The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1901-09-26
CZoLGoSZ CONVICTED
ASSASSIN OF PRESIDENT M,KIN.
LEY FOUND GUILTY OF WILL.
Full MURDER.
TRIAL LASTED TWO DAYS

Addressed the Jury in the Prisoners
Behalf ana District Attorney Pen.
ney Summed Up for the State,
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 Sept. 6 shot President Will
lam Mckinley, the wounds inflicted
afterwards resulting in the death of
the president.
The wheels Of justice moved swiftly.
The trial of the assassin consumed
hours and 26 minutes and covered
period Of only two days. Practically
all of this time was occupied by the
prosecution in presenting a case so
clear, so conclusive that even had the
prisoner entered plea of insanity it
is doubtful if the jury would have re-
turned verdict different from the one
rendered.
The announcement made by the at
torneys for Czolgosz that the eminent
alienists summoned by the Erie Coun-
~ Bar association 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 a defense
have put together.
Before adjournment Justice White
announced that he would pronounce
t1@ IoEo IN.
day afternoon at o'clock. The pris-
oner was taken at once through the
tunnel under Delaware avenue back to
in no way affected by the result of the
trial.
The crowd gathered at city hall was
his arraignment People were lined
on the second floor, where court con-
from the floor above. There was no
ity. A large number of women wit
messed the days proceedings.
State Rests Its Case.
At 2:44 p. m. District Attorney Pen
y
OF the prosecution was ended. Judge
Lewis arose slowly, and, addressing
the court said that the sudden close
of the case against Czolgosz was a
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 assented and the venerable
jurist began an address that will long
be remembered by those who heard it,
Judge Lewis said in part:
"Gentlemen of the Jury-A calamity
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. If an insane man, it is
not murder and he should be acquitted
CT that charge. He. would then, of
course, be transferred to an asylum.
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 it's citizens that it will
not permit man to, plead guilty of
this crime of murder, so that, even
after he had conceded his guilt in this
case, it 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.
Object Lesson to the World.
"Now it is the duty of every Amer
lean citizen or every good man to
stand firmly by the law, and put his
voice against any idea that a man
should be punished for any crime until
he is proved guilty in court. beyond
any reasonable doubt.
This trial here is great object
Lesson to the world. Here is a case
where man has stricken down the
beloved president of this country, in
broad daylight, in the presence of
hundreds Of thousands of spectators.
II there was ever "a case that would
excite the anger, the wrath of those
who saw it. this was one, and yet
under the advice Of the president, :let
no man hurt him. he was taken, con-
fined in our prison, indicted, put upon
trial here and the case is soon to be
submitted to you, as to whether he is
guilty of the crime charged against
him
Here was a man occupying an ex-
Gited position, a man of irreproachable
character; he was a man who had
come here to assist us in promoting
the prosperity of our great exposi-
ton. And he was shot down while
holding a reception.
His death has touched every heart
in this community and in the whole
world, and yet we sit here and Quietly
consider whether this man was re-
sponsible for the act he committed,
That question is one you are called to
decide.
Defense Presents No Evidence.
"The law presumes the defendant
innocent until he is proven guilty and
we start with the assumption that the
defendant was not mentally RESPONSE
bic for the crime he committed. We
have not been able to present any evil
dence upon our part. The defendant
has even refused on almost every &C.
caSiOn To talk with his cO,,ncol uo