The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1901-10-04

his WoTQS 10 the SouTt-lnSlStS ne
Was Alone in the Commission of the
crime-condemned Man Taken to
Auburn Penitentiary.
Buffalo, Sept. 27.-Leon F. Czolgosz,
the assassin of President Mckinley,
was during the afternoon sentenced
to be electrocuted in Auburn state
prison during the week beginning Oct,
rs, 1901. Before sentence was passed
the assassin evinced a desire to speak,
but he could not get his voice above a
whisper and his words were repeated
to the court by his counsel.
There was no one but me-" the
prisoner said in a whisper, mo one
else but me to do it and no one paid
me to do it. l was not told anything
about the crime and l never thought
anything about that until a couple of
days before l committed the crime"
CZolgosZ sat down. He was quite
calm, but it was evident that his mind
was flooded with thoughts of his own
distress. His eyes were dilated, max
ing them appear very bright. His
cheeks were trifle pale and his out
stretched hand trembled. The guards
put the handouts on his wrists. He
looked at one of the officers. There
was an expression of the profoundest
fear and helplessness in his eyes.
He glanced about at the people who
crowded the room in efforts to get a
look at him. The prisoners eyelids
rose and fell tremuously and then he
fixed his gaze on the floor in front of
him.
At this point Judge Titus came
over to the prisoner and babe him
goodbye. Czolgosz replied very faint
", letting his eye rest upon the man
who had been his counsel. Good
bye" he said, weakly.
Czolgosz was hurried down stairs
and through the tunnel of sobs to the
Jail, where he will remain until re-
moved to Auburn to pay the penalty
for his crime.
Prisoner Brought Into Court.
Although the time announced for
the converting Of court was o'clock,
every seat and every foot of standing
room were occupied before 1870 and
scores were clamoring outside for adj
mission. The doors were locked and
no more were admitted to the room.
The prisoner was brought into the
room at 1:55. Five minutes later
Justice White took his place upon the
bench. As soon as Justice White as
sumed the bench, Crier Max Hess
said:
Pursuant to recess this trial term
OF the supreme court is now open for
the transaction of business"
District Attorney Penney said:
IF your honor please, l move SEN
tence in the case Of the people VS.
Leon F. Ccolgosz; stand up, Czolgosz."
Fisher swore the prisoner and his
record was taken by the district at
torney as follows:
Age, % years; nativity, Detroit; res
tdence, Broadway, Nowaks, Buffalo;
occupation, labor; married or single,
single; degree of education, common
school and parochial; religious in
structions, Catholic; parents, father
living, mother dead; temperate or in
temperate, temperate; former convic-
ton of crime, none.
The clerk Of the court then asked:
Have you any legal cause to show
now why the sentence of the court
should not now be pronounced against
you?"
Given a Chance to Speak.
81 cannot hear that" replied the
prisoner.
Clerk Fisher repeated this question
and Czolgosz replied:
I'D rather have this gentleman
here speak" looking towards District
Attorney Penney. Il can hear him bet
ter"
At this point Justice White told
those in the courtroom that they must
be quiet or they would be excluded
from the room. Mr.. Penney then said
to teh prisoner: "Czolgosz, the court
wants to know if you have any reason
To give why sentence should not be
pronounced against you. Have you
anything to say to the Judge? Say yes
or no"
The prisoner did not reply, and JUS
tice White, addressing the prisoner,
said:
in that behalf what you have a
right to say relates explicitly to the
subject in hand here at this time and
which the law provides why sentence
should not now be pronounced against
you and is defined by the statute.
The first is that you may claim
that you are insane; the next is that
you have good cause to offer either in
arrest of the judgment about to be
pronounced against you or for a new
trial. Those are the grounds speci-
ned by the statute in which you have
q right to speak at this time and you
are at perfect liberty to do so if you
wish"
The prisoner replied: 81 have
nothing to say about that"
The court said: "Are you ready?"
Mr.. Penney replied: EYES,"
Committed the Crime Alone.
"Have you anything to say?" asked
Justice White.
YES" replied the prisoner.
Il think he should be permitted to
make statement in exculpation of
his act if the court please" said Judge
Titus.
The court replied: "That will de-
pend upon what his statement is"
Justice White then said: "Have
yeu. (speaking to Judge Titus), any
thing to say in behalf of the prisoner
et this timer"
Il have nothing to say within the
definition of what your honor has
read" replied the attorney, ''but it
seems to me, in order that the in.
nocent should not suffer by this de.
PENDANTS crime, the court should per.
NIT him to exculpate at least his
father, brother and sisters"
From the court: Certainly, if that