn, Prison. Special. Leon F.
Czolgosz, the anarchist who killed
President McKinley, was electrocuted
Tuesday morning at 7:12:30.
The prisoner mado a brief speech in
he chair. He said he wa3 not sorry
for what he had done, but expressed
regret that he had not seen his father.
Czolgosz was given three contact?
of electricity before he was finally pro
nounced dead.
Half an hour before the execution
the prisoner sent for the superinten
dent, and warden and said :"I want to
make a statement before you kill me."
What do you wisli to say, Czol
gosz?" asked the warden.
"I want to make it when there are a
Jot of people present. I want them to
hear me," said the prisoner.
He vrva informed that this request
ould not be granted.
LEON F. CZOLGOSZ.
"Then I won't talk at all," said the
prisoner sullenly.
He changed his resolution, however,
and did break the rule of silence in the
death chamber.
The assassin did not break down.
Shortly after 6 o'clock the clothing
in which he was executed was sent
into the condemned man's cell and he
got up and dressed himself. A few
minute3 after he had finished dressing
a substantial breakfast was sent to
hi3 cell.
The preliminaries were exactly like
those of every other execution. The
witnesses gathered in the office of the
warden on the second floor of th pris
on at a quarter of 7. A few minutes
before 7 the witnesses were told to
quickly follow the warden and State
superintendent of prisons and after j
walking through the long corridor i
took their places silently beside tho
death chair in the execution room. I
The Iron door leading to the condemn
ed cells was closed, but behind it the
wardens and assistants were preparing
Czolgosz for death. The warden wait
fid until the witnesses were seated,
and then made the usual formal decla
ration, declaring that those present in
the room were merely there as wit
nesses to a legal execution of a mur
derer, and that under no circumstan
ces and no matter what the provoca
tion, no one was to leave his seat or
make any disturbance.
Electrician Davis then put upon the !
arms of the chair a bank of 22 incan- j
descent electric lamps and attaching j
the electrical wires, passed the current!
through them so that the lights glow-j
ed out brilliantly. An assistant in the I
meantime put the two electrodes,
which were lined with sponges, into j
pails of salt water so as to get th;m I
wet enough to prevent the current I
from burning the victim's flesh.
After the superintendent had left the
guards brought Czolgosz' breakfast,
consisting of coffee, toast, eggs and
bacon, and he ate with quite a good
deal of relish. While he was partaking
of this the witnesses were gathering in
the office of Warden Meade and at 7: CO
o'clock the procession passed to the
death chamber, going through the long
south corridor.
ELECTROCUTED.
FINAL TEST OF THE APPARATUS.
. In the chamber Electrician Davis and
Former Warden Thayer, of Danne
mora, had arranged the chair 'test,
placing a bank of 22 incandescent
lights across the arms and connecting
tho electrode with wire3 at either end.
The witnesses were ordered seated and
then Warden Meade briefly addressed
them, saying: "You are here to witness
the legal death of Leon Czolgosz. I
desire that you keep your seats and
preserve absolute silence in the death
chamber, no matter what may trans
pire. There are plenty of guards and
prison officials to preserve order and
to attend to the proper details." The
prison physician, Dr. Gerin, and Dr.
Carlos F. MacDonald, of New York,
took a position to the left of the chair,
Warden Meade stood directly in front
and Electrician Davis retired to the
little room containing the electrical
switches. Tho signal was given and the
current was turned through the elec
tric lights, flooding the chamber with
brilliant light and dramatically show-
ing the power that was used to kill the
prisoner.
CZOLGOSZ ENTERS THE DEATH
CHAMBER.
Warden Meade gave the signal to
have the prisoner brought In, and at
7:10 o'clock, Chief Keeper Tupper .
swung open the big steel door leading j
to the condemned man's cell, and as
the steel bars behind which Czolgosz j
had been kept were swung aside two
guards marched the prisoner out int
the coridor, two others following anl
the chief keeper walking in front. The ;
guards on either side of Czolgosz had j
hold of his arms as if either to support
him, or to keep him from making a
demonstration. As he stepped over the i
threshold he stumbled, but they held
him up, as they urged him forward
toward the chair he stumbled again on
the little rubber covered platform upon j
which the chair rests. His head was 1
erect and with his gray flannel shiit
turned back at the neck, he looked
quite boyish. He was intensely pale j
and as he tried to throw his head back j
and carry himself erect, his chin quiv- j
ered very perceptibly. As he was oeing ,
seated, he looked about at the assem- j
bled witnesses with quite a steady j
stare, and said:
NOT SOiytY FOR HIS CRIME. j
"I killed 'the President because he j
was an enemy of the good people of j
the working people." His voice trem-
bled slightly at first, but gained j
strength with each word and as he
spoke it, was perfect English, "ram:
not sorry for my crime." He said th's j
loudly just as the guard pushed his 1
head back on the'rubber head iesfc and j
drew the strap across is forehead and j
chin. As the pressure on the straps j
tightened and bound the jaw slightly, j
he mumbled: "I am awfully sorry I j
could not see my father." It was just
exactly 7:11 o'clock when he crossed J
the threshold, but a minute had elaps- f,
ed and he had just finished the last j
statement when the stranpim; wa J
completed and the guards stepped j
back. I
THE CURRENT TURNED ON. j
Warden Meade raised his hand, and ;
at 7:12:30 Electrician Davis turned the
switch that threw 1,700 volts of elec- j
tricity into the living body. The rush
of the current through the body was
so hard against the straps that they
creakeriperceptibly. The hands clinch
ed suddenly and the whole attitude was
one of extreme tenseness. For forty
five seconds the full current was kept
on and then slowly the electrician
threw the switch back reducing the
current volt by volt until it was cut off
entirely. Then, just as it had re-ache I
that point he threw the lever ta?k
again for two or three seconds. Th?
