Evening star., 1901-09-23
JURY is COMPLETED
Good Progress Being Made in the
Czolgosz Trial.
ME ASSASSIN PLEADS GUILTY
This Changed to the Legal For
ma'ity by Counsel.


BUFFALO,, N. Y, september 2.-Leon
| F. Czolgosz was placed on trial today for
the murder of President Mckinley on Sep
tember g. The trial was in the supreme
| court of Erie county, Judge Truman c.
White presiding.
The trial began at 10 o'clock, but long
before that hour the streets in the vicinity
| of the city hall were the objective of many
, curious persons They were willing to
take chances on being admitted to the
court room, even though they knew that
there were but $50 seats available. The
various entrances to the great building,
with the exception of that on Franklin
street, were closed and guarded. Police
men were everywhere and rigid discipline
was the order of the day Squads Of blue
coated men were stationed on every land
| ing and in double line far outside the
place of entrance to keep back the crowds,
while In station not far away reserves
were ready to reinforce the detail on duty
should the feelings of the people become
| aroused to the extent of rioting. Mounted
officers paced slowly around every side of
the structure and no one was allowed to
stand on the sidewalk for a moment, so
that at no time was the crowd large.
Prisoner Brought Through Tunnel.
No one outside of the building saw the
prisoner as he was taken from his cell to
the court room. His guardians made use
of the Tunnel of Sohs'' under the street
from the Jail to the city hall, and Czolgosz
was brought into the court room only few
moments before the hour set for the open
Ing OF his trial. No person was admitted
10 the building without a pass signed by
the chief of police, and it was necessary
to show this to every policeman on every
landing in and In every corridor.
The officer at the door Of the court room
ytrtln
amined the passes, but scrutinized- the
bearers critically before admitting them to
the room. The interior Of the city hall, as
well as the outside. still bore the somber
forced as BETTING the occasion.
The counsel for Czolgosz, former Supreme
Court justices Loren L. Lewis and Robert
Z. Titus and Carlton E. Ladd, saw him
again this morning before the time for the
opening Of the court, but he had no more
to say to them than on the previous occa-
sions when they have visited him. In view
OF the meagerness of the opportunity for
defense and the fact that the prisoner re-
fuses absolutely to aid them 1t is not i'm
probable that the entire proceedings may
be completed within two days.
insanity the 0air QuessiOsf. .it$ssE'
"The mental condition Of the assassin
will be absolutely the only defense to be
offered" are the words of Judge Titus,
and there is no little expectation that they
will publicly abandon the case today or
tomorrow and merely represent Czolgosz
formally during the trial. As result Of
the examination Of two alienlsts. DR.. Chas.
I. Mcdonald and DR.. Allen McLane Hamil-
ton of New York city, the question of in
sanity Is eliminated from the subjects on
which the defense can rely for support.
Part II Of the supreme court Of Erie
county Is a small room In the south side of
the second floor OF the city hall 1t is
lighted only at the south end by latticed
windows and here the justices bench and
witness stand is placed. On the right of
the room are the jurymen's seats, and they
have an unobstructed view Of the entire
room. There fs no railing in front Of the
5urymen, and the chairs are placed on
platform some six inches above the floor.
The room has high ceiling studded with
drab walls which are scanned with cracks
The inclosure for the bench and bar occu-
pies over one-half Of the floor space, while
the remainder is given over to seats for
the general public. Not over 130 Of the
latter could be accommodated. and these
seats today were mainly occupied by the
men summoned to serve upon the jury
Czolgosz, with his counsel, occupied seats
directly in front Of the Justices bench.
Where the Prisoner Sat.
The prisoners chair was Just back OF
that Of Judge Titus, and deputy sheriffs
with their slaves Of office were placed at
various points in the room and quiet was
enforced upon all. The spectators seats
were filled very slowly, owing to the ex-
treme care shown by the officers in the
corridors in admitting those who applied
and 1t was not until court was announced
that the last one was occupied.
DR.. Allan McLane Hamilton Of New York
city was one Of the first of those connected
with the case to take a position inside OF
the inclosure. DR.. Hamilton, who was the
chief insanity expert at the trial of Gar
fields assassin, Guiteau, occupied a seat
at the table reserved for the prosecution.
District Attorney Penney and his assist
ant, Frederick Haller. were the next to put
in an appearance, and were followed by
Judges Lewis and Titus, counsel for the
prisoner. Just behind them came Mrs. JUS
tice White and her daughter who were
given seats within the inclosure.
At 10 o'clock the formal opening of the
court was announced. Justice Truman c.
White entered through the center aisle and
took his seat upon the bench. The first
business Of the session had no relation to
the case of Czolgosz. 1t consisted merely
of calling the roll of grand jurors for the
coming session. and they were then excused
Clerk of Courts Fisher, after a prelimi-
nary Hear We! Hear yer by the crier,
proceeded with the calling Of the jurors
summoned for the trial Of the Czoigosz
the grand jurors who had previously been
called to leave the room, II they desired,
but only two did SO, the others preferring
to stay and witness the trial.
One Juror Asked to BE Excused.
OF the thirty-six trial jurors called only
one asked to be excused. He had a sawmill
in process of erection, which, he said, must
be finished at once on account Of low water,
and he was excused. Justice White then
requested the other justices of parts one
and two, then In session, not to discharge
their jurors, but to hold them in readi-
ness for an impaneling in the Czolgosz case.
At 1916 there was hustle in the corridor
and a squad of policemen brought in the
prisoner He was handcuffed to an officer
on each side, while in front and behind him 4
walked other uniformed policemen.
The prisoner was attired in new suit of
dark gray, a white shirt and a collar and
light blue bow tie. His face was cleanly
shayen and his hair combed
He sat down behind his counsel with two
officers in plain clothing Immediately in his
rear.
District Attorney Penney proceeded at
once with the reading of the Indictment.
He spoke to Czolgosz In a low voice: In
fact so low that when the prisoner was
asked to plead he seemed not to understand
what had been said.
Justice White asked him. What have
you to say?
There was moments hesitation. Then
the prisoners lips moved as II to make re-
ply, but before he could do % his Junior