The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-09-08
AT HOME.
Interview with the StepmOther-Let-
ters from the Anarchist.

CLEVELAND, O., Sept. 7.-Leon Czol-
gOsz, the would-be assassin of President
Mckinley, is the son of Paul Czolgosz, who
it is said now lives at 36 Fleet street, this
city. Other members of the family are
John, who lives at home with his father
and stepmother; Mike, a soldier now serv-
ing in the Philippines; VladiOlan, who is
on his fathers farm located on the
Chagrin Falls suburban line. and Jacob, Of
Marcellane avenue. The family is Polish
and are evidently very poor, the father
having left home Saturday morning look
ing for employment. The stepmother cam
not speak English. but gave out the fol-
lowing interview through the medium of
an interpreter: Leon left home about
sixty days ago. We heard from him a few
weeks ago. He was then in Indiana
and wrote to us that he was going away,
stating that in all probability we would
not see him again.
Perhaps to no one else is the would-be as
sassin of the President more of a surprise
than 10 those who know the reckless young
man in this city and vicinity. Leon CzolgOsz
resided in the far southeast end of this
city for six years or more. Those who
knew him cannot understand how he ever
plucked up the necessary nerve TO do his
daring deed. The unhappy inmate of a
home from which his mother had been
taken by death, he never got along very
well with his fathers second wife and
acted more or less the stubborn boy in his
relations with her. During this time his
father lived on a farm with his large family
of seven boys and two girls. Leon was not
active in farm work, seeming not to care
for the drudgery incident to the life.
Shortly after coming to this city fifteen
years ago, Icons father started a saloon,
in the rear of which was a small build
ing used as a rendezvous and meeting place
for a dozen or fifteen men who called them
selves Anarchists. Leon was too young
to be a member Of that gang, but he was a
great listener to the harangues that these
men INDUCED in and they probably had
some effect on his youthful mind. Leon
worked in a rolling mill for several years,
but the work was too hard for him and he
left to go on his fathers farm. Lung
trouble developed and this soon incapaci-
tated him from doing the severe work Of
agricultural life and he finally became
more or less of an idler; his health never
gaming robust condition. His efeminacy
was the cause OF more or less comment
among his acquaintance, Leon making
his companions largely among children
with whom he spent a greater part Of his
time acting as they acted and being shy
at the approach of older persons. His health
was llOuSnI 10 De SuCl as TO forbid his
working hard and being Of a sensitive ma
ture he could not bear TO be dependent
upon the efforts of the other members Of
his family, all of whom were hard workers
Consequently, he left home and became a
wanderer. The last definite information
from him was a letter written in red ink
received from West Seneca, y. Y, written
on the 18th of July. That letter was writ
ten TO the secretary of a fraternal society
in Cleveland, and was for the purpose of
paying his monthly assessment. So far "a
his folks knew he has been nowhere else
than in West Seneca since that date.
The idea OF a plot being Matched in this
city 10 Kill the President Is not given seri-
! Gus thought by the police nor by those who
have known CZOlgosz for the past ten
years. They regard his desperate deed as
the result or q sudden Inspiration 10 do
something TO attract public notice. and
| perhaps having been inspired by what he
had heard at various times during his
younger years. Czolgosz was looked upon
as being a harmless fellow by Those who
knew him best. Among his own brothers
and sisters he was considered strange"
and a sister-in-law not long ago commented
upon his childish conduct. He has a
brother Jacob who was injured by an ex-
plosiOn at the Sandy Hook navy yard a
couple OF years ago and who has since been
retired on pension. His recent letters TO
HIS family indicated nothing unusual in his
line of thought. Recently the farm which
his father owned. a few miles southeast
OF this city, was sold, and Icons share
OF the proceeds are still retained by the
father. waiting for them TO be claimed by
Leonard had no amusements common to
persons OF his years, contenting himself
with playing with the children Of the neigh
oorhood, and so constant was this practice
that a sister-in-law asked her husband.
What IS the matter with Leon: he nlavs
with no one but children and ne acts like
a child"
Portraits Of the assailant printed TODAY
show a young man with a bright-lookfnE
face, almost innocent in it's expression.
His features are ordinary In contour. and
he would pass as a goOd-looking young
is boyish in appearance. His eyes are large
and bright-lOOking; his nose and mouth
regular in form. and his hair is plentiful
and nicely combed back in a semf-pompa-
dour style. The consensus of opinion in
| Cleveland is that the shooting of President
Mckinley by this young man is not the
result OF. a premeditated plot Of which he
was a part. but rather the sudden inspira-
ton of a not oVerstrOng mind. The young
mans father returned home to-day.
II is innate that there are over q
thousand Anarchists III the city of Cleve-
land. They have in the past few wears
adopted the plan Of meeting i'm small
coteries or clubs at the private residences
OF members. These meetings are said 10
be more or less of the secret order. They
are much wrought UP over the attemDt on
the life OF the President. and loudly declare
the act as unnecessary and uncalled for.
4. u. Eberhardt is probably the most prom
inent OF the avowed Anarchists OF the city.
I, He is somewhat OF a character. having
been prominently brought 10 the notice OF
the authorities a short time ago in his
successful defiance Of the United States
authorities IN the matter OF the collection
or the war stamp tax upon his loan cou-
' Dons. Ebefhardt conducts a loan business