The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1901-09-13
CZOLOGSZ CONFESSES.
Assassin Tells the Story of His Das-
tardly Deed.

tafdly Deed.
Buffalo, Sept. THE statement of
Leon Czolgosz made to the police,
transcribed and signed by the prisoner
is as follows:
81 was born in Detroit nearly %
years ago. My parents were Russian
Poles. They came here forty-two
years ago. l got my education in the
public schools of Detroit and then
went to Cleveland where / got work.
In Cleveland | read books on Social
ism and met great many Socialists.
| was pretty well known as Socialist
in the West. After being in Cleveland
for several years | went to Chicago
where | remained seven months, after
which | went to Newburg, on the out
skirts of Cleveland, and went to work
in the Newburg wire mills.
During the last five years | have
had as friends anarchists in Chicago,
Cleveland, Detroit and other western
cities and | suppose become more or
less bitter. Yes, know was bitter.
never had much luck at anything
and this preyed upon me. 1t made me
morose and envious, but what started
the craze to kill was lecture I heard
some little time ago by Emma Gold
man. She was in Cleveland and
and other anarchists went to hear her.
She set me 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 words
went right through me and when left
the lecture | had made up my mind
that | would have to do something
heroic for the cause | loved.
Eight days ago, while | was in
Chicago, | read in ia Chicago news
paper of President McKinley's visit
to the Pan-American exposition at
Buffalo. That day | bought Il ticket
for Buffalo and got here with the de-
termination to do something, but
did not know just what. thought of
shooting the President but I had not
formed plan.
81 went to live at l07 Broadway,
which is II saloon and hotel. John
Nowak, Pole, a sort of pc litician,
who has led his people here for years,
owns it. told Nowak that came to
see the fair. He knew nothing about
what was setting me crazy. | went to
the exposition grouds couple of
times day. Not until Tuesday morn
ing did the resolution to shoot the
President take hold of me. 1t was in
my heart; there was no escape for me.
| could not have c onquered it had my
life been at stake. There were thous-
ands of people in town on Tuesday.
| heard it was Presidents day. All
these people seemed bowling to the
great ruler. | made up my mind to
kill that ruler. | bought 32-caliber
revolver and loaded it.
"On Tuesday night went to the fair
grounds and was near the railroad
gate when the Presidential party ar
rived. 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 was
so many men in the body guard that
watched him. was not afraid OF
them or that | should get hurt, but
was afraid | might be seized and thai
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 neal
the stand from which he spoke.
81 thought half dozen times Of
shooting while he was speaking, but !
could not get close enough, was
afraid might miss and then the great
crowd was always jostling and l was
afraid lest my aim fail. | waited all
Wednesday and the President got into
his carriage again and lot OF men
were about him and formed Gordon
that / could not get through.
81 was tossed about by the crowd
|