Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1901-10-29

brother Leon could read and write, In
direct contradiction OF the oft-repeated
claim Of the prisoner that he was H.
literate.
WHERE EXECUTED.
The chamber in which the murderer
ot President Mckinley was executed
was not the same In which the first
electrocutlon took place here. II is a
comparatively new building, strlklnglJ
elaborate III comparison with the very
GA prison structures about II. II is
putt OF gray stone and is situated
ABOUT half way down the prison yard
on the left hand or south side. En-
trance to II Is possible either from the
prison yard or from the main south
corridor and the execution room prop
ef may be entered without passing the
condemned cells.
WHEFE CzoLGosz WAS.
From the time Of his entry into the
death house, CzOlLosz was confined in
the cell nearest to the death chamber.
80 that when he entered the execution
room this morning he had only to step
few feet through the stone arch and
as the great iron door swung behind
nm, he was beside the electric chair.
The execution room has seats for the
witnesses and is lighted with several
windows placed high In the walls. In
one corner OF the wall is the closet in
which the keyboard is situated and in
which The electrician Davis stood when
he switched the current on.
LIKE OTHER EXECUTIONS.
The preliminarles were exactly like
those Of every other execution. The
witnesses gathered in the office Of he
warden on the second floor Of the prison
at a quarter Of Z O'clock AT a few
minutes before 7 the witnesses were
told 70 quickly follow the warden and
state superintendent OF prisons and az
ter walking through the lOns corridors,
took their places silently beside the
death chair In the execution room. The
iron door leading to the condemned
cells was closed but behind Il the war
denis assistants. were preparing Cool
gosz for death The warden waited un-
I'll the witnesses were seated, and then
made the usual formal declaration that
those present I'm the room were merely
there as witnesses TO a legal execution
Of a murderer and that under no cir
cumstances and no matter what the
prOvocation, no one was to leave ms
seat or make any disturbance.
THE CHAIR TESTED.
Electrician Davis then put upon the
arms Of the chair bank OF % mean
descent electric lamps and attached the
electrical wires, passed the current
through them so that the lights glowed
out brightly. An assistant IN the mean
time put the two electrodes which We're
lined with sponges, into pals Of salt
water so as 10 get them wet enough 70
prevent the current from burning the
victims flesh.
CzoLGOsz RESTED WELL.
Czolgosz rested exceedingly well for
n man In the shadow of death. II was
i.i5 o'clock before he finally walked up
and left his cot. His sleep was almost
unbroken throughout the night and
was restful and refreshing. He did not
break his silence when he awoke nor
| did he show any indication of failing
courage Supt. Collins and Warden
| Mead also arose at l.45 o'clock and
their first inquiry was as to the prison
er. They breakfasted early and at once
set about to perfect the Anal details OF
the execution.
PRISON VERY QUIET.
The prison was exceedingly quiet
during the earlier hours and few
| newspaper men who watched In front
OF the building were long without COM
psny A couple Of guards and city
| policemen watched the streets sur
rounding the prison. but there was
nothing in the line Of duty for them
to do.
Lights began showing in the main
prison az oclock, and within an hour
the entire household was astir for the
new day. The night had been clear,
but cold, and the morning was chilly,
CzoLGosz CAREFULLY SECLUDED
Czolgosz was carefully secluded
! prisoner In Auburn pententiary, and
! his confinement and execution were de-
void OF sensatonalism. State Super
| intendent OF Prisons Cornelius V. Col
Inns was determined that the prisoner.
despite the enormity OF nis crime,
should gain no undue notoriety and Is
sued strict orders for his complete Sc
| Custom These orders were carefully
] carried out and from the time the
/ prisoner entered the prison until he
/ was brought TO the death chair today,
he was practically out OF public view.
LETTERS FOR HIM.
During his imprisonment the post
brought more than 1900 letters, papers
and packages to the prisoner, but none
| Of these was ever delivered 20 him.
they came from the army OF letter
writing cranks and were OF every char
acter. from harmless to vicious. The
| prison officials felt that the delivery VI
| such a quantity OF mail would not
only seriously disturb him, but would
have given him false ideas as 10 his
| importance and prominence. The 9TH
| or conyicts In the death house were not
permitted to talk to him, and the
| guards who kept the death vigil watch
ed in unbroken silence.
HOW sECLusIoN OPERATED.
The seclusion Of the prisoner operat.
| ed both ways for II the world went on
IN Ignorance Of the life OF the prisoner
| from day 70 day the prisoner lived IN
| ignorance OF what went on IN uhe
world even az TO the great question az
fecting him. The rule Of silence as %
the prisoner was broken that he might
nave opportunity TO prepare himself
spiritually Tor his death.
RULE or SILENCE BROKEN.
Tn. rule was also broken IN a Gnd
effort 10 secure confession from the
condemned nan. The prison officials
felt that d was ,heir duty 60 again
seek 10 ascertain " others abhetted him
In the murdcrous plan that he carried
! oIt at Buffalo early IN october Supt
| Collins had lengthy interview With
| him Night vas chosen for the lI9l.ry
and al o'clock the superintendent
| called on Czdigusg The prisoner was
transferred to another part Of The prls'
OH where there was no one 70 oyerhcar
the conversation. For the FIRST few
| r,iuutes Czoigosk sat IN silence. aih
the superintendent began to despair of
| cetting ans Information. Finally, Just
! ~ NJ was about 10 leave, Cz0lgos1 an
swered one 0f his queries. From that
tine on BE- talked freely but his utter
/ ances contained no enlightenment a. 10
the cause for his crime or b possible
conspiracy The most important state
ment he made VAS one On which he
| absolutely denied that Re had q hand
| erchif tel about his Maud Or ma
| the pistnl was concealed IN any other
place than his coat pocket The super