Jamestown weekly alert. [volume] (Jamestown, Stutsman County, D.T. [N.D.]) 1882-1925, 1901-10-31
then warden Mead briefly addressed

then warden Mead briefly addressed
them saying:
'fYou are here to witness the legal
death of Leon f. CzolgosZ. | desire
that you keep your seats and preserve
absolute silence in the death chamber,
no matter what may transpire There
are plenty of guards and prison Off
cials to preserve order and attend to
the proper details"
Officials Take Their Positions.
DR.. Carlos F. Mcdonald Of New York,
took a position to the left Of the
chair, Warden Mead stood directly in
front and Electrician Davis retired to
cal switchboard.
current was turned through the elec-
trio lights, flooding the chamber with
brilliant light and dramatically show
ing the power that was used to kill the
prisoner.
Warden Mead gave the signal to
have the prisoner brought in and at
7:10 Chief Keeper Tuper swung open
the big steel door leading to the con-
demned cells and as the steel bars be-
hind which Czolgosz had been kept
were swung aside two guards marched
the prisoner out into the corridor, two
others following and the chief keeper
walking in front.
The guards on either side of CZo1-
gosz had hold of his arms as if either
to support him or to keep him from
making demonstration. AS he
stepped over the threshold he stun
bled but they held him up, and as they
urged him forward toward the chair
he stumbled again on the little rubber
covered platform upon which the chair
rests. His head was erect, and with
his gray flannel shirt turned back at
the neck, he looked quite boyish. He
was intensely pale and as he tried to
throw his head back and carry him
self erect his chin quivered very per-
ceptibly. AS he was being seated he
looked about at the assembled wit
nesses with quite a steady stare and
said:
81 killed the president because he
was the enemy Of the good people
Of the working people"
His voice trembled slightly at first,
but gained strength with each word
and he spoke perfect English.
Not Sorry for His Crime.
II am not sorry for my crime" he
said loudly, just as the guard pushed
his head back on the rubber head
rest and drew the strap across his
forehead and chin. AS the pressure on
the straps tightened and bound the
jaw slightly, he mumbled, II am aw-
fully sorry could not see my father"
1t was just exactly I'LL O'Clock
when he crossed the threshold, but
minute had elapsed and he had just
finished the last statement when the
strapping was completed and the
guards stepped back. Warden Mead
raised his hand and at 7:12:30 Elec-
trician Davis turned the switch that
threw 100 volts of electricity into
the living body.
The rush of the current threw the
body so hard against the straps that
they creaked perceptibly. The hands
clinched suddenly and the whole atti
tude was one of extreme tenseness.
For As seconds the full current was
kept on and then slowly the electrician
threw the switch back reducing the
current volt by volt until It was cut
of entirely. Then just as it had
reached that point he threw the lever
back again for two or three seconds.
The body, which had collapsed as the
current was reduced, stiffened up
again against the straps. When it
was turned of again, DR.. Macdonald
stepped to the chair and put his hand
over the heart. He said he felt no
pulsation, but suggested that the cur
rent be turned on for a few seconds
again. Once more the body became
rigid. At 7:15 the current was turned
Oft for good.
From the time Czolgosz had left
his cell until the full penalty was
paid, less than four minutes had
elapsed. The physicians present used
the stethoscope and other tests to de-
termine if any life remained and at
7:17 the warden, raising his hand, an
nounced:
"Gentlemen, the prisoner is dead.'
The witnesses filed from the cham
Der, many Of them visibly affected and
the body was taken from the chair and
laid on the operating table.
Rev. Cordello Herrick, chaplain Of
the prison. was in the death chamber
ready for any call that might be made
for such services. He was not wanted
by the prisoner, however, and sat
<..:s.11:- IN tha rear of the chamber