The Savannah morning news., 1901-10-30
WOULD NOT CONFESS
CZoLGosZ WOULD NOT AckNoWL'
EDGE ACCOMPLICES.
He HAD NO HANDKERCHIEF
SAID THAT HE HAD THE PISTOL IN
HIS COAT POCKET.

| Told Supt. Collins That Mckinley
once Refused Him Work at Can.
ton-Others Had Refused Him, but
Mckinley Could Have "Fixed'
Him-was Kept in Great Seclusion
in His Cell. and Knew Little o1
What Was Going on in the Outside
World.
Auburn, N. Y. Oct. 29.--Czolgosz
was a carefully secluded prisoner in
Auburn penitentiary and his confne-
ment and execution were devoid of
sensationalism. State Superintendent
of Prisons Cornelius v. Collins was
determined that the prisoner, despite
the enormity of his crime, should gain
no undue notoriety and issued strict
orders for his complete seclusion. These
orders were carefully carried out and
from the time the prisoner entered
the prison until he was brought to the
death chair to-day he was practically
out of public view. During his impris-
onment the post brought more than
1900 letters, papers and packages to
the prisoner, but none of these was
ever delivered to him. They came from
the army of letter-writing cranks and
were of every character from harmless
to vicious. The prison officials felt that
the delivery of such a quantity OF mail
would not only seriously disturb him,
but would have given him false ideas
as to his importance and prominence.
The other convicts in the death house
were not permitted to talk to him and
the guards who kept the death vigil
watched in unbroken silence.
The seclusion Of the prisoner operat-
ed both ways for If the world went on
in ignorance of the life of the prisoner
from day to day the prisoner lived in
ignorance of what went forward in
the world even as to the great ques-
ton affecting him. The rule Of ST.
lence as to the prisoner was broken
that he might have opportunity to pre-
pare himself spiritually for his death.
The rule was also broken in a final ef-
fort to secure a confession from the
condemned man. The prison officials
felt that 1t was their duty to again
seek to ascertain if others plotted
with him or abetted him in the MUIR
derous plan that he carried out in Buff
falo, and early in October Superinten-
dent Collins had a lengthy interview
with him.
The Interview with CzoIgosz.
Night was chosen for the inquiry and
at o'clock the superintendent called
on Czolgosz. The prisoner was trans
ferred to another part OF the prison.
where there was no one TO overhear
the conversation. For the first few
minutes Czolgosz sat in sullen silence
and the superintendent began to de-
spalr of getting any information. FL
nally. just as he was about to leave,
Czolgosz answered one OF his queries.
From that time on he talked freely.
but his utterances contained no en-
llghtenment as 20 the cause for his
crime or a possible conspiracy The
most important statement he made
was one in which he absolutely denied
that he had a handkerchief tied about
his hand or that the pistol was con-
cealed IN any other place than his coat
pocket. The superintendent said
Now. Czolgosz, ] want you 10 talk
10 me. I'm the only one that can 10
you any good, and II you tell me all.
may help you 20 get out 0f here"
II don't want 10 get out Of here.
They'd Kill me outside" was the reply