Milford chronicle., 1912-11-15
PLEADS GUILTY
TO SHOOTING T.R.
Says He Thought Roosevelt a
Menace to Country.
70 PROBE HIS SANITY
would-5e Assassin Talks About Kill
ing Men Who Want to Keep Of
flee.

flee.
John Schrank pleaded guilty in Mil
waukee, Wis. to attempting to muir
der Theodore Roosevelt. In his plea
Schrank sought to distinguish between
an attack on Roosevelt as a menace"
and an attack on Roosevelt as a citi-
zen.
Judge \. c. Backus announced on
reading a petition of Winfred c. Ia
bell, the district attorney, that he
would name a commission to examine
Schrank as to his mental condition.
Fewer than $50 persons listened to
the proceedings and watched the
small. compact form of Schrank as he
stepped slowly to the bar and entered
his plea. OF this number, twenty de-
tectives and half a score Of deputy
sherifs, kept unnecessary. but vigi-
liant watch on all persons in the room
not known to them.
The district attorney read the com
plant in which Schrank was accused /
OF having made an attack upon the
person Of one Theodore Roosevelt,
with a deadly weapon and with intent
then and there to kill and slay the said
Theodore Roosevelt"
How do you plead to this charge?'
the prosecutor asked Schrank, stand
ing at his elbow.
"Why, guilty, Mr. Zabel' replied the
prisoner. in a confused way. as though
he was not following the proper pro
cedure.
You have heard the complaint" in
terpOsed Judge Backus in loud voice.
You understand that in ii you are
charged with having attempted to muir
der Theodore Roosevelt Do you plead
guilty or not guilty?"
Il did not mean to kill a citizen,
judge began Schrank, and tAe crowd
in the cour: room gave first audible
evidence OF its interest in the case
shot Theodore Roosevelt because he
was merace to the country. He
should nor have a third term. 1t is
bad that a man should have a third
term. | did not want him to have
one. ] shot him as a warning that 7
men must not try to have more than j.
-wO terms as president.
u shot Theodore Roosevelt to kin 7
lin. think all men trying to Ike b
themselves in Office should be killed;
hey become dangerous. ! did not do L
because he was a candidate of the t
party. either, gentlemen" p
"All right interrupted the court, c
aking from the district attorney the Il
lea for a sanity commission for the t,
efendant. He read it hastily while t.
be prosecutor explained its purport. s.
'The man is insane" said the dis s.
rict attorney. 1T would be wrong to
him for crime if he was il
lentally unsound, just because he was Ii
'illing TO plead guilty" d
Il will name a commission an Il
ounced the court. Let no one leave k,
le court room until the defendant
chrank is outside of the city hall
Schrank went back to Jail with his
lardsmen.
Judge Backus then appointed on u
lie commission DR. F. c. Studley. ~
lie superintendent of a santarium: 90
r. William F Becker the former
ead Of the Northern Hospital for the =,
sane at Winnebago, Wis; Dr. D. w. ~
arlington, a nerve specialist, and -
r Richard Dewey, all of Milwaukee. -
be court appointed Joseph Flanders, ~
Milwaukee. an attorney, to repre-
mt Schrang in the sanity hearing. no
Schrank, in jail, appeared little con. -
rned in the fact that his liberty for e.
ssibly the next fifteen years was in ~
Opardy. -,