Evening star., 1901-10-29
PRISON LIFE OF THE ASSASSIN.
He Was Wholly Secluded-Refused to
BE Interviewed.

AUBURN. N. Y, October 29.-Czolgosz
was a carefully secluded prisoner in Au-
burn penitentiary and his confinement and
execution were devoid of SenSationaliSm.
State Superintendent of Prisons Cornelius
" Collins was determined that the pris-
oner, despite the enormity of his crime,
should gain no undue notoriety and issued
strict orders for his complete secluslon.
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 pub
lie view.
During his imprisonment the post brought
more than !, 500 letters, papers and pack
ages to the prisoner, but none of these was
ever delivered to him. They came from
the army of letter writing cranks and were
of every character from harmless to
vicious The prison officials felt that the
delivery of such a quantity of mail would
not only seriously disturb him. but would
have given him false ideas as to his i'm
portance and prominence. The other con-
victs In the death house were not permit
ted to talk to him and the guards kept
| the death vigil watch in unbroken silence.
secIusiOn Worked Two Ways.
The seclusion of the prisoner operated
both ways, for If the world went on in ig-
norance Of the life Of the prisoner from
day to day the prisoner lived in ignorance
Of what went forward in the world even
as to the great question affecting him. The
rule of silence as the prisoner was broken
that he might have opportunity to pre-
pare himself spiritually for his death. The
rule was also broken In final effort to Sc
cure confession from the condemned man.
The prison officials felt that it was their
duty to again seek to ascertain If others
plotted with him or abetted him In the
murderous plan that he carried out at Buff
falo and early in October Superintendent
Collins had lengthy interview with him.
Night was chosen for the inquiry and at 8
o'clock the superintendent called upon
Czolgosz. The prisoner was transferred to
another part of the prison where there was
no one to overhear the conversation For
the first few minutes Czolgosz sat IN suiien
silence and the superintendent began to
despair of getting any information. Final
ly, Just as he was about to leave, Czolgosz
answered one Of his queries. From that
contained no enlightenment as to the cause
for his crime or possible conspiracy.
Said He Had No Handkerchief.
The most important statement he made
was one in which he absolutely denied
that he had a handkerchief tied about his
hand or that the pistol was concealed In
any other place than his coat pocket. The
superintendent said:
Now, CzolgosZ, want you to talk to
me. I am the only one that can do you
any good. and If you tell me all may help
81 don't want to get out of here. They d
kill me outside was the reply.
who'd kill your"
why, the people,"
You mean the men who told you to Kill
the PRESIDENT? asked Mr.. Collins.
mo, nobody told me to kill the President.
mean the people.
"Who gave you the money to get to Buff
falo?'
mo one A man in Chicago wanted to see
me, and Invent there from Cleveland"
who was the MANI" pursued the super
intendent.
II don't remember his name"
DO you remember where he lived?
mo. I don't know the names of the
streets there"
How did you get to Buffalo from ehica-
go? Did this man pay your fare2''
mo, sir; l had some money l earned at
painting and carpenter work.
Didn't this man in Chicago and some
others tell you to kill the President?. asked
Mr.. Collins.
Alone In His Crime.
mo, they didn't. thought 1t out N.Y.
self"
.Did you first follow the President to San
Francisco to kill him?,'
That's a lie," responded the prisoner. IT
did not. i didn't make up my mind TIL Pt,
been here few days"
You say you worked for your money?
Your father says you never had any money
and that You wouldn't work. 81
Hes no good. He married a woman who
made me cook my own food In the house
after had bought It,"
Superinteadeat Collins al intervals re-