Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1901-09-12
the AssAssIEs CONFESSION.


here forty-two years ago. / got my
education in the public schooIs OF
Detroit and then went to Cleveland,
where / got work. In Cleveland /
read books on Socialism and met q
great many Socialists. / vas pretty
well known as . Socialist in the
West. After being in Cleveland
for several years, 1 went to Chicago,
where | remained several months,
after which ! went 10 Newbnrg, on
the outskirts Of Cleveland, and
went to work in the Newburg wire
mills.
"'During the last five years /
have had As friends Anarchists in
Chicago, Cleveland, Detroit, and
other Western cities, and | suppose
! became more or less bitter. Yes,
| know ] was bitter. / never had
much luck at anything, and this
! preyed upon me. 1t made me ma
rose and envious, bat what started
the craze to kill was lecture
heard some little time ago by EN-
ma Goldman. She was in Cleye-
land, and | and other Anarchists
went TO hear her. She set me on FIRE.
"sHer doctrine that all rulers
should be exterminated was what
set me to thinking so that my head
nearly split with tie pain. Miss
Goldman's words went right
through me, and when / left the
lecture ] had made mp nv mind
that ] would have TO do something
heroic for the cause loved.
".Eight DAYS ago, while | was in
Chicago. rezd in . Chicago news
paper Of President McKinley's Wis.,
it to the Pan American Exposition
at Buffalo. That day l bought O
ticket for Buffalo and got here with
the determination to do something,
but | did not know just What. |
thone ht Of shooting the President,
but / had not formed q plan.
"'l went to live at 1O78 Broad.
way. which 10 q saloon and hotel.
John Nowak, Pole, q sort of pol
itician, who has led his people here
for years, owns 10. told Nowak
that / came to see the Fair. He
knew nothing about what was set
ting me crazy. ] went to the Ex-
position grounds . couple of times
q day.
"'Not until Tuesday morning
did the resolution to shoot the Pres
ident take hold Of me. It was 10
my heart; there was no escape for
me. could not nave conc uered
it had nv life been ut stake. There
we're thousands of people in town
on Tuesday. ! heard it was Presi-
dents Day. Allthose people seem.
ed bowiBg to the great ruler. /
made mp my mind to kill that ruler.
| bought 80 calibre revolver and
loaded it.
BEGAN TO LIE IN WAIT.
"'0R Tuesday night 1 went to
the fair grounds and was near the
railroad gate when the Presidential
party arrived. / tried to get near
him, but the police forced me back.
They forced everybody back so that
the great ruler could pass. | was
close to the President when he got
into the grounds, but was afraid to
attempt the assassination because
there was 30 many men in the body
guard that watched him. wa
not afraid Of them or that | should
get hurt, but afraid ! might be
seized and that my chance would
be gone forever.
"'Well. he went away that time
and went home. On Wednesday
| went to the grounds and stood
right near the President, right
under him near the stand from
which he spoke.
"'I thought half dozen times
Of shooting while he vas speaking.
but could not get close enough.
| was afraid / might miss, and then
the great crowd was always iost.
ling, aud | vas afraid lest nv aim
should fail. | waited until Wed.
nesday, aud the President got into
his carriage again, and q lot Of men
were about him aud formed o cor
don which ] could not get through
| WAS tossed about BY the crowd.
and my spirits we're getting pretty
low. ! was almost hopeless that
night a l went home.
yesterday morning | went
again to the Exposition grounds.
Emma Goldman's speech was still
burning me mp. l waited near the
central entrance for the President
who was to board his special train
from the gate, but the police allow
ed nobody but the Presidents party
to pass ont while the train waited.
SO stayed at the grounds all day
waiting.
!" During yesterday l first
thought Of hiding my pistol under
nv handkerchief I was afraid If |
| had to draw it from my pocket | |
would be seized by the guards. III
got to the Temple Of Music the first |
one, and waited at the spot where |
the reception was to be held.
"sThen came the President-the |
ruler-and ! got in line aud trem- |
bled and trembled until got right |
mp to him, and then | shot him |
through my white handkerchief. /