The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1901-10-29


awfully sorry l could not see my father" :"
Czolgosz retired last night at 10 o'clock
and slept so soundly that when Warden
Meaed went to the cell shortly after 5
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"
Death Warrant Read.
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: II would like to talk with the SUI
perintendent"
The warden responded: He will be
down presently"
Then the condemned man rolled over on
his cot. apparently anxious to sleep again.
At SIS, however. the guard brought to
him a pair OF dark trousers, with the left
leg slit so as to allow the firm application
OF the electrode, and light outing shirt
He was told to get up and put these on,
which he did.
Contrary to the usual custom, he was
given a new pair of shoes When he
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 bars and, when the guard had called
Czolgosz's attention, he said: Il want
to make a statement before you kill me-"
What do you wish to say, Czolgosz?"
asked the superintendent.
Il want to make it when there are a
lot OF people present. l want them to
hear me-" said the prisoner.
well, you cannot" said the superin
tendent.
Then l won't talk at ALL" said the
prisoner sullenly.
After the superintendent had left, the
guards brought Czolgoszs breakfast, con-
sisting of coffee, toast, eggs and bacon,
and he ate with quite good deal of relish
While he was partaking of this, the wit
nesses were gathering in the Office of
Warden Mead, and at 7:O8 the procession
passed to the death chamber, going
through the long south corridor.
In the Death Chamber.
In the chamber, Electrician Davis and
Former Warden Thayer, of Dannemora,
had arranged the chair test, placing a
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 address them, saying: "'You
are here to witness the legal death of
Leon F. Czolgosz. 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 or
der and attend to the proper details"
The prison physician, DR.. Germ, and DR..
Carlos F. Macdonald, of New York. took
den Mead stood directly in front, and
Electrician Davis retired to the little
room containing the electrical switch
board.
Thayer gave the signal and the current
was turned through the electric lights,
flooding the chamber with brilliant light
and dramatically showing the power that
was to be used to kill the prisoner.
Brought In.
Warden Mead gave the signal to have
the prisoner brought in and at 7:1O:3O
o'clock Chief Keeper Tuper swung open
the big steel door leading to the cells and
as the steel bars behind which Czolgosz
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 Czolgosz
had hold of his arms as if either to sup
port him, or to keep him from making a
demonstration. AS he stepped over the
threshold he stumbled but they held him
up and as they urged him forward the
chair he stumbled again on the rubber
covered platform upon which the chair
rests. His head was erect, and with gray
flannel shirt turned back with the neck,
he looked quite boyish He was intensely
pale and as he tried to throw his head
back and carry himself erect, his chin
quivered very perceptibly. AS he was be-
ing seated he looked about at the assem-
bled witnesses with quite a steady stare
and said:
II killed the president because he was
an enemy of the good people, the work
ing people,"
His voice trembled slightly at first, but