The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1901-09-27


posz. alias Fred Nieman, was found
guilty of murder in the first degree
by a Jury In part Of the supreme
court in having, on the 9Th day OF Sep
tember, shot President William Nc
Kinley, the wounds inflicted after
wards resulting in. the death Of. the
president.
The wheels Of justice moved swift
". The trial Of the assassin con-
sumed about eight hours and about
rs minutes, and covered period OF
only about two days. Practically all
Of this time was occupied by the pros
ecution In presenting case SO clear,
so conclusive that even had the pris-
oner entered the plea Of insanity 1t
is doubtful II the jury would have re-
turned verdict different from the
one rendered.
Declared czoIsosz Sane.
The announcement by the attorneys
for Czolgosz that the eminent alien
lists summoned by the Erie County
Bar association and by the district
attorney to examine CZolgosz and to
determine his exact mental condition
Rad declared him to be perfectly
zane, destroyed the only stage OF a
aefense that Judges Lewis and Titus
could have put together.
Before adjournment Judge White
announced that he would pronounce
sentence upon the defendant Thurs
day afternoon at 2 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 no way affected by the result
Of the trial.
About 2:44 Tuesday afternoon DIS
trict Attorney Penney abruptly an.
nounced that the case of the prose-
'cution was ended. Judge Lewis arose
slowly, and, addressing the court said
that the sudden close Of the case
against Czolgosz was surprise to
him and his colleague. 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
consented. Judge Lewis said in part:
Gentlemen Of the Jury: A calam-
fly has fallen upon this nation
through the act Of this man, but the
question is whether his act was the
act OF an insane man. II an insane
man, 1t Is not murder and he should
be acquitted of that charge. He
would then, of course, be transferred
to an asylum.
much discussion has occurred In
our midst and has been called to my
attention, as to the propriety of any
defense being interposed in this case.
Many letters have been received by
me since l was assigned with my as
sociate to defend this man, question.
ing the propriety of defense being
attempted. You gentlemen know, per.
haps. how Judge Titus and myself
came into this case. The position was
not sought by us. but we appear here
In performance of duty which we
thought devolved upon uc. notwith.
standing 1t was an exceedingly disa-
greeable one.
Gentlemen, when they become
members of the legal profession. be-
come members Of the court. They
are compelled, II assigned, to defend
a criminal or rather the one who Is
charged with crime. They are com
PEELED to respond and accept the duty
unless they can present some reason
form that duty, they are guilty OF q
misdemeanor and are liable to pun.
ishmcnt by the court.
Guilty Plea Not Accepted.
"You sat here and listened to the
defendants plea of guilty when he
was arraigned at the opening Of this
term, but the law Of our state will not
permit him to plead guilty to such a
crime as this. The law Is SO careful
Of the rights Of its citizens that 1t will
not permit a man to plead guilty to
this crime of murder, so that. even
after he had conceded his guilt In
this case 1t was incumbent upon the
court to insist that the trial should
proceed and that the people should
establish beyond a reasonable doubt
that the defendant was guilty Of the
crime charged against him.
There are In our country individ'
uals. not, hope, in very large num-
bers, but we know they are scattered
all over the country, who think that
in case Like this, or even in charges
of much less degree, It Is entirely
proper that the case should be dis
1osed of by lynch or mob law. We
IAN hardly take UP paper without
we learn that in some part of this
free and Independent country some
man has been murdered on the sus.
ricion or belief that he was guilty
of some crime. This state Of things
does not exist In our community, but
1t does In some parts OF our state, as
every intelligent man knows.
1T Is charged here that our client
IL an anarchist. man who does not
believe In any law or In any form of
government And there are, so we
are told. other individuals who enter.
tain that OniniOu We all faal that
such doctrines are dangerous, are
criminal. are doctrines that will sub.
.nre allowed to prevail?
"Gentlemen of the Jury, while l be
1ieve firmly In that. do not heliove
it creates Z danger to this country
equal 70 tHe belie6, becoming 70 com