Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1901-10-05
TOMB GUARD ATTACKED
Soidie 4. Late Pres den. Res 6
Pr E les TIL ling Sioy.
TWO MEN WERE IN THE PARTY
Wen He G. If 4 Halt 10 Ole MAJ ed fsisst
His Gun 10 Enforce Order, lhe 0aer
Man Stabbed Him With Knife
Only Slightly Wounded.

Buffalo, Sept. 27.--Leon +. Czolgosz
the assassin Of President Mckinley, was
yesterday afternoon sentenced TO be
electrocuted in Auburn state prison
during the week beginning Oct. %.
1861. Before sentence was passed the
assassin evinced desire to speak but
he could not get his voice above a
whisper and his words were repeated
to the court by his counsel
"There was no one else but me-" the
prisoner said in a whisper NO one
else told me to do 1t and no one paid
me to do It, / was not told anything
about the crime and / never thought
anything about that until a couple of
days before / committed the crime. :"
Czolgosz sat down. He was quite
calm, but 1t was evident that his mind
was flooded with thoughts of his own
distress. His eyes were dilated, maxi
ing them appear very bright. His
cheeks were trifie pale and his out
stretched hand trembled The guards
put the handouts on his wrists. He
looked at one of the officers. There
was an expression of the profoundest
fear and helplessness in his eyes. He
glanced about at the people who
crowded there in efforts to get look
at him The prisoners eyelids rose and
fell TREMENDOUSLY and then he fixed his
gaze upon the floor in front OF him.
The prisoner was brought into the
roomsat five minutes to two. Five min
utes later Justice White took his place
upon the bench.
Clerk Fisher swore the prisoner and
his record was taken by the district at
torney as follows:
Age, % years; nativity, Detroit; resi-
denee, Broadway, Nowaks, Buffalo
Occupation, laborer. Married or single
single. Degree of ducation-common
school. and parochial. Religious in
struction-Catholic. Parents-father
living, mother dead. Temperate or in
temperate-temperat Former convic-
ton of crime-none.
Before sentence was pronounced the
court. at Judge Titus request, permit
ted Czolgosz to make statement in
which he exculpated his father, broth
ers and sisters from all knowledge of
his crime The prisoner said: Il never
told anyone about the crime and never
intended to commit it until couple OF
days before its comm ssion =
Thep Justice White passed sentence
as follows:
"In taking the life of our beloved
president you committed crime which
shocked and outraged the moral sense
of the civilized world. You have con-
fessed that guilt and after learning all
that at this time can be learned from
the facts and circumstances of the
case, twelve good jurors have pro-
nounced you guilty and have found
you guilty of murder in the first de-
gree.
You have said, according to the tes-
timony OF creditable witnesses and
yourself that no other person aided or
abetted you in the commission of this
terrible act God grant it may be so.
The penalty for the crime for which
you stand convicted is fixed by this
statute and 1t now becomes my duty
to pronounce this judgment against
you.
THE sentence of the court is that
in the week beginning Oct. %. 1901. at
the place, in the manner and means
prescribed by law, you suffer the pun
ishment of death"
The death warrant signed by Justice
White is addressed to the agent and
warden of Auburn state prison and
directs him to execute the sentence of
the court within the walls of the prison
on some day during %e week begin
ming Oct. 2S, next, by causing ito pass
through the body of the said Leon F.
Czolgosz a current of electricity Of suf-
ficient intensity to cause death and
that the application of the said cur
rent of electricity be continued until
he. the said Leon F. Czolgosz, be dead