body, which had collapsed as the cur
rent was reduced, stiffened up again
against the straps. When it was turned
nff again. Dr. McDonald stepped up lo
tc the chair and put his har over the
heart. He said he felt no pulsation, ,
but suggested that the current be j
turned on Zox a few seconas again.
Once more the body became rigid.
From the time Czolgosz had left his
,-rU until the full penalty way paid, ;
less than four minutes had . e'ansed. j
The physicians present used the'steth- j
oscope and other tests to determine ir 1
any life remained, and at 7:171. the j
warden, raising I1I3 hand, anno-nrel: j
"Gentlemen, the prisoner is dead,"tbe
witnesses filed from tne chamber, !
many of them visibly affected, and the j
body was taken from the chair and laid j
on the operating table. 1
THE BODY IN THE HANDS OF THIS
DOCTORS.
When the body of Czolgosz had been
removed from the room where he was
killed to the autopsy table, Auburn
prison work was resumed at once.
There was no excitement among the
convicts. Barely a hundred people had
gathered outside the prison gate to
watch the witnesses enter and wait
until they re-appeared. The witnesses
dispersed quickly, some of them leav
ing for their homes as early as 'J
o'clock. Naturally almost the entire at
tention of the physicians assigned to
hold the autopsy was directed towards
discovering, if possible, whether the
assassin was in any way mentally irre
sponsible. The autopsy was conducted
by Dr. Charles F. MacDonald, E. A.
Spltza, and Prison Physician Gerin.
The top of the head was sawed off
through the thickest part of the skull,
which was found to be of normal
thickness, and it was the unanimous
agreement from the microscopical ex
amination thi-t the brain was normal
or slightly above normal. This demon
strated to the sitisf action of th.e phy
sicians that in no way was Czolgsz's
mental condition, except as it might
have been perverted, responsible for
the crime.
CZOLGOSZ WAS NOT CRAZY.
The autopsy was completed shortly
before noon when the surgeons issued
the following statement: "The autopsy
was made by Mr'. Edward A. Spitzka,
of New York, under the immediate su
pervision and direction of Dr. Carlos
F. MacDonald, of New York, and Dr.
John Gerin, physician at the prison.
The autopsy occupied over three hours
and embraced a' careful examination
of all the bodily organs, including tho
brain. The examination revaled a per
fectly healthy state of ell the organs,
including the brain.
"All of the physicians who attended
the execution were present at the au
topsy and all concurred in the findings
of the examiners.
"(Signed) John Gerin, M. D.; Carlos
F. MacDonald, M. D.; E. A. Sp.tzka'
The surgeons' reports was of a high
ly technical character. After scientific
ally describing to the minutest detail
tho Virgin nf the dead murderer, the
report concludes as follows: "No sno
malies found. Tho brain in genral is
well developed, sufficiently marked
with fisures and the lobes are in a nor
mal proportion." The surgeons have
not yet drawn a report on whit the au
tonsy discolsed as to the other organs.
THE BODY DESTROYED WITH
ACID.
The body was placed in a blac't
stained pine coffin, every portion of
the anatomy being placed under the
supervision of Dr. Gerin and Warden
Meade. Shortly afterward It was taken
to the prison cemet?ry, and an extra
ordinary precaution taken to complete
ly destroy it. A few days a?o, under
the warden's order, an experiment was
made to determine the power of quick
lime in the destruction of fe?h and
bone, which was not sitisfactory. Wa-
den Meade at once conferred with some
of the physicians present and de'.e'
mined. in conjunction w.!th Superin
tendent Collins, that the purpS3 of
the lav was the destruction of the
body and that it was not necessary to
use quick lime for that end. Accord
ingly a carboy of acid was obtained
and poured upon the body in the coffin,
after it had been lowered into the
grave. Straw was used in the four cor
ners of the grave as th,e earth was put
in to give vent to such gases as might
form. It is the belief of the physicians
that the body will be entirely disinte
grated wifchin 12 hours. During that
time and as long as deemed necrssary
a guard will be kept over the un
marked grave.
