The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-09-24
Conspiracy to Assassinate the
President DiyuIged.
st. Louis Petty Thief in Hands
of the Police
Declares He Was One Of the
Guilty Trio.
TIED HANDKERCHIEF
Which Concealed the Pistol Of
the Murderer.
Chief of Police Is Inclined to
Believe the Story.

st. Louis, No. Sept 24-The Post
Dispatch today says:
Edward Saftig, arrested Monday af-
ternOon, suspected of petit larceny. told
Chief of Detectives Desmond today that
he was one of three men who conspired
to assassinate President Mckinley at
Buffalo, on September 6. and that he.
Saftig. tied around CzoIgosz's hand the
handkerchief that concealed the weapon
with which he shot the president,
Chief of Detectives Desmond. who
talked all this morning to Safug. is
convinced that Saftig is telling the
straight story of President McE6inley's
assassination. The chief says that he
will hold Saftig subject to the federal
authorities.
A waiter named Petit. who is en-
ployed at 603 Market street, where.
Saftig boarded told the Post Dispatch
that Saftig was in ST. Louis on the day
President Mckinley was shot and that
the two read bulletins Of the tragedy
in front of newspaper offices. He added
that Saftig was q seeker after notOriety-
Saftig was arrested Monday after
noon on suspicion Of having stolen ar
ticles valued at 81 from the Famous, q.
department store at Broadway ana
Morgan streets. This morning Chief
Desmond was talking to Saftig in his,
outer office when detective remarked
had to CzolgOsz. Saftig said that he had
on more than one occasion been taken
for the assassin. In reply to Chief
DesmOnd's question he replied that he
knew CzOlgOsz and other anarchists
Chief Desmond Immediately took him
into his private office and sWeated him
for several hours. Saftig told Chief
Desmond that he would tell all he knew
regarding the plot to kill the president
He prefaced his remarks by telling Of
his life prior to the present year.
+r1la tI.1r~ I..mlr~
president was killed that 1 first knew
that anything was to happen in an
a-rchist circles said Saftig. ION that
date Frank Harrlgan, an anarchist that
I had known in New York and other
eastern cities located me and made an
appointment for me to meet him at the
MtchelOb saloon in this city.
Il did not know then why I was to
meet him He knew me of old and he
knew that my weakness was liquor.
We both drank, but what drank az
fected me most.
"Harrigan told me that he wanted me
to go to Buffalo with him. he said
that there was man to be killed. n
prominent man. asked him who 1t
was. He told me to wait and I would
see.
Il finally consented to go with him.
We left here on Tuesday and we got
into Buffalo on Wednesday evening
late. Harrigan gave me $50 ano paid
my way there and gave Inc "A return
ticket to st. Louis.
when we got to Buffalo we went to
a boarding house I do not ren .emDer
the name of the proprietor no. the
street where it was located. The man
was arrested after the president was.
shot.
.'When we got into the boarding
house we saw Czolgosz- 1 knew him.
having met him in Chicago several
intended killing the president. He
said he had gone to Niagara Falls with
that end in view but had failed. He
was to make another attempt soon-
Harrigan was present at that time
Harrigan told CzOlgOsz that he had bet
ter postpone 1t until the president left
Buffalo
He said that there were so many
people present that it was a sure thing
that he would be caught. Czoleosz
He said he would shoot the presiden=
Che called him 'Mack) where all people
would know why he was killed.
''Harrigan told him to go ahead. IL
money could save him he would be
saved.
Next day. Friday. got up about 10
o'clock CzOlgosz told me this was the
day that the killing was to take place.
He asked me to tie handkerchief
around his hand. did so and ne plac-
ed a revolver in his hand under the
handkerchief. He asked me II I could
see that there was weapon in his
hand. 1 said tnat could not
'tThen he told me that / was to go to
the Temple Of Music / was to fix up
my hand the same as I had fixed his.
If the guards allowed me to get by he
would have no trouble in getting by,
But if they stopped me he would not
try it.
THAT afternoon he went out as he
suggested. tied the handkerchief
about his hand Mine was tied up the
same way. Harrigan was to meet US
at the grounds and he was to be in me-
diately back of Czolgosz to prevent any.
interference.
AT the gate weakened. told
Czolgosz that 1 would go back and get
Harrigan to do what had been laid out
for me. I left Czolgosz then and new.
er saw him anymore.
AT the boarding house I met Harri-
gan. He told me that he had not beer
on the grounds when the murder took
place. He gave me $50 as I was going
home. I feared to take a train for St.
Louis for fear Of being detained.
tramped it part of the way and bear
my way on trains. 1t took me four
days to get back"
Saftig is "A years old and says he was
born in Cologne. He left his country
when he was 10 years old. He has lived.
ne states, in many cities Of the United
States. He was present. he stated, at
a meeting Of anarchists at Paterson.
N J.. in 1885, when the assassination
of King Humbert. Of Italy, was planned
Saftig said that Harrigan presided over
that meeting and that he, Saftig, was
(Continued on Sixth PaEel