The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-10-30
DEATH OF GzOLGOSz
NIURDERER OF PRESIDENT MKIN-
LEY WENT TO THE CHAIR WITH
OUT APPARENT FEAR
TALKED TO THE WITNESSES
Said He Killed Mckinley for Being
an Enemy to the Working
People of the
Country.


the law for his crime. He was shocked
TO death by LOO 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
witnesses while he was being strapped
in the chair.
i killed the president because he was
an enemy of the good people-of the
good working people. 1 am not sorry
for my crime"
These were his words as the guards
hurried him into the chair
\ moment later, mumbling through the
half-adjlsted face straps, he said: II
am awfuily sorry I could not see my IA
Their"
Czolgosz retired last night at 10 o'clock
and slept SO s3undly that when Warden
Mead went to the cen shortly before 8
O'Clock this morning the guard had to
shake Czolgosz to awaken him. He sat
up on the edge of his cot and made no
reply to the wardens greeting of Good
morning"
The prison official took from his pocket
HE 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:
4 would like to talk with the superin-
tendent"
The warden responded: He will be
down presently"
Then the condemned man rolled over
on his cot apparently anxious to sleep
again.
to him a pair of dark trousers with the
left leg slit SO as to allow the free ap-
flication of the electrode and a light
gray outing shirt.
He was 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 laid down on the cot again,
and in this attitude Supt. 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 call
ed CzOigosz's attention he said: II want
10 make statement before You kin
me-
What do you wish to say. Czolgosz?"
asked the superintendent.
I want to make it when there are a
lot of people present. I want them to
hear me-" said the prisoner.
Well, you connot," said the superin-
tendent.
L
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 deaf
OF relish. While he was partaking OF
this tn witnesses were gathering in the
nfhces of Warden Mead, and at 1908 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 a
bank of twenty-five incandescent lights
across The arms and connecting me cleo
ERODE wires at either end. The witnesses
were ordered seated, and then Warden
Mead briefly addressed I'm saving:
You are here 20 witness 4e legal death
Of Leoa T. CzolgosZ. I 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 to attend TO the proper de-
tails"
The prison physician, DIR. Germ, and
F. Carlos F. Macdonald, of New York,
COX a position to the left of the chair,
Warden Mead stood directly in front
and Electrician Davis retired to the little
room containing the electrical switch
board.
Thayer gave the signal and the cur
1snt was turned through the electric
lights, flooding the chamber with brill
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 7:l0:3O
o'clock, Chief Keeper Tuper swung open
the big steel door leading to the con-
demned cells and as the steel bars be-
hind 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
demonstra ton. AS he stepped over the
threshold he stumbled, but they held
him up and as they urged him forward
toward the chair he stumbled again on
the little rubber covered platform upon
which the chair rests. His head was
erect and with his gray flannel shirt
turned back at the neck, he looked quite
ooyish. He was intensely pale and as
be tried TO throw his head back and carry
himself erect his chin quivered very per-
ceptibly. AS he was being seated he
looked about at the assembled witnesses
with quite steady stare and said
I killed the president because he was
an enemy of the good good people-of the
working people, His voice trembled
slightly at first, but gained strength with
each word, and he spoke perfect English
Il am not sorry for my crime,'' he said
loudly, just as the guard pushed his
head back on the rubber head rest and
drew the strap across his forehead and
chin.
As the pressure on the straps frightened
sanG bound the jaw slightly, he mumbled:
z - awfully sorry 1 could not see my
4 father"
Z 1t was lust exactly I'll O'Clock when he
c.Jssed the threshold but minute had
elapsed and he had just finished the last
statement when the strapping was COM
pleted and the guards stepped back
Warden Meade raised his hand and at
7:12:30 Electrician Davis turned the
switch that threw LOO volts Of electricity
into the living body.
The rush of the current threw the BODY
SO hard against the straps that they
creaked perceptibly. The hands clinchec
suddenly and the whole attitude was one
OF extreme tenseness. For forty-tive
seconds the full current was kept on anc
then slowly the electrician threw the
switch back reducing the current vol
by volt until it was cut off entirely
Then just as it had reached that point
he threw the lever back again for two OF
three seconds. The body which had col
lapsed as the current was reduced, stiff.
fened up agaic against the straps Wher
it was turned off again, DR.. Macdonald
stepped to. the chair and put his HAND
over the heart. He said he felt no pulsa-
ticn, but s. segsted that the current be-
turned on for a few seconds again. Once
more the body became rigid. At 7:15 the
current was turned off for good.
From the time Czolgosz has left his
cell until the full penalty was paid, less
than four minutes had elapsed. The
-s..f.,