The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1901-11-01
CZ0LG0SZ'S EXECUTION
THE ELEGTR0CUTlON SUCCESSFULLY
PERFORMED.
CONDUCT IN THE DEATH CHAIR
SurDasses That OF Former Criminals,
Cooiness and Nerve Couversinc
With the Witnesses While Being
strapped Down-Refused Request to
Make a Statement Result of the
Autopsy-Body Buried and Covered
with Acid TO Produce Rapid Destruc-
tion-The Grave Unmarked

With Acid to Produce Rapid Destruc-
ton-The Grave Unmarked
Auburn, October 29.-At 1920 o'clock
TINS morning Leon f. Czolgosz. mur-
derer of President William Mckinley.
pald the extreme penalty exacted by the
law for his crime. He was shocked to
death by LOO volts of electricity He
went to the chair in exactly the same
manner as have the majority of mur-
ders in this state, showing no particu-
lar sign Of fear, but in fact, doing what
few of them have done-talking to the
witnesses while he was being strapped
in the chair.
Czolgosz retired last night at 10
CLOCK and slept so soundly that when
warden Mead went to the cell shortly
before o'clock this morning the guard
inside had to shake Czolgosz to awaken
MIN. He sat up on the edge of his
cot and made no reply to the warden's
greeting of good morning"
| The prison official took from his
pocket the death warrant and read it
slowly and distinctly to the assassin.
who hardly raised his eyes during the
| perfunctory ceremony.
Just as the warden stepped away
from the cell door Czolgosz called to
MIN and said: Il would like to talk
with the superintendent"
The warden responded: He will be
| down presently"
Then the condemned man rolled over
on MS cot apparently anxious to sleep
again.
S.1S ~
him pair of dark trousers with the
left leg slit so as to allow the free ap-
| pl1catlon of the electrode and light
grey outing shirt. He was told to get
up and put these on, which he did
| Contrary to the usual custom, he was
given new pair of shoes. When dress
| ed he laid down on the cot again and
In this attitude superintendent Collins
found him at $50 o'clock when he went
down to visit him. The superintendent
stood in front of the steel bars and
when the guard had called Czolgosz S
attention, he said: Il want to make a
statement before you kill me-"
What do you wish to say, Czolgos,z
asked the superintendent.
| i want to make it when there are
lot of people present. I want them
to hear me- said the prisoner.
We'll, you cannot" said the super
intendent.
"Then I wont talk at ALL" said the
prisoner sullenly.
After the superintendent had left the
guards brought Czolgoszs breakfast
| consisting of coffee, toast, eggs and
bacon and he ate with quite a good
deal Of relish. While he was partakine
of this, the witnesses We're gathering
in the office Of warden Mead and al
1905 o'clock the procession passed tc
the death chamber, going through the
| long south corridor.
| In the chamber of electrician Davis
| and former warden Thayer, of Danna.
. mora, had hanged the chair test, plac-
ing bank of twenty-five incandescen1
lights across the arms and connecting
the electrode wires at either end. The
witnesses were ordered seated and ther
warden Mead briefly addressed then
saying:
You are here to witness the lega
death of Leon F CZolgosz. I desire thai
you keep your seats and preserve abso
lutte silence in the chamber, no matter
what may transpire. There are plenty
of guards and prison officials to pre-
serve order and attend to the proper
, details"
The prison physician, DR.. Germ ant
Dr. Carlos F. Mcdonald, of New York
took position to the left of the chair
Warden Mead stood directly in from
and electrician Davis retired to the lit
tie room containing the electrical switch
board. Thayer gave the signal and tht
current was turned through the electric
lights, flooding the chamber with bril-
liant light and dramatically shown.
the power that was used to kill th
/. prisoner.
, Warden Mead gave the signal to hav,
the prisoner brought in and at 7:101
. o'clock chief keeper Tupper swung opel
, the big steel door leading to the con
; demned cells and as the steel bars be
. hind which Czolgosz had been KEEP
We're swung aside two guards marched
the prisoner out into the corridor, tw'
others following and the chief keepe
walking in front
| The guards on either side of CZolgos
had hold of his arm as if either to sup
port him or to keep him from making
> ! a demonstration. AS he stepped owe
the Threshold, he stumbled, but the!
held him up and as they urged him for
ward toward the chair he stumbled
again on the little rubber covered plat
form upon which the chair rests. Hi
head was erect, and with his gray fan
mel shirt turned back at the neck, h
looked quite boyish. He was intensel.
pale and as he tried to throw his heat
, back and carry himself erect his chil
quivered very perceptibly.
AS he was being seated he looked
about at the assembled witnesses will
quite a steady stare and said:
'I killed the president because he wa!
an enemy of the good people-of th'
working people"
His voice trembled slightly at first
, but gained strength with each word anC
he spoke perfect English.
. It am not sorry for my crime" h,
said loudly, just as the guard pushed
his head back on the rubber head-res
and drew the strap across his forehead
, and chin. AS the pressure on th'
straps frightened and bound the jaw
slightly he mumbled:
I'm awfully sorry that / could no
see my father"
1t was just exactly I'll o'clock wheI
. he crossed the threshold, but minut'
!. had elapsed and he had just finished
the last statement when the strappint