Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1901-09-26
Indications That the Trial Of CzOlSOSl
Will Be Short.
FIRST ENTERS PLEA OF GUILTY
This by Order of the Court is Changed TO
Not Guilty"-NO TeehniealitleS
InterpOsed to Hinder the Sc
lection of jury.

Buffalo. Sept. 23.-Leon F. Czolgosz
was placed on trial this morning chargeo
with the murder of President Mckinley
He entered a plea of guilty" which was
subsequently changed to mot guilty" Oy
direction Of the court.
All the events of the day indicated that
the trial will be short. Court convened
at 10 O'Clock. Within two hours eight
jurors had been secured. TechnicaltleS
w.re not raised by examining counsel, but
|. was significant that every man who SAID
he had not formed an opinion on the case
WIS excused by the district attorney,
Those who acknowledged they had formed
an opinion. or stated that they were pre-
indeed. but admitted that their opinion
could be changed by evidence, were ac'
cepted by each side.
Justice Truman c. White, one OF the
oldest and most experienced OF the su'
preme court judges, was on the Oench'
immediately after the opening OF the
court. and after the prisoner had pleaded
Justlce Lewis, senior counsel for the de-
ferdant. announced that together with his
colleague. former Justice Robert q. Iltus'
and MIR. Carlton E. Ladd, they were ready
to act in behalf of the prisoner.
STATEMENT BY JUSTICE LEWIS.
"I thought it best" he said, "for my
colleagues and myself, that l should say
something regarding our presence here as
attorneys for the defendant At tue time
nv name was suggested was out OF tne
citv an d knew nothing of what was trans
piring here with reference to the selection
of counsel for the defendant. When the
circumstances of my selection were told
me I was extremely reluctant to accept
But the duty had been imposed and l
considered it my duty, in all the clrcum'
stances to defend this man.
"I ask that NO evidence be presented
bere-that the court will not permit the
acceptance of any evidence-unless 1t
would be proper to accept at the trial OF
the most meager criminal in the land"
.I am familiar with these circumstan'
ces :" said Justice White in reply, land l
wish to say will give you every assurance
that the prisoner will have fair and I'M
partial 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 CELEBRITY that was
amazing. Before the day was over the
entire panel had been sworn, the jurors
had listened to a description OF the lem
ple of Music where the crime occurred,
had seen photographs Of the interior OF
that structure and had been told by three
g s,roeons what caused the death OF the
President, and the effect of the assassin s
shot upon the verious organs OF the Dooy'
They had also learned why thefatal Dulle'
had not been located.
The presentation Of the government
case began shortly before O'Clock, when
Assistant District Attorney Halier began
with much dellberation, to address the
Jury. He spoke very briefly.
Owe shall show" said he, "that, tol
some DAYS prior to the shooting this de
fendant had premeditated the shooting o
the President. He knew that on the sixth
day of September the President woulC
receive the populace in the Temple o
Music: that on that day he went to tn
Exposition, got into line with the people
and approached the President; that b
had weapon concealed in bis hand, an
as the President extended his hand, i
kindly greeting, he fred the fatal shot,
"He fred twice, in fact. One OF ther
took effect in the abdomen and cause
that mortal wound which resulted in tn
Presidents death. That in brief, is th
story we shall show you. Witnesses WI
tell YOU this story, and l am sure thu
when you have heard the evidence 20
will have 10 difficulty in reaching We
dict of murder in the first degree"
The first witness, Samuel j. Fields, Chi
enoineer of the Pan-American ExpositoI
described the ground floor plan OF tt
Temple of Music, and was followed b
Perry A. Bliss, photographer, who pr
sented views of the interior of the bull
ING. The remainder Of the afternoon WI
taken up with the testimony of three pm
sicians, two of whom had attended Il
President during his last days. while Il
other performed the autopsy.
The prisoner, Czolgosss during tt
morning, evinced no interest whatever
the proceedings. but as the testimony "
introduced he paid more attention to wh
was said, and looked at the various W
nesses closely.
DIR. MYNTER TESTIFIES.