The news & observer., 1901-10-30
HIS BRAIN Is tXAMINED1
And the Physicians Find That it Was
Not Diseased and That Czolgosz Was
Therefore Sane and Responsible. The
Body Of the Assassin Buried After
Acid Had Been Poured Over it With
View to It's Quick Destruction.
(By the Associated Press.)

Auburn, N. Y, Oct. 29.-At 1920
o'clock this morning Leon Czolgosz, muir
derer of President William Mckinley,
paid the extreme penalty exacted by. the
law for his crime. He was shocked to
death by 1,700 volts Of electricity He
went to the chair in exactly the same
manner as have the majority of murder
ers in this State, showing no particular
sign of fear, but in fact doing what few
of them have done--talking to the wit
nesses while he was being strapped in the
chair.
Czogosz retired last night at 10 o'clock
and slept SO soundly that when Warden
Mead went to the cell shortly before
o'clock this morning the guard inside had
TO shake Czolgosz to awaken him. He sat
up on the edge of his cot and made no
reply to the Warden's greeting of Good
morning"
The prison official took from his pocket
the death warrant and read it slowly and
distinctly to the assassin who hardly
raised his eyes during the> perfunctory
ceremony. Just as the warden stepped
away from the cell door Czolgosz called TO
him and said Il would like to talk with
the superintendent"
The warden responded: "He will be
down presently
Then the condemned man rolled over on
his cot apparently anxious to sleep again.
At 5:15 however, the guard brought to
him pair of dark trousers with the left
leg slit SO as to allow the free applica
= ,tion of the electrode, and a light gray
outing shirt. He was told to get up and
put these on. which he did
Contrary to the usual custom he was
given new pair of shoes. When dressed
he lay down on the cot. again and in this
attitude superintendent Collins found him
at $50, when he went/down to visit him.
The Superintendent stood in front of the
steel doors and when the guard had
called Czolgoszs attention he said: II
want to make statement before you
kill me-"
What do you wish to say, Czolgosz?"
asked the Superintendent.
81 want to make, when there are a
lot of people present. ! want them to
hear me- said the prisoner.
"Well, you cannot" said the Superin-
tendent.
':Then / won't talk at ALL" said the
prisoner sullenly.
After the superintendent had left the
guards brought Czolgosz's breakfast,
consisting of Coffee toast, eggs and
bacon, and he ate with quite a good deal
OF relish While he was partaking of
this the witnesses were gathering in tho
office OF Warden Mead and at 7:06 o'clock
the procession passed to the death
chamber, going through the long south
corridor
In the chamber Electrician Davis and
former Warden Thayer Of Dannemora,
had arranged the chair test, placing
bank OF twenty-five incandescent lights
across the arms and connecting the cleo
trode wires at either end. The witnesses
were ordered seated and then Warden
Mead briefly addressed them SAYING:
You are here to witness the legal death
of Leon F. Czo!gosz. l desire that you
keep your seats and preserve absolute
silence in the death chamber, no matter
what may transpire. There are plenty
of guards and prison officials to preserve
order and attend to the proper details
The prison physician, DR.. GERM and
Dr. Carlos F. Mcdonald, of New York,
took position to the left of the chair
Warden Mead stood directly in front and
Electrician Davis retired to the little
room containing the eIcctrical SWITCH
board Thayer gave the signal and the
current was turned through the electric
lights, flooding the chamber with bril-
liant light and dramatically showing the
power that was used to kill the prisoner.
Warden Mead gave the signal to have
the prisoner brought in and at T:10is
o'clock Chief Keeper Tupper swung open
the big steel door leading to the con-
demned cells, and as the steel bars be-
hind which Czolgoscz had been kept were
swung aside two guards marched the
prisoner out into the corridor, two
others following, and the chief keeper
walking in front.
The guards on either side OF Czolgoscz
had hold of his arms AS II either to sup
port him or TO. keep him fro mmaking a
demonstration. AS he stepped over the