Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1901-10-31
PENALTY PAID.
Czolgosz Electrocuted For the
Murder of Pres, McKin-
ley Tuesday.
HIS BODY is DESTROYED.
Carboy OF Acid Poured Into the Cofhn-
Autopsy Revealed Nothing Abnor-
NAL in the Brain-Was Not Sorry
For His Characterization
Quickly Performed.

Auburn, n. Y, oct. cat 7:l2ha o'clock
this morning Leon CzolgosZ, murderer #
President VIM. Mckinley, paid the en-
IRENE penalty eXacted by the law for his
crime. lie was shocked to death by 400
volts of electricity. He went to the chair
in exactly the same manner as have the
majority of all the other murderers in this
state, showing no particular sign of fear,
but, in fact. doing what few have done,
talking to the witnesses while he was be-
ing strapped in the chair.
Il killed the President because he was
an enemy OF the good p~eople-of the god
working people. l am not, not sorry Tor
my crime"
These were his words as the guards hur-
ried him into the chair.
These words he supplemented Il moment
later mumbling them through the half ad-
justed face straps, II am awfully sorry
| could not see my father"
Czolgosz retired last night at 10 o'clock
and slept so soundly that when Warden
Mead went to the cell shortly before I'VE
this morning the guard inside had to snake
Czolgosz to awaken him. He sat up on the
edge of his cot and made no reply to tn :
warden's greeting of good morning. The
prison official took from his pocket the
death warrant and read 1t slowly and dis
tinctly to the assassin, who hardly rails
ed his eyes during the p~erfunctory cere-
mony.
Just as the warden stepped away from
the cell door, Czolgosz called to him and
said:
II would like to talk with the superin-
tendent."
The warden responded:
He will be down presently"
Then the condemned man rolled over
on his cot apparently anxious to sleep
again. At SIS. however. the guard brought
to him a pair of dark trousers with the
left leg slit so RS to allow the free appi-
cation of the electrode, and a light gray
outing shirt. He was told to get up and
put these on, which he did.
Contrary to the usual custom he was
given a new pair of shoes. When dressed
ne laid down on the cot again and in this
attitude Superintendent Collins found him
ut $50, when he went down to visit him.
rhe superintendent stood in front of the
steel bars and when the guard had called
Czolgosz's attention, he said:
WANTED TO MAKE A STATEMENT.
Il want to make d statement before
you kill me-"
What do you wish to say, Czolgosz?'
asked the superintendent.
Il want to make it when there are a lot
OF leoplc present. | want them to hear
me- said the prisoner.
"Well. you cannot said the superin-
tendcnt.
Then | won't talk at ALL" said the pris-
onor, s%ullenly.
After the superintendent had left, the
guards brought CZolsosz's breakfast, con-
sisting OF coffee. toast. eggs and bacon
and he ate with quite a good deal Of rel
ish. While he was partaking of this. the
witnesses We're gathering in the office
of Warden Mead, and at 7;O6 the process
sion passed to the death chamber, going
through the long south corridor.
In the chamber Electrician Davis and
former Warden Thayer of Dannemora
had arranged the chair test, placing a
bank of y incandescent lights across the
arms and connecting the clectrode wires
At either end. The witnesses were order r
ei seated and then Warden Mead briefly
addressed them, saying
You are here to witness the legal death
Of Leon f.. C~zolgosz. | desire that you
keep your seats and preserve absolute ST
lcnce in the death chamber, no matter
what may transplre. There are pl, nty
Of guards and prison officials to preserve
order and to attend to the proper details
The prison physician, DR.. Germ, and
Or. Carlos +. Macdonald of New York,
took a position to the left of the chair.
Warden Mead stood directly in front, and
Electrician Davis retired to the little room
containing the electrical switch board.
Thayer gave the signal and the current
was turned through the electric light.
flooding the m with brilliant Ii. hit
and dramatically showing the power that
was used to kill the prisoner.
THE PRISONER STUMBLEs IN.
Warden Mead gave the signal to nave
the prisoner brought in, and at 7:.01a
O'Clock, Chief Keeper Upper swung open
the big steel door leading to the condemn
ed cells, and as the steel bars behind
which CzolgosZ had been kept were swung
aside, two guards marched the prisoner
out into the corridor. two others follow
ing behind, and the chief keeper walking
in front.
The guards on either side of CZolcosz
had mold of his arms either as if to sup
port him, or to keep him from making
n demonstration. As he stepped over the
threshold he stumbled but they held
MIN up and as they urged him forward to-
ard the chair he stumbled again on tie
little rubber covered platform upon which
the chair rests. His head was erect, anG
with his gray flannel shirt turned back
at the neck, he looked quite boyish. He
was intensely pale and as he tried 10
throw his head back and erect his chin
QuiVcrCd very perCeptibly. As he was be-
ing seated he looked about at the asseIu-
lied witnesses with quite a steady stare
and said.
Il killed the President because he was
m enemy of the good people-of the work.
ing people
MS Nbl't lltlllblti SllSillN a. HISls blt
gained strength with each word and lac
spoke perfect English, 81 am not sorry f,r
my crime he said loudly just as the
guard pushed his head back on the rub
Der head rest and drew the divisible strap
across his forehead and chin. As the pres.
sure ON the straps frightened and bouNd
the jaw slightly, he mumbled I'm awfully
sorry ! could not see my father"
ELECTRICITY TURNED ON.
1t was just exactly IN o'clock when he
crossed the threshold, but a minute had
elapsed and h. had just finished the last
statement when the strapping was com
pleted and the guards stepped back from
the man. Warden Mead raised his hand
and at 712:M Electrician Davis turned the
switch that threw 100 volts of electricity
inc the living body. The rush of the I'M
mense current threw the bod so hard
against the straps that they creaked per-
ceptibly. The hands Clinchod up suddenly
aud the whole attitude was one of eX-
IRENE tcnseness. For forty-iive seconds, the
fun current was kept on and then slow
~ the electrician threw the switch back
reducing the current volt by volt until II
was cut off entirely. Then just as II had
reached that point he threw the lever
back again for a brief two or three sec
onds. The body which had coils psed as
the current was reduced, stiifened VI
- rot A.Eat nat ,lA .t pa NO