Richmond daily palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1876-1904, 1901-09-25
VERDICT Of JURY
Is That Leon CzolgOsz Is
Guilty of Murder In the
First Degree.
JUSTICE QUICKLY DONE
In Less Than Eight Hours and Hal.
the Trial of the Assassin Is Com
pIeted.
Dramatic Scene In the Court Room at
Buffalo While Waiting a YER
diet.

Buffalo. Sept. 25.-Leon F. Czolgosz,
alias Fred Nieman, was found guilty
of murder in the first degree by
jury In Part III of the supreme court.
In having. ON the 9Th day of Septem-
Der, shot President William Mckinley,
the wounds inflicted afterward result
ing III the death of the president.
The wheels of justice moved swiftly.
The trial of the assassin consumed
eight hours and 26 minutes and coy
cred a period of only two days. Prac-
tically all of this time was occupied
by the prosecution in presenting
case so clear, SO conclusive, that even
had the prisoner entered the plea of
insanity, ii is doubtful if the jury
would have returned a verdict differ
ent from the one rendered
The announcement made yesterday
afternoon by the attorneys for Czol-
gosz that the eminent alienists sum
moued by the Erie County Bar asso
citation and by the district attorney TO
examine Czolgosz and to determine his
exact mental condition had declared
him to be perfectly sane, destroyed the
only stage of defense that Judges
Lewis and Titus could have put to-
gether.
Before adjournment Justice White
announced that he would pronounce
sentence upon the defendant on Thurs
day afternoon at o'clock. The pris-
oner was taken at once through the
tunnel under Delaware avenue, back
to the jail. To all appearances he was
in, Inv ls nf hn
trial The crowd gathered at city hall
yesterday was the largest which has
seen him since his arrangement Peo-
pie We're lined up on both sides of the
big rotunda on the second floor, where
court convened. and ftnged the stairs
leading from the floor above.
At 2:44 yesterday afternoon District
Attorney Penney abruptly announced
that the case OF the prosecution was
ended Judge Lewis arose slowly and.
addressing the court, said that the sud
den close of the case against Czol
gosz was a surprise TO him and his
col1eag que. They had no witness to
call for the defense. He asked the
court that he be allowed TO address the
Jury at once The court assented and
the venerable jurist began an address
that will long be remembered by those
who heard it. Judge Titus said that
Judge Lewis had SO completely COW
cred the ground that II seemed entirely
unnecessary for him to reiterate it,
and he would therefore rest.
At $40 District Attorney Penney be
gan summing up. At the conclusion
of his plea Justice White delivered his
charge TO the jury.
After the jury had retired to consider
the evidence the scene in the court
room became dramatic in the extreme
Decorum was somewhat forgotten and
the spectators stood up and many
walked about the room and engaged in
conversation. The guards about the
assassin. who still sat in his seat be
fore the bench. were doubled. Chief
of Detectives Cusac and two of his
men taking positions Just back of CZol
gosz's chair Others took seats to the
left and right and many plain
clothes" men were seen minsiing
among the crowd surging about the
room closely watching everyone whose
face was not familiar one to them
There was no disposition to crowd
about the prisoner although the object
of everyone seemed to be to get in a
position 70 have a full view of his
face. Czolgosz had been seated in his (
chair all afternoon. his hands clasped
OF the arms of the chair and his head
bent forward and a little TO the left.
The room was not warm. but he fire. +
queutly took his handkerchief from /
his pocket and mopped the perspiration /
from his forehead and cheeks. At no
time during the absence of the jury
did he raise his eyes or lift his head I
or seem to know that he was the object 1
of interest of several hundred men and /
women. Every time the door was
opened all eyes were turned Ia that +
direction. the evident thought in every
mind being that the jury would take
only few minutes 70 agree on a yer
diet. II was 4:35 when the crier
raped fer order and the jury filed .
into the room. The clerk read their
names. each juror responding Pres
ent'' as his name was called No time
was wasted The jurors did not sit
down Addressing them, Justice White
said: Gentlemen. have you agreed .
upon verdictS"
I'VE have" responded Foreman
wendt
What is your verdict:'
THAT the defendant is guilty of muir /
der in the first degree
There was a moment of silence. and F
then a murmur arose from the lips Of .
the crowd. 1t ended there. There was
no handclappins: no cheers. Justice .
Whites voice could be clearly heard 4
in every part of the room when he 4
thanked the Jurors for their work and .
allowed them TO 20. Court adiourZed