New-York tribune., 1901-09-24
CZOLG0SZ TRIAL BEGINS
BELIEF THAT 1T WILL BE
ENDED TODAY.
PRISONER TRIES TO PLEAD GUILTY
WHY THE SECOND BULLET
WAS NOT LOCATED

Buffalo Sept 23.-Leon F. Czolgosz was
placed on trial this morning charged with the
murder Of President William Mckinley. He
entered a plea of guilty" which was suose-
quently changed to mot guilty" by direction OF
the court
All the happenings of the day tended to indi-
cate that the trial will be short There was not
suspicion OF a quibble over any question what
ever. and counsel for both sides seemed to be IN
perfect harmony. Court convened at l0 O'CLOCK
and the work Of procuring jurors went on
rapidly. Before two hours had elapsed eight
had been secured. and this in itself was an un-
precedented record in any murder trial in the
State. Technicalties were not raised nut IL
was noticeable that every man who acknow-
ledged that he had not formed opinion on the
case was excused by the District Attorney
Men who had formed opinion or said That
they were preiudiced, but were willing TO ac-
knowledge that their opinion could be changed
by evidence. were accepted by each side
Justice Truman c. White, of the oldest
and most experienced Of the Supreme Court
Judges. was on the bench. Immediately after
the opening of the court, and after the prisoner
had pleaded. Justice Loran L. Lewis. senior
counsel for the defendant arose and announced
that together with his colleague former Justice
Robert c Titus and Carlton f. Ladd, they
were ready TO act in behalf of the prisoner.
He said:
/ thought il best fer nay colleagues and my
self that ] should say something regardins oui
presence here as attorneys for the defendant
AT the tirne my name was suggested was OUT
of the city and knew nothing OF what WAS trans
pirinE here with reference to the selectioh OF
counsel for the defendant. and when the cir
cumstances of my selection were told to me
was extremely reluctant to accept But the
duty had been imposed, md | considered II my
duty. In all the circumstances. to defend this
man. / ask that evidence be presented here
that the court will not permit the acceptance
6< any, r-;T ID
the trial of the most meagre criminal in the
land.
Il am familiar with these circumstances" said
Justice White in reply land wish to say that
j will give you every assurance that the prisoner
will have a fair and impartial trial, and that
during the progress ri the trial he viii receive
such treatment as the law demands in any
criminal case
The work of securing the jurors was then un-
dertaken with a celerity that amazing
Before the day over the entire panel had
been sworn were seated in the box and had
listened to a description of the Temple of Music
where the crime occurred, had seen photographs
of the interior of that structure and had been
told by three surgeons what caused the death
of the President and the result of the assassin
shot upon the various organs of the body They
had also learned why the fatal bullet has not
been located.
The presentation of the peoples case began
shortly before 3 o'clock. when Assistant Dis
frict Attorney Haller began. with much de-
liberation, to address the jury. His talk was
brief, and consumed scarcely five minutes lie
said:
We shall show that for some days prior to the
shooting this defendant had premeditated the
shooting of the President. He knew that on
September The President would receive the
popuace in the Temple of Music on that day
he went TO the exposition got into line with
the people and approached the President 50
that he had weapon concealed in his hand and and
as the President extended his hand in kindly
greeting he fired the fatal shot.
\ He fired two shots, in fact One of them TOOK
j effect in the abdomen and caused that morta
7 wound which resulted in the Presidents death
That in brief. is the story shall show you
Witnesses viii tell you this story. and / sure
that when you have heard the evidence you
will have no difficulty in reaching verdict OF
murder in the first degree.
The first witness. Samuel J. Fields. chief en-
Eineer of the Pan-American Exposition. de-
scrfbed the ground floor plan Of the Temple of
Music. and was followed by Perry A Bliss a
photographer, who presented views of the in
terior of the building The remainder of the
afternoon was taken up with tho testimony of
three physicians. two Of whom had attended
the President during his last days, while the
ether performed the autopsy. The latter. DR..
Harvey r. GAYLORD was the first Of the trio to
be called. He described the location Of the
wounds in the stomach and the direction Of the
bullet. The cause Of death attributed 10
the gunshot wound. but fundamentally he said,
IT was due 70 the changes back If the stomach.
in the pancreas. caused by the breaking
down" of the material of the pancreas as a re-
suit of the passage of the bullet.
DR. Herman Ny inter- followed. ard his testi-
mcny Of Importance. iiasmuch as il
brought cat tire fact that the why the
fatal bullet had rot been located at the autopsy
was because Of the unwiIIingness of the Presi-
dents relatives to have the body further mu-
tilated by the Instruments Of the surgeons Dr.
Mynter ana Dr.. Mann. who followed him. both
testified that the primal cause Of death was
The Eunshot wound N the stomach. One effect
Of this wound, they said. was 10 cause the gan
creme 10 form in the pancreas. and the spot of
poisoned tissue Was large as silver dollar
The prisoner. CZolgOsZ, during the morning
erinoed no interest whatever in the nrocee 5ines
but as the testimony was introduced he paid
more attention To what said and looked at
the various witnesses closely.
The proba bic duration Of the trial II is he
Heved. can be placed at two full days When
Distrlct Attorney Penney was asked hy Justice
White al noon as TO the time he would take in
the presentation Of his case he declared that br
would finish by Tuesday noon. Judge Titus for.
the defence was non-committaI, however and
merely replied, That depends upon the turn
things take
In, owing to the character of the prisoner ana
his refusal TO aid his attorneys i'm any wsv 10
procure evidence which they could use in his
favor. The idea of an attempt TO enter the
question Of his sanity IS not thought of i'm view
OF the reports OF the two alienists who have re-
Gently examined him, and there is ground for
the belief that the trial will be finished with a
session or only one day more.