The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-09-27
SAYS He WAS ALONE
so ASSASSIN LEON CZoLGosZ TOLD
THE COURT.
THERE WAS NO ONE BUT Me-"
NO ONE TOLD HIM TO DO 1T AND NO
ONE PAID HIM FOR 1T.

The Prisoner Appeared Calm, but
Distressed, and Was Unable to
Speak Above ~htsPer-Ncver
Thought of 1t Until "A Couple of
Days Before Committing the
Crime, He Says-He Had Nothing to
Say as to why Sentence Should
Court Orders Him TO Be Electro
cuted at Auburn During the Week
beginning Oct. IS, 1901.
Buffalo, Sept. 26.-Leon F. Czolgosz,
the assassin of President Mckinley,
was this afternoon sentenced to be
electrocuted in Auburn state prison
during the week beginning Oct 2S, 1901.
Before sentence was passed the as
sassin evinced a desire to speak, but
he could not get his voice above
whisper and his words were repeated
to the court by his counsel.
There was no one else but me-" the
prisoner said in a whisper. mo one
else told me to do it, and no one paid
me to do it. 1 was not told anything
about the crime, and / never thought
anything about that until a couple of
days before 1 committed the crime
Czolgosz sat down. He was quite
calm, but it was evident that his mind
was flooded with thoughts of his own
distress. His eyes were dilated, max
ing them appear very bright. His
cheeks were a trifle pale and his out
stretched hand trembled. The guards
put the handouts on his wrists. He
looked at one of the officers. There
was an expression of the profoundest
fear and helplessness in his eyes. lie
glanced about at the people who
crowded together in efforts to get a
look at him. The prisoners eyelids
rose and fell TREMENDOUSLY, and then he
fixed his gaze upon the floor in front
of him.
At this point Judge Titus came over
to the prisoner and bade him good
by. Czolgosz replied very family, let
ting his eyes rest upon the man VINO
has been his counsel.
"Good-by," he said, weakly.
Czolgosz was then hurried down
| stairs and through the tunnel or
| sobs'' to the Jail, where he will remain
| until removed 10 AuDuIi " PoJ NAA~
penalty for his crime. Although the
| time announced for the convening OF
| court was o'clock, every seat and
| every foot of standing room were oc-
! cupied before 1870, and scores were
clamoring outside for admission. The
| doors were locked and no more were
admitted to the room. The prisoner was
brought into the room at 1:55 o'clock.
Five minutes later Justice White took
his place upon the bench.
AS soon as Justice White assumed
| the bench Crier Hess said:
| Pursuant to a recess, this trial
| term of the Supreme Court is now
open for the transaction of business"
The Prisoners Record Taken.
District Attorney Penney said:
IF your honor please, I move sem
tence in the case of the people against
| Leon Czolgosz. Stand up CzolgosZ.
Clerk FiSSer swore the prisoner and
| his record was taken by the district
| attorney as follows:
Age 2S years; nativity, Detroit; res
idence, Broadway, Nowak, Buffalo; oc-
cupation, laborer; married or single,
single degree of education, common
school and parochial; religious instruc-
ton, Catholic; parents, father living
mother dead; temperate or intemper-
| "a
| crime, none.
The clerk of the court then asked;
Have you any legal cause to show
now why the sentence of the court
should not now be pronounced against
you?"
"I cannot hear that" replied the
prisoner.
Clerk Fisher repeated his question
and Czolgosz replied:
I'D rather have this gentleman here
speak," looking towards District At
torney Penney, Il can hear him bet
ter"
At this point Justice White told
those in the courtroom that they must
be quiet or they would be excluded
from the room.
Mr.. Penney then said to the prisoner:
"CZolgosz, the court wants to know
if you have any reason to give why
sentence should not be pronounced
against you Have you anything to
say to the Judge? Say yes or no
The prisoner did not reply and JUS
tice White, addressing the prisoner
said:
'In that behalf, what you have a
right to say relates explicitly to the
subject in hand here at this time and
which the law provides. why sentence
should not be now pronounced against
you and is defined by the statute.
"The first that you may claim is that
you are insane.
"The next is that you have good
cause to offer either in arrest of the
Judgment about to be pronounced
against you or for new trial. Those
are the grounds specified by the statute
in which you have a right to speak al
this time and you are at perfect liber-
ty to do so if you wish"
He Had No Claim to Make.
The prisoner replied:
"I have nothing to say about that"
The court said:
care you ready?"
Mr. Penney replied:
YES"
Have you anything to say?" asked
Justice White.
Yes" replied the prisoner.
"I think he should be permitted tC
make statement in exculpation of his
act If the court please" said Judge
Titus.
The court replied:
THAT will depend upon what hl'
statement IS"
Justice White then said:
! Have you (speaking to Judge Titus
anything to say in behalf of the prison
e. at this time?"
"I have nothing to say within th'
definition of what your honor hal
read" replied the attorney "but /
seems TO me in order that the innocen
should not suffer by this defendant
crime, the court should permit him e