Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1901-09-26
HE CONFESSES PLOT
TO KILL M'KINLEY
PRISONER IN ST. LOUIS SAYS He
FIXED HANDKERCHIEF
FOR MURDERER.

ST. LOUIS. Sept. A.-Ed Saftig, who
was arrested this morning at one of the
dry goods stores here on the charge of
petty larceny. is believed to be an ac-
complete of Czolgosz.
When taken before Chief of Detectives
Desmond he made a confession in which
he is said to have given all the details
OF the plot to assassinate President Nc
Kinley.
The details OF this confession have not
been made public In his confession SAT-
ug, 1t is stated. duplicates FraNk Harri~
gan, Of the Dewey hotel, Philadelphia.
in the plot. Saftig says that on the
Monday previous TO the assassination of
President Mckinley Harrigan met him
and Emma Goldman in the Michelobe sa-
loon in this city and arranged the de-
tails of the murder.
The confession is now being made be-
hind closed doors.
Saftig. Chief Desmond says, declares he
was present in Buffalo at the time of
President McKinley's assassination and
tied the handkerchief about the hand in
which Czolgosz carried the revolver.
The waiter in a restaurant who says he
knows the man under arrest has just ap-
peared at the office Of The t-Dispatch
and says Saftig was not in Buffalo the
day of the murder
The police are investigating.
Saftig was arrested Monday afternoon
on suspicion of having stolen articles
valued at 81 from a department store.
This morning Chief Desmond was talking
TO Safug In his outer Office, when de-
tective remarked the striking resemblance
the prisoner had for Czolgosz. Saftig
said that he had on more than one occas-
ion been taken for the assassin.
The chief Immediately took him into
his private Office and sweated him for
several hours. Saftig told Chief Desmond
that he would tell all he knew regarding
the plot to kill the president.
1T was on Monday before the president
was killed that / first knew anything
was TO happen in anarchistic circles
said Saftig. "On that date Frank Harri-
gan. an anarchist, made an appointment
for me to meet him at the Niche Lob sa-
loon In this city.
''Harrigan told me that he wanted me
to go to Buffalo with him. He said that
there was a man to be killed. prominent
man. asked him who 1t was. He told
me to wait and / would see. / consented
to go and we left here Tuesday and reach
ed Buffalo Wednesday evening late. Har-
rigan gave me $50 and paid my way there
and gave me a return ticket TO Sc. Louis.
when we got to Buffalo we went to
boarding house where we saw Czolgosz.
CzoIgosz told me that he intended to kill
the president.
This was fixed up the same way. Har-
rsgan was to meet US at the grounds and
he was to be Immediately back Of Czol-
gosz to prevent any interference.
cat the gate 1 weakened 1 told col
gosz that / would go back and get Harri-
gan to do what had been laid out for me.
never saw Czolgosz again.
At the boarding house met HaTrigan.
He told me that he had not been on the
grounds when the murder took place.
feared to take a train for ST. Louis for
fear Of being detained. tramped it part
OF the way and beat my way on trains 1t
took me four days to get back"
Saftig says he was born in Cologne. He
has lived in many cities Of the United
States He was present, he stated at
meeting of anarchists at Paterson, n. ]
in 1898. when the assassination Of King
Humbert of Italy was planned. Saftig
said that Harrigan presided over that
meeting.
He said he had gone to Niagara Falls
with that view, but failed He was to
make another attempt soon. Harrigan
told him that he had better postpone 1t.
HE said that there were so many peo-
pie present that it was a sure thing that
he would be caught. Czolgosz said he did
not care If he was caught. He said he
would shoot the president where all peo-
pie would know why he was killed.
''Harrigan told him to go ahead. II
money could save him he would be saved.
On Friday morning CZolgosz told me this
was the day that the killing was to take
place. He asked me to tie a handkerchief
around his hand. did so and he placed
a revolver in his hand under the handker-
chief He asked me If could see that
there was a weapon in his hand. said
that I could not.
Then he told me that 1 was to go to
the Temple of Music. 1 was TO nix up my
hand the same as had fixed his. II the
guards allowed me to get by he would
have no trouble in getting BY. But II they
stopped me he would not try
''That afternoon we went out as he sug-
gested. 1 tied the handkerchief about his
hand.