The daily morning journal and courier., 1901-09-25
CZOLGOSZ'S FATE DECIDED
FOUND GUILTY OF MURDER IN I'll E
 FIRST DECREE.

Sentence to be Pronounced To-mor- row-Assassiu Showed No Signs of Emotion on Hearing the Verdict.
 Buffalo, Sept. 24.--Leon F. Czolgosz, alias Frederick Nieman, was to-day found guilty of murder in the first de- gree by jury in Part III. of the su- preme court in having on the sixth day of September shot President William Mckinley, the wounds inflicted by such gunshot afterwards resulting in the death of the president. The jury re- tired at 351 and returned verdict at 4:25. Czolgosz did not appear to be af- fected in any way by the verdict
 The wheels of justice moved swift. The trial of the assassin consumed eight hours and twenty-six minutes and cov- cred a period of only two days Prac- tically all of this time was occupied by the prosecuting in presenting case 50 clear, so conclusive, that even had the prisoner entered the plea of insanity 1t is doubtful if the jury would have re- turned a verdict different from the one rendered to-day.
 The announcement made this after noon by the attorneys for Czolgosz that the eminent alienists summoned by the Erie County Bar association and by the district attorney to examine Czolgosz and to determine his exact mental con- dition had declared him to be perfectly sane destroyed the only form of de- fense that ex-Judges Lewis and Titus could have put together.
 Before adjournment Justice White announced that he would pronounce sentence upon the defendant on Thurs day afternoon at ? o'clock. The pris- oner was at once taken through the tunnel, under Delaware avenue, back to the jail. To all appearances he was in no way affected by the result of the trial
 The crowd gathered at city hall to- day was the largest which has seen him since his arraignment. People were lined up on both sides of the big rotun- da on the second floor, where court con- vened, and fringed the stairs leading from the floor above. There was no demonstration, excepting that of curi- osity A large number of women wit messed to-day's proceedings.
 At 244 this afternoon District Attor- T the case of the prosecution was ended. Ex-Judge Lewis arose slowly, and, ad- dressing the court, said that the sudden close of the case against Czolgosz was a surprise to him and his colleague. They had no witness to call for the de- fense. He asked the court that he be allowed to address the jury. The court assented and the venerable jurist began an address that will long be remember ed by those who heard it.
 Judge Lewis said Gentlemen of the fury: A calamity has fallen upon this nation through the act of this man, but the question is whether his act was the act of an insane man. If an insane man, it is not murder ana he should be acquitted of that charge. He would then of course be transferred to an asylum
 Much discussion has occurred in our midst and has been called to my atten- tion. as to the propriety of any defense being tnterposed in this case. Many letters have been received by me since I was assigned with my associates to ! defend this man, questioning the pro- priety of a defense being attempted. You gentlemen know, perhaps, how Judge Titus and myself came into this case. The position was not sought by us, but we appear here in performance of a duty which we thought devolved upon us notwithstanding it was an eX- ceedingly disagreeable one. His honor, the judge, who presides at this trial as a Justice of the supreme court, Is here because the law makes 1t his duty to sit and preside at this trial. Our very ,dfstinpuished and able district attor- ney has presented this action because the law makes it his duty to do so.
 You gentlemen are sitting there be- cause you were commanded to appear here and under our system Of juris- prudence it was your duty to sit here hear the testimony in this case and nerform the duty of determining whether this man is to be executed or to be set free.
 "The defandant's counsel appear here because under our system of jurispru- dence no man can be placed on trial for the high crime for murder the pen- atty of which under the law, is death without he has the assistance of coun- sel The court has the power to desig- nate who to appear in the case unless tnGV and succeed in being relieved Of the duty.
 "Gentlemen when they become mem- bers of the legal profession become members of the court They are com pelled if assigned, to defend criminal or rather the one who is charged with crime. They are compelled to respond and accept the duty unless they can present. some reasonable excuse, and Il tncy refuse to perform that duty they are guilty of a misdemeanor and are H. able to punishment by the court
 "so you see gentlemen if any simple minded, thoughtless person should en- certain the notion for minute that the counsel who, appearing in this case, are doing something which they ought not to do, that person is laboring under a very serious misapprehension, as to the duties devolving upon lawyer The defendant, no matter how serious crime he has committed, is entitled un- der our laws to the benefit of trial. In the case of murder he must have trial.
 "You sat here and listened to the de- fendant's plea of guilty when he was oipned at the openiDe of this term