The Savannah morning news., 1901-09-25

Buffalo, Sept. 24.-Leon F. Czolgosz,
alias Fred Nieman, was found guilty
to-day of murder in the first degree
by jury in Part III of the Supreme
Court, in having on the sixth day Of
September shot President William Nc
Kinley, the wounds inflicted after
wards resulting in the death of the
President.
The wheels of justice moved swiftly.
The trial of the assassin consumed
eight hours and twenty-six minutes
and covered period of only two days.
Practically all of this time was occu-
pied by the prosecution presenting a
case so clear, so conclusive that even
had the prisoner inferred plea of in
sanity it is doubtful if the jury would
have returned verdict different from
the one rendered to-day.
The announcement made this after
neon by the attorneys for Czolgosz
that the eminent alienists summoned
by the Erie County Bar Association
and by the district attorney to examine
Czolgosz and to determine his exact
mental condition had declared him to
be perfectly sane, destroyed the only
stage of a defense that Judges Lewis
and Titus could have put together.
Before adjournment Justice White
announced that he would pronounce
sentence upon the prisoner on Thurs
day afternoon at O'Clock He was
taken at once through the tunnel un-
der Delaware avenue, back to the Jail.
To all appearances he was in no way
affected by the result of the trial.
The crowd gathered at the City Hall
to-day was the largest which has seen
him since his arraignment. People
were lined upon on both sides of the
big rotunda on the second floor, where
court convened and fringed the stairs
leading from the floor above. There
was no demonstration except that OF
curiosity. A large number of women
witnessed the proceedings to-day.
Defense Had no Witnesses.
At 2:44 O'Clock this afternoon Dis
trict Attorney Penney abruptly an
nounced that the case of the prosecu-
ton was ended. Judge Lewis arose
slowly and addressing the court, said
that the sudden close of the case
against Czolgosz was a surprise to him
and his colleague. They had no wit
ness to call for the defense. He asked
the court that he be allowed to ad-
dress the jury at once. The court con-
sented and the venerable jurist begar
an address that will long be remem-
bered by those who heard it. Judge
Lewis said:
Gentlemen of the jury: A calamity
has fallen upon this nation through
the act of this man, but the question
is whether his act was the act of ar
insane man. If an insane man, 1t !:
not murder, and he should be acquitted
of that charge. He would then, o.
course, be traueferred to an insane
asylum.
"Much discussion has occurred in oul
midst, and has been called to my at
tention as to the propriety of any de
fense being interposed in this case
Many letters have been received by ms
since l was assigned with my asso
ciate to defend this man, questioning
the propriety of defense being at
tempted. You gentlemen know. per
haps, how Judge Titus and mysel
came into this case. The position wal
not sought by us, but we appear herr
in performance of a duty which W.
thought deVolved upon us. notwith
standing it was an exceedingly dis
agreeable one.
The defendants counsel appear herr
because, under our system of jurispru
dence no man can be placed on tria
for the high crime of murder the pen
atty of which under the law is death
without he has the assistance of coun
sci. The court has the power to desig
nate counsel and ii is the duty of th'
counsel thus designated to appear II
the case unless they can make SOM
reasonable excuse and succeed in being
relieved of the duty
The defendant. no matter how Sc
rious a crime he has committed, is en-
titled under the laws to the benefit o
trial In the case of murder he mus
have a trial You sat there and listen
ed to the defendants plea of guilt,
when he was arraigned at the openlnt
OF this term, but the law of our stat
will not permit him to plead guilty L
such a crime as this. The law Is s.
careful of the rights of it's citizen
that IL will not permit a man to plea
guilty to this crime of murder. so thai
even after he had conceded his guilt 4
this case, IL was incumbent upon tn
court to insist that the trial shoul
proceed and that the people should es
tablish beyond a reasonable doubt tina
the defendant was guilty of the Grim
charged against him.
Lynch Law Disapproved of.
There are in our country individ
ua'i, not. / hope, in any very larg
numbers, but we know they are scat
tered all over our country, who thin
that in case like this, or even /
charges OF less degree, II is entirel