Jasper County Democrat, Volume 4, Number 25, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 28 September 1901 — CZOLGOSZ IS GUILTY [ARTICLE]

CZOLGOSZ IS GUILTY

Verdict Returned Against Assassin of McKinley. TRIAL A SHORT ONE. No Evidence Offered in Behalf of the President’s Murderer. Prosecution Presents an Overwhelming Array of Facts, