Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1901-09-12
HARRISON CERTAIN
THERE WAS A PLOT
Mayor Of Chicago Believes Anar-
chists ofThat CityWers in
Conspiracy
szoLGosz's WEAPON AS A cLEu
Mayer Thinks the Fact 7hn. He Used .
Derringer Goes Far to Show There
Was . Conspiracy-Would Make
Such Attacks Treason.

Chicago Sept. 11.-Mayor Harrison Is
firmly convinced that the attempted as
sassination of President Mckinley was
the result of a plot.
In regard the Derringer feature of
the attack upon the president" said
the mayor. "as the strongest evidence
OF conspiracy. Not one man in five
thousand would buy derringer to COM
nit crime. Yet for such an act it Is
the best possible weapon. have
handled firearms since | was boy, and
have never been without three or four
weapons in my house, yet never saw
but one derringer in my life, one that
my father owned.
An ignorant Pole. such as this an
archist Is supposed to be- would not
have thought of derringer or would
not have known of such a weapon. In
his confession he says: Had I not been
caught. | would have fired again Yet
he had discharged the second and last
cartridge in his weapon. This remark
of his shows that he was unfamiliar
with the weapon with which he shot
the president.
1T is my theory that others bought
the weapon for him and planned the
attack
Now with regard to these anarchists
we have arrested in Chicago: The most
suspicious thing in my mind is that
with singular unanmity they state
that they took Czolgosz for spy when
he was in Chicago. They all point out
that in the anarchist paper a warming
was issued against this man.
DIR. Taylor has informed me that
sCzolgosz now confesses that he was in
Chicago with the Isaaks on August 1S.
In previous statements he would not
admit to being in Chicago later than
July. We are working on this case and
Will get to the bottom OF it. / doubt,
however, If we can establish any close
connection between Szolgosz and the
Chicago anarchists.
How kell Treat tho Anarchists.
In the future we will deal with an
archists in Chicago as we have in the
past. We will keep them under strict
surveillance and Will stop rabid
speeches and publications.
Anarchy seems to thrive on strict
regulations. The countries in Europe
which direct the greatest energies
toward SURPRISING this class have the
most trouble. The best plan is to pur-
sue a medium course. We will get the
best results by working against these
people with the least possible appear
ance of activity.
II certainly believe that an attack
on the president Of the United States
should be made treason and be made
punishable by death. 1 would favor
leglSlat1on to that END. IN general
believe that the penalty for assault
with intent to kill is too light.
"A man attacks another With intent
to kill and succeeds, and is punished
by death. Another man attacks with
intent to kill and does not succeed in
his design and he gets off with ten
years. Yet the intent is as great; there
is just as much murder in the heart of
one man as in the heart of another.
believe that the intent should govern
the punishment.
Suppose President Garfield had not
died but, thanks to his good constitu-
ton, had survived for the rest of his
life cripple: In such a case Guiteau
would have escaped with a few years
in prison. The medical skill and the
strong constitution of the man Guiteau
sought to kill would have saved the
assassin. 1t is like putting a premium
upon a man with Il strong constitu-
tiON.''