The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1901-09-27
JURY SECURED AND INTRODUCTION
OF EVIDENCE BEGUN.
THE DEFENDANT PLEADS GUILTY
The Court Declines to Recetv This
Plea and Orders the Plea OF Not
Guilty to be Entered-Three OF the
Doctors in Attendance on Mr.. Nc
Kinley Fxamined-They Describe the
Wounds and the ear for the
The Autopsy.

Buffalo, N. Y, september 23.-Lfon
F. Czolgosz was placed on trial this
morning, charged with the murder of
President William Mckinley. He en-
tered a plea of guilty" which was sub
sequently changed to mot guilty. by
direction of the court.
All the events of the day indicated
that the trial will be short.
The court convened at 10 O'Clock.
Within two hours eight jurors had been
secured. Technicalities were not raised
by examining counsel. but it was sig
nificant that every man VIC said he
had not formed an opinion on the case
was excused by the district attorney.
Those who acknowledged they had
formed an opinion or stated that they
were prejudiced. but admitted hat
their opinion could be changed by evil
dence, were accepted by each side.
Justice Truman C.. White. one of the
oldest and most experienced of the SUI
preme court judges. was on the bench.
Immediately after the opening of the
court and after the prisoner had plead
ed, Justice Loran l.. Lewis. senior coun-
sci for the defendant. announced that
together with his colleagues, former
Justice Robert c. Titus and Mr.. Carl
ton E. Ladd. they were ready to act in
behalf of the prisoner. Il thought is
best" he said. for my colleagues and
myself that / should say something re-
garding u presence here as attorneys
for the defendant. At the time my
name was suggested / was out of the
city and knew nothing of what was
tranSpiring here with reference to the
selection of counsel for the defendant.
n A. of NV Gn1no-
ton were told to me I was extremely
reluctant to accept; but the duty a
been imposed and I considered it my
duty, in all the circumstances, to de-
fend this man.
Il ask that no evidence me presented
here-that the court will not permit
the acceptance of any evidence unless
it would be accepted at the trial of he
most meagre criminal in the land"
II am familiar with these circum-
stances" said Justice White in reply,
land 1 wish to say 1 will give you
every assurance that the prisoner will
have a fair and impartial trial, and
that during the progress of the trial
he will receive such treatment as the
law demands in any criminal case"
The work of securing the jurors was
then undertaken with a celebrity that
was amazing. Before the day was over
the entire panel had been sworn, the
Jurors had listened to a description OF
the Temple of Music where the crime
occurred, had seen photographs of the
interior of that structure, and had been
told by three surgeons what caused the
death of the president n the effect of
the assassin'S shot upOn the various
organs of the body. They had also
learned why the fatal bullet had not
been located.
The presentation of the governments
4o-a hnUon Chnrt1U hnf0rn . O'clock
when Assistant District Attorney Hal
Ter began, with elaboration, to adj
dress the jury. He spoke very brif1y.
1--WE shall show said he that, for
some days prior to the shooting this
defendant had premeditated the shoot
ing of the president. He knew that
on the 9Th Of September the president
would receive the populace in the Tenn
pie of Music; that on that day ne went
to the exposition, got into line with the
people and approached the president;
that he had a weapo conce2Ied in his
hand and as the president extended
his hand in kindly greeting he fired the
fatal shot.
HE fired twice, in fact. One of them
took effect in the abdomen and caused
that mortal wound which resulted in
the presidents death. That in brief, is
the story we shall show you. Wit
nesses will tell you this story, and l
am sure that when you have heard
the evidence o will have no difficulty
in reaching a verdict OF murder In the
first dCgre.
The first witness, Samuel j. Fields,
chief engineer of h Pan-American
exposition. described the ground hoor
plan of the Temple Of Music and was
followed by Perry A. Bliss, a phctog-
hopher, who presented views OF the IN
terror of the building. The remainder
of the afternoon was taken up with the
testimony Ct three physicians, two or
whom had attended the president DUR
ing his last days, while the other per-
formed the autopsy.
The prisoner, CZolgosz, during the
morning evidenced no interest what
ever in the proceedings, but as the tes-
timony was introduced he pa1d more
attention to what was said and looked
at the various witnesses closely.
The probable duration of the tr1al.
it is believed, car be placed at two full
days.
When District Attorney Penny was
asked by Justice White at noon as TO
the time he would take in the preSen-
tation of his case, he declared that ne
would conclude by Tuesday noon
Judge Titus, for the defense, was non
committal, however, and merely re-
piled: That depends upon the turn
things take"
III is HUI OOoOA
will he put in, owing to the character
of the prisoner and his refusal to help
his attorneys in any way to procure
evidence which they could use In ms
favor. The idea OF an atteHpl "
enter the question of his sanity is not
thought of in view Of h report Oh Ine
two alienists who have recentiy eA-
amined him and there is ground LOT .hS
belief that the trial will be concIuoeu
with a session of but one a more.
The jury is composed as 1onows;
Frederick V. Lauer, plumber;
T Garwood, street railway foreman
uanrv Wendt, manufacturer; SIas
GARNER farmer; James S. Stygai'
humber: William Lotion, farmer; wal
ter p. Everett. blacksmith; BenJamlh
T RaIph bank cashier; Samuel z. wal
a. farTner. Andrew ]. Smith, dealer In
butter and eggs; Joachim h Mertens'
shoe dealer; Robert j. Adams, contrac-
tor.
THE AUTOPSY
1--I4~I nT Rllr1alO.