The Savannah morning news., 1901-10-30
czOLGOSz is DEAD
FIRST EXECUTION OF AN ANARCH.
IST IN AMERICA.
He DIED UNREPENTANT,
HIS SOUL GOES UNsHRIvED TO
MEET HIS MAKER.

KILLED Mckinley Because He Was an
Enemy of the Working People, He
safd-Execution Passed of Quietly
and without Incident-CzoIgosz
Him-The Body Buried Entire in a
Grave Saturated With CarboIic
Acid After n Thorough Autopsy by
Surgeons-Minute Examination OF
Assassin's Brain Revealed Nothing
Unusual.
Auburn, N. Y, Oct. 29.-At 1890
o'clock this morning Leon Czolgosz,
murderer of President Mckinley, paid
the extreme penalty exacted by the
law for his crime. He was shocked to
death by 1,700 volts of electricity He
went to the chair in exactly the same
manner in which have the majority
of murderers in this state showing no
particular sign of fear, but in fact,
doing what few of them have done
talking to the witnesses while he was
being strapped in the chair.
Czolgosz retired last night at 10
o'clock and slept so soundly that when
Warden Mead went to the cell shortly
before o'clock this morning the guard
inside had to shake Czolgosz to awaken
him. He sat up on the edge of his cot
and made no reply to the wardens
greeting of Good morning"
The prison official took from his
pocket the death warrant and read ii
slowly and distinctly to the assassin,
who hardly raised his eyes to him dur
ing the perfunctory ceremony.
Just as the warden stepped away
from the cell door Czolgosz called to
him and said:
4 would like to talk with the su-
perintendent.'
The warden responded:
HE will be down presently"
Then the condemned man rolled over
on his cot apparently anxious to sleep
again.
AT 5:15, however, the guard brought
to him pair of dark trousers with
the left leg slit so as to allow the
free application of the electrode, and a
light gray outing shirt. He was told
TO get up and put these on. which he
did.
Contrary to the usual custom, he
was given a new pair of shoes. When
dressed he laid down on the cot again
and in this attitude Superintendent
Collins found him at $50, when he
went down to visit him. The superin-
tendent stood in front of the steel bars
and when the guard had called Czol-
goszs attention, he said:
Il want to make a statement before
you kill me-"
What do wish to say, Czolgosz?"
Il want to make it when there are a
lot of people present. want them to
hear me-" said the prisoner.
We'll, you cannot" said the super
intendent
Then I won't talk at ALL" said the
prisoner, sullenly.
Had a Good Appetite.
After the superintendent had left the
guards brought Czolgosz's breakfast,
consisting of coffee. toast, eggs and ba-
con, and he ate with quite good deal
OF relish. While he was partaking of
this, the witnesses were gathering In
the Office of Warden Mead, and at 7:0e
o'clock the procession passed to the
death chamber, going through the long
south corridor
In the chamber Electrician Davis
and Mr.. Thayer, former warden of
Dannan1aro 6oI
test, placing bank of twenty-five in
candescent lights across the arms and
connecting the electrode wires at either
end, The witnesses were ordered seat
ed and then Warden Mead briefly ad-
dressed them, saying:
ou are here to witness the legal
death of Leon Czolgosz. l desire that
you keep your seats and preserve abb
solute silence in the death chamber
no matter what may transpire. There
are plenty of guards and prison OFF,
Gals to preserve order and to attend
10 the proper details"
Ihe prison physician, DR.. Germ, and
Dr. Carlos F. Macdonald of New York
LOOK position to the left of the chair,
warden Mead stood directly in front
ana Electrician Davis retired to the lit
ue room containing the electrical
switchboard. Thayer gave the signal
ana the current was turned through
.ne electric lights, flooding the cham
per with brilliant light and dramatical-
showing the power that was used to
XIII the prisoner.
warden Mead gave the signal to
nave the prisoner brought in, and at
..IV;5O o'clock Chief Keeper Tupper
swung open the big steel door leading
~ the condemned cells, and as the steel
iSaIs behind which CzolgosZ had been
nept were swung aside two guards
.iS marched the prisoner out into the COR
a,uor' two others following, and the
'Niei keeper walking in front.
me guards on either side OF Czolgosz
,laQ hold of his arms as II either to
aupport him, or to keep him from
making a demonstration. AS he step
peu over the threshold he stumbled, but
10y held him up, and as they urged
In forward toward the chair he Stun
sr again on the little rubber COW
,a platform upon which the chair
hN His head was erect and with
,h s gray flannel shirt turned back at
ne SD.e neck he looked quite boyish. He
,bs intensely pale and as he tried to
siiV" his head back and carry him
erect his chin quivered very per-
iolbuoly. As he was being seated he
.. ABOUT at the assembled witness
H qulte steady stare, and said
Defiant 10 the Last.
WI Killed the President because he
of "a an enemy Of the good people