West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1901-10-31
CIOLGOSI DIES WITHOUT
regret FOR HIS CRIME.
Maintained Stolid indifference Until
Last and Net Death without a
Tremor or 4 Blanch.
Last Words were OF his Father.

AUBURN, N. Y, Oct. zo.-At
7I2H O'Clock this morning, Leon
Czolgosz, murderer of President
William Mckinley, paid the ex-
treme penalty exacted by the law
for his crime. He was shocked to
death BY 1900 volts of electricity.
He went to the chair in exactly the
same manner as have the majority
of murderers in this state, showing
no particular sign o! fear, but in
fact, doing what few of them have
done--talking to the Witnesses while
he was being strapped in the chair.
The guards on either side of
Czolgosz had hold of his arms as if
either to support him or to keep
him from making a demonstration.
His head was erect, and with his
gray flannel shirt turned back at
the neck, he looked quite boyish.
He was intensely pale and as he
tried TO throw his head back and
carry himself erect his chin CULVER
ed very preceptibly. AS he was
being seated he looked about at the
assembled witnesses with quite
steady stare and said:
81 killed the President because
he was an enemy of the good peo-
ple.-of the working people"
His voice trembled slightly at
first, but gained strength with each
word, and he spoke perfect English.
al am not sorry for my crime"
he said loudly, just as the guard
pushed his head back on the rubber
head rest and drew the strap across
his forehead and chin. As the
pressure on the straps frightened and
bound the jaw slightly, he mumbled.
"l'm awfulIy sorry could not see
my father"
1t was just exactly 7:II O'Clock
when he crossed the threshold but a
minute had elapsed and he had Just
finished the last statement when the
strapping was completed and the
guards stepped back. Warden
Mead raised his hand and Electric
ian Davis turned the switch and
threw 1900 volts of electricity into
the living body.
The rush of the current threw the
body so hard against the straps that
they creaked preceptibly. The
hands clinched suddenly and the
whole attitude was one of extreme
tenseness
From the time Czolgosz had left
his cell until the full penalty was
paid, less than four minutes had
elapsed. The physicians present
used the stethascope and other tests
to determine if any life remained,
and at 7:I7 the warden, raising his
hand announced: "Gentlemen, the
prisoner is dead"
The witnesses filed from the
chamber, many of them visibly
affected, and the body was taken
from the chair and laid on the
operating table.
The autopsy was made by Mr..
Edward A. Spitzka, of New York,
under the immediate supervision
and direction of DIR. Carolos f.
Macdonald, of New York, and DR..
John O.. Erin, prison physician.
The autopsy occupied over three
hours and embraced a careful ex
animation of all The bodily organs,
including the brain. The examina-
tion revealed a perfectly healthy
state of all the organs, including
the brain. All the physicians who
attended the execution were present
at the autopsy and all concurred in
the findings of the examiners.
(Signed)
"JoHN GERM, NJ. ID.
"CARL F. M'DoNALD, NJ. d.
"E. L. SPITzKA."
The body was placed in black
stained pine coffin, every portion of
the anatomy being replaced under
the supervision of DR.. Germ and
Warden Mead. Shortly afterward
1t was taken to the prison cemetery,
and an extraordinary precaution
taken to completely destroy it.
A carboy Of acid was ordered and
poured upon the body in the coffin
after it had been lowered into the
grave. Straw was used in the four
corners of the grave as the 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 disin-
tergrated within twelve hours.
During that time and as long as
deemed necessary, a guard will be
kept over the unm arked grave.