History of the Crime.
History's blackest page shows
white when compared with the at
rocious crime for which Leon F.
Czolgosz was executed today. In
spired by anarchistic idea, Czolgosz
went to Buffalo where President Mc
Kinley was a visitor to the Pan
American exposition, determined to
murder the executive. Late on the af
ternoon of September Cth the presi
dent was receiving the people in the
Temple of Music in the exposition
grounds. In the line of people who
were passing the President was
Czolgosz.
As the President turned to receive
him, he extended his right hand in a
friendly manner. Czolgosz thrust the
extended hand aside and raised a re
volver which ho carried concealed in
a handkerchief, fired two shots at the
President. The assassin made no at
tempt to escape and was speedily dis
armed and hurried away.- His only
words were that he "had done his
duty."
The wounded President was taken
to the emengency hospital on the
grounds, where an operation was per
formed. One bullet struck President
McKinley in the chest and the second
entered the abdomen. Only one bul
let was found. After the operation
the President was removed to the
home of President Milburn of the
Pan-American Exposition and the
best medical attendance sought. For
several days the President gave ev
ery promise of recovering, but early
on the folowlng Friday morning a re
lapse occurred. For twenty-four hours
President McKinley remained at
deaths door. Early Saturday morning,
Sept. 14th, he breathed his last with
the words: "God's will be done, not
ours," on his lips.
Vice President Roosevelt was quick
ly quietly sworn into the office of
President that afternoon in Buffalo,
the cabinet being present. The obse
quies were begun in Buffalo on Sun
day when the body lay in state in the
city hall. All the nation mourned and
everywhere there were outward mani
festation of the national grief. The
body was taken to Washington to the
White House. and on Tuesday services
were held in "the rotunda of the Capi
tol. The Cabinet and both branches
of Congress were present. That even
ing the body was taken to 'Canton,
O., the home of the McKinleys. The
day of the interment, Thursday. Sept.
20, was observed throughout the na
tion as a day of mourning.
Leon F. Czolgosz was indicted and
arraigned in court in Buffalo Sept.
16th, and as the feeling was so bitter
against him. Attorneys refused to
take the case. The bar association
finally made the appointments in the
interest of justice.
Eight days later the trial began. It
lasted but only a little over eight
hours actual time. No defense was
made. The jury returned a verdict of
"guiltv." Two days later he was sen
tenced to die in the week beginning
Oct. 28th. Ho wasremoved to Auburn
on Sept. 26th.
Czolgosz was born In Detroit. Mich.,
about 26 years aeo. He received a
common school education and later
took up his studies in a church
school. He never learned a trade but
hired out as a laborer. He showed a
moody (hsrosition and was interested
in anarchistic writings. On confession
he stated that the crime was one of
his own doine and that no one con
spired with him. His parents and
brothers live in Cleveland. O.
Wanted No Priest.
Leon Czolgosz. the murderer of
President McKlniey was interviewed
in his cell at Auborn prison late Mon
day night with the result that he re
fused all efforts on the part of the
priests to confess or ask divine fa
vor. Prior to the late evening inter
views, Czolgosz reluctantly received
Fathers Fudzinski and Hickey. It
j was late in the afternoon and occur
red after he had once refused to
meet them. After they reached the
prison. Superintendent Collins con
veyed the request for an interview to
the prisoner. Czolgosz sent back
word that he did not care - to see
them, but the priests asked to be al
lowed to go to him, despite his re
fusal. Superintendent Collins con
sented and personally escorted them
to the cell. The priests remained
with Czolgosz for three-quarters of
an hour and earnestly pleaded with
the prisoner to repent and pray for
divine forgiveness. He rejected all
their advices, however, and they re
gretfully withdrew. They told the
prisoner they would hold themselves
in readiness to answer a call from
him at any hour of tho night. It was
7 o'clock vhen Superintendent Col
lins went into the death house and
tried to get the prisoner to talk to
him. Although he remained in the
cell sometime, he was apparently not
successful in getting anything from
him. At eight p. m., his brother and
brother-in-law arrived, and Super
intendent Collins took them down to
the condemned man's cell. There was
no demonstration when they met.
Czolgosz merely stepped to the front
of his steel cage and said: "Hello!"
The brother ventured the remark, 'I
wish you would tell us, Leon, who
got you into this scrape?"
The assassin answered in a slow,
hesitating manner: "No one; nobody
had anything to do with it but me."
"That is not how you were brought
up," said the brother, "and you ought
to tell us everything now."
"I have nothing to tell," he answer
ed in a surly manner.
"Do you want to see the priests
again?" asked his brother. And -he
answered with more vehemence than
he had previously shown; "No;
damn them. "Don't send them here
again. I don't want them." The
brother-in-law interjected here:
"That's right, Leon."
The body of Leon Czolgosz, the mur
derer of President McKinley, will not
be removed from Auburn. Superinten
dent of State Prisons Cornelius V. Col
lins and Warden J. Warren Mead, after
hours of controversy with Czolgosz's
brother, succeeded in obtaining from
him the following relinquishment of
the family's claims to the remains,
when the executioner shall have fin
ished his work:
"Auburn, N. Y., Oct. 28.
"To Warren J. Mead, agent and War
den, Auburn Prison:
"I hereby authorize you as warden of
Auburn prison to dispose of the body
of my brother, Leon F. Czolgosz, by
burying it in the cemetery attached to
the prison, as provided by the law of
tho State of New York. This request i3
made upon the express understanding
that no part of the remains will be
given to any person or society, but
that the entire body will be buried in
accordance with the law in the ceme
tery attached to the prison.
"WALDECK CZOLGOSZ."
Witnesses: John A. Sleicher, George
E. Graham.
The resolution of Superintendent
Collins to prevent sensation in the
transportation and burial or cremation
of the body of Czolgosz took new zest
from two offers that were submitted
by men of questionable enterprise. A
museum keeper in one of the larger
Eastern cities telegraphed him an of
fer of $5,000, spot cash, for either the
body or the garments of the murder
er, and the owner of a kinetoscope
wired Warden Mead that he would
pay 2,000 for permission to take a
moving picture of Czolgosz entering
the death chamber. The superintendent
also had suspicions aroused as to the
motives of some of the relatives of
Czolgo8z in securing the body in view
of their poverty and the trouble and
dange possible in connection with its
removal and disposel. The superinten
dent chanced to meet Waldeck Czol
gosz as he was being escorted to the
death cell shortly after his arrival,
and at once took the matter up with
him. He asked Czolgosz if he wanted
the body. He said he did. Collins then
told him that he did n-t believe it
could be removed without serious
trouble and strongly advised him
against the attempt. The plan to take
it to Buffalo, where Czolgosz had as
sassinated the President, he regarded
as particularly dangerous. Collins dis
cussed the matter from the standpoint
of the Czolgosz family and said they
would surely avoid serious annoyance
r.nd possibly violence by consenting
to burial here. He assured Waldeck
Czolgosz that he and the family could
attend, that they would be protected
and that the body would be given de
cent burial. Czolgosz was obdurate,
however, and Collins finally told him
that, if there was a well grounded su
spicion as to the motive in claiming
the body, he would refuse to surren
der it, law1 or no law.
Farmer and Daughter Shot.
Paris. Tenn., Special. A special
from Meridian, Miss., reports the
shooting of A. A. Crenshaw, a Newton
county farmer, and his 18-year-oid
daughter, by a lawyer named Foy, who
had called to serve a writ of attach
ment. The farmer and his daughter
opened fire on the lawyer and he re
turned the Sre. Crenshaw is thought
to be fatally hurt, but the girl will re-
cover. Foy escaped injury.
Kills a Tormentor.
Pittsburg, Special. While indulg
ing in preliminary Halowe'en prariKS
Fred. Bradley, aged 15 years, was
shot and almost instantly killed by
Mrs. Margaret Cameron. A crowd of
boys gathered around the grocery
store of Mrs. Cameron, on Kaecher
street, frightened her ten-year-old son
by playing ghost. Mrs. Comeron se
cured a revolver, after having warned
the boys away, and fired four shots
into the crowd, one of the bullets en
tering Bradley's abdomen. He died
within an hour.
Bourke Cockran hurt.
New York, Special. Bourke Cock
ran was severely injured by being
thrown from his horse, while riding
about his place at Sand's Point, L. I.
There was no witness to the accident.
When he was found Mr. Cockran was
unconscious on the ground and was
suffering from bruises and a cut on
the head from which there was a con
siderable flow of blood. The attending
physicians say Mr. Cockran suffered
a severe concussion of the brain, but
they have found no fracture of the
skull. At the house this evening it was
said that no serious result was looked
for.
Woman Suffragist.
Oswego, N. Y., Special. Advocates
of equal suffrage from all parts of
the state are gathered in Oswego for
the thirty-third annual convention of
the New "York State Woman Suffrage
association, which will be in session
here during the next three days. Mrs.
Noah Chapman, state president, will
preside, and among the prominent
participants wll be the Rev. Anna
Howard Shaw, Miss Harriet May
Mills and the venerable leader of the
movement, Miss Susan B. Anthony.
-Mrs.which N..rs d.ta. mahr mahash