The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1901-09-24

Buffalo, n. Y, September 23.-Leon Il.
CzolgJsz was placed on trial this morning
charged with the murder Of President Nc
Klnlcy. He entered plea of guilty,
which was subsequently changed to 'lot
guilty" by direction of the court.
All the events Of the day indicated that
the trial will be short. Court convened
at 10 O'Clock and within two hours eight
jurors had been secured. Justice Truman
| c. White, one 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 Loren l.. Lewis senior
counsel FOR the defcndnnt. announced that
together with his colleagues. former Justice
Robert c, Titus and Mr.. Carlton Il. Ladd,
they were ready to act In behalf of the
prisoner
81 thought 1t best" he said. 'for my
colleagues and myself that l should say
nothing regarding our presence here as at
torneys for the defendant. At the time my
name was suggested was out of the city
and knew nothing of what was transplrlng
here with reference TO the selection Of conn
sci for the defendant. When the crcum-
stances Of my selection were told me.
was extremely reluctant 10 accept. But
the duty had been imposed and | consid-
cred it my duty, in all the circumstances.
to defend this man.
Il ask that no evidence he presented
here-that the court Will not permit the
acceptance Of amy evitsnce unless II would
be accepted at the trial Of the most meager
criminal in the land"
81 am familiar with these clrcum-
Stances said Justice White Ia reply, land
l wish TO say will eiveiyou every as
sursnce that the prisoner win have fair
and impartial trial, and that during the
progress of the ta5l he will receive such
treatment as the isE demands in any Grim
inal case"
The work OF securing the Jurors was
then undertaken with celebrity that was
amqzlng. Before the day was over the
entire panel hNc been sworn. the jurors
had listened TO description of the Temple
Of Music, where the crime was committed,
had seen photographs of the interior of that
structure and had been told by three sur
geons what caused the dehth Of the prcsi-
dent and the effect Of the assassln's shot
upon the various organs Of the body. They
had also learned why the fatal bullet had
| not been located. The presentation OF the
governments case began shortly before 3
! o'clock when Assistant District Attorney
! Halter began, with much deliberation, to
address the jury. He spoke very briefly.
I'VE shall show" said he, "that for
some days prior to the shooting this de
! PENDANT had premcdtated the shooting of
| the president He knew that on the 9th
! Of September the president would receive
the populacc in the Temple Of Music; that
on that day he went to the exposition, got
! into line with the people end approached
/ the president; that he had weapon con
! ceaied in his hand and as the president
! extended his hand in kindly greeting he
| fired the fatal shot.
He fred two shots, in fact. One OF
! them took effect IN the abdomen and caused
| that mortal wound which resulted in the
presidents death. That In brief, is the
story we shall show you. Witnesses Will
| tell you this story and ] am sure that
when you hear the evidence you will have
no difficulty in reaching verdict of muir
der in the first degree"
The first witness. Samuel J. Fields, chief
engineer of the Pan-American exposit on,
described the ground floor plan of the
/ Temple Of Music and was followed Ivy
Perry A. Bliss photographer. who pre-.
| scented The views Of the interior of the
| building. The remainder Of the afternoon
was taken up with the testimony, Of three
tended the president during his inst
days while the other performed the
autopsy. The latter Dr. Harvey Z.
to be called. He described the location
OF the wounds in the stomach ana the di.
rection Of the bullet The cause OF death
was attributed to the .gunshot wound but
Fundamentally. he said 1t was due TO the
| changes back OF the stomach in the pan.
creas. caused by the breaking down
OF the material Of the pancreas as q result
OF the passage OF the bullet.
| DR. Herman Mynter followed ana HIS
testimony was of Importance inasmuch as
It brought out the fact that the reason
| why the fatal bullet had not been located
! at the autopsy was because of the un.
willingness Of the presidents relatives T.
have the body further mutllated by their
instruments DR. Mynter and DR. Mann.
| who followed him, both testified that The
primary cause Of death was the gunshoI
wound In the stomach. One effect of TIL,
wound was they said, to cause the gan
creme to form In the pancreas. and the
spot Of poisoned tissues was as large as
| q silver dollar.
The prisoner. Czolgosz. during the morn
ing evinced no interest whatever In thu
proceedings bnt as the testimony was IN
PRODUCED he paid more attention 20 wha
was said and looked at the various Wit
The probable duration OF the trial. II
II believed. can be placed nj two full days
When District Attorney Penny was asked
BY Justice white at noon as to the tim,
he would take In the presentation Of hi,
case he declared that he would conclude
Judge Titus, for the defense. was non
commttai, however, and merely replied
/ 1uhA utpthuH upoh tue turn Things rake
II IS not probable that any defense vii
be put in owing to the character OF ths
prisoner and his refusal to helm his attor
news In any way to produce evidence whicI
they could use IN his favor. The iden a,
an attempt 10 enter the question Of Inf.
sanity is not thought of ia view of I'd,
reports OF two allenists who have recently
examined him and there Is ground for th,
belief that the trial VIII be concluded
with a session OF but one day more
The trial beeun at 10 ocloctr INIT lon
before that hour the streets in the vIcInIt
OF the city hall were the objective a
many curious persons They were wililn
to take chances on being admitted TO IN
court room. even though they knew tina
there were but $50 seats available.
The various entrances 70 ehe great huilc