Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1901-09-12
DENIES HE'S CRAZY
DOES ASSASSIN CZOLGOSZ IN
coLD-sLooDED CONFESSION.
STRUCK FOR THE CAUSE
Anarchist Recites Plan and Consur1-
nation of Horrible Act With Fiend-
ish Observation-Disclosures With
Bloody Zeal by Hearing Anarch-
istic Lecture by Emma Goldman.

Buffalo, Sept. S.-The statement by
Leon F. Czolgosz TO the police and the
attorney of Buffalo was taken by the
stenographer, transcribed and signed
by the prisoner. Here is the whole
wretched story nearly word for word
81 was born in Detroit nearly TWEEN
ty-nine years ago. My parents were
Russian Poles. They came here forty
two years ago. got my education in
the public schools of Detroit and then
went to Cleveland. where l got work.
In Cleveland read books on socialism
and met a great many socialists. |
was pretty we'll known as a socialist
in the west. After being in Cleveland
for several years l went to Chicago
where [ remained seven months. after
which l went to Newburgh, on the out
skirts of Cleveland. and went to work
in the Newburgh wire mills.
During the last five years | have
had as friends anarchists in Chicago,
Cleveland, Detroit and other western
cities, and I suppose became more or
less bitter. Yes, l know l was bitter.
| never had much luck at anything
and this preyed upon me. 1t made
me morose and enviOus, but what start
ed the craze to kill was a lecture I
heard some little time ago by Emma
Goldman. She was in Cleveland and
l and other anarchists went to hear
her. She set us on fire.
"Her doctrine that all rulers should
be exterminated was what set me to
thinking So that my head nearly split
with the pain. Miss Goldman's words
went right through me and when l
left the lecture I had made up my
mind that would have to do some
thing heroic for the cause that l
loved.
Eight days ago, while | was in
Chicago, | read in a Chicago news
paper of President McKinley's visit to
falc. That day I bought a ticket for
Buffalo and got here with the determ-
inatiOn to do something, but I did not
know just what | thought of shoot
ing the president. but l had not
formed a plan.
Il went to live first at 1918 Broad
way, which is saloon and a hotel.
John Nowak, a Pole, a sort of politi
clan who has led his people. here for
years, owns it. I told Nowak that l
came to see the fair. He knew moth
ing about what was setting me crazy
[ went to the exposition grounds a
couple of times a day.
mot until Tuesday morning did the
resolution to shoot the president take
a hold of me. 1t was in my heart;
there was no escape for me. I could
not have conquered it had my life
been at stake. There were thousands
of people in town on Tuesday, |
heard it was presidents day. All
great ruler [ made up my mind TO
kill that ruler | bought a 32-caliber
revolver and loaded it.
con Tuesday night I went to the
fair grounds, and was near the rail
road gate when the presidential party
arrived. | tried to get near him, but
the police forced me back. They
forced everybody back so that the
great ruler could pass. | was close to
the president when he got into the
grounds, but was afraid to attempt the
assassination, because there we're so
many men in the bodyguard that
watched him. I was not afraid of
them or that | should get hurt, but
afraid I might be seized and that MY
chance would be gone forever.
well, he went away that time and
| went home. On Wednesday | went
to the grounds and stood right near
the president, right under him near
the stand from which he spoke.
81 thought half a dozen times of
shooting while he was speaking but l
could not get close enough. [ was
afraid I might miss and then the great
crowd was always jostling and I was
afraid lest my aim fail. | waited We'd
nesday and the president got. into his
carriage again and lot of men were
about him and formed a Gordon that
could not get through. l was tossed
about by the crowd and my spirits
were getting pretty low. I was almost
hopeless that night as I went home
Yesterday morning I went again to
the exposition grounds. Emma Gold
mans speech was still burning me up.
| waited near the central entrance for
the president, who was to board his
special train from that gate, but the
police allowed nobody but the presi.
dents party to pass where the train
waited, so l staid at the grounds all
day waiting.
During yesterday 1 first thought Of
hiding my pistol under my handker-
chief. I was afraid if l had to draw
it from my pocket would be seen and
seized by the guards. l got to the
temple of music the first one and
waited at the spot where the recep-
ton was to be held.
Then he came. the president-the
ruler-and I got in line and trembled
and trembled until I got right up to
him, and then 1 shot him twice,
through my white handkerchief. I
would have fired more, but I was
stunned by a blow in the face-a
frightful blow that knocked me down
and then everybody jumped on me.
l thought l would be killed and was
surprised the way they treated me-"
CZo1gosz ended his story in inter