The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-10-29
HOW THEY DIE.
Execution of CzoIgosz Recalls
That of Other Anarchists.
Chicago Quartette Executed
Fourteen Years Ago.
NONE LIKE MARTYRS.
All Appeared on Scaffold in Alb.
ject Terror.
Their Last Moments as Seen by
an Eye Witness.

ton of the Chicago anarchists on the
morning of November II, 1887.
| There had been much speculation
| whether the assassin of President Nc
Kinley would meet his fate like his
compatriots fourteen years ago.
| Czolgosz had borne himself so differ
| emily on various occasions that there
! was little upon which to base an opinion
as to his future conduct. When he
| stood up before Justice Truman G.
] White in the supreme court room at
| Buffalo to be sentenced he bore himself
with calmness and propriety. He was
laboring under a severe strain, but he
| maintained his composure in manner
that was surprise to all.
On his way to Auburn penitentiary he
chatted freely in the special car which
was his moving Jail and seemed re-
signed to die the death of martyr in
a mistaken cause, as he expressed it.
He rather carelessly expressed sorrow
for the deed he had done. A moment
after he left the train he was seized
with violent hysteria at the sight of the
hostile, vindictive faces of the crowd
gathered near the prison gate. Crying,
struggling, he was taken within, where
he lay screaming on the floor, convul-
sively throwing himself about for
half an hour afterward.
It has been noticed that Czolgosz has
been most affected at times when men
aced or fearing harm for his person.
Whether the sight of the grim death
chair, with its horrid paraphernalia, its
mask, its clamps, it's wires and above
all, the grim, silent crowd gathered in
the death chamber, would unnerve the
man who had nerve enough to assassl-
nate the president of the United States.
was the subject of speculation
HOW CHICAGO ANARCHISTS DIED
Terror, stolidity, malignancy or semi
delirium-One of those impulses seems
to be dominant in the mind of an an
archist when he meets death at the hand
of the law. One of these expressions
has appeared upon the face of anarchist
aSsassins who have been executed In
other countries; and so, according to in
dividual character, was evidence of the
FEELING of each afforded at the last mo-
ment in the look upon the faces of Spies,
Parsons, Fischer and Engel, the an
archists who were hanged in Chicago.
Here is the account of witness who
was close to the men as they stood upon
the Scaffold
They stood in order, Parsons, Spies,
Engel and Fischer with the guards be-
side them, as the final preparations were
made swiftly for the fearful thing to
come. There was a miserable fascina-
ton about it and I watched each face
closely as the men stood there. No two
had the same look. or anything like it.
None seemed, at first, to note either the
people in the room nor either of his fell
lows, but instead turned his eyes wan
deringly to the ceiling. Then each set
tied down and appeared to look at moth
ing. The moment was oppressive be-
yond all conception, with something of
an awful dignity, which affected every
being in the room There was not
whisper nor movement
THE face of Parsons was an ashen
gray. realization where he was and
for what seemed to crowd itself upon
him frightfully, but he made an effort
to sustain himself. He gazed about with
what was look of wild appeal but he
Strengthened upward and held himself
tense. though trembling; His voice
quavered when he called aloud to the
sheriff for a hearing. Then he remained
immovable and his face became grayer
and grayer still. He seemed lost.
IF the face of Parsons exhibited a
shuddering at ueath, that of Spies re-
vealed condition of abject terror. The
gray upon his face changed to almost
white as the few moments passed and
he seemed to shrink within himself. He,
the ostensible leader in the past, was
now the most pitiable object of the four.
No trace remained of the jaunty conf
dence with which he had preached an
archy from the platform. He did not
compare well with Parsons standing be-
side him. He could not control his limp
ness. When he managed to give voice
to his last words they seemed like a
recitative, like something prepared in
his cell-as doubtless was the case-to be
repeated with effect. The effort was
lost, for the words sounded almost me-
chanical and the voice to come from no
where.
Each of these two men had whatever
sustaining influence might come to such
as he from womans encouragement
to the end-Parsons that of his half
wild, desperate wife, and Spies of the
romantic and foolish Nina Van Zandt-
but, il either was aided in the supreme
moment 1t was Parsons, perhaps be-
cause his wife was the greater zealot
of the two women.
I'm sharp contrast to the demeanor
of those described was that of Fischer
He was not pale. but stood, STRONG and
sullen, awaiting what was to come. A
trapped wolf might have looked as he
did, so malignant was his expression
and so devoid of anything save a per-
ception that he was in the hands of the
law he hated. He had a long corded
neck and his head was thrust forward
accentuating the harshness of his look
Looking at the long neck one could not
help wondering dimly if it would make
any difference in his dying. His atti-
tude remained unchanged
Distinct as the actions of Fischer
were those of Engel He appeared I'M
mindful of anything save that he, some
how, was reaching the climax of some
thing. He regarded nothing, but stood
restlessly in what seemed a half de-
lirium. 1t may or may not be that, out
of kindness, he had been given some
Il he look was one almost
of unreasoning merriment. His words,
declaring his happiness, but confirmed
the idea given by his demeanor. He
spoke of no cause, but only of his feel
ing at the moment. He was. one would
conclude, in a sort of nonperceptive
esctasy.
Had Lingg, the desperate among the
anarchists. the one who had already
ended his life by a bomb conveyed to
his cell. been among those executed,
there might have appeared still more
striking personality to be destroyed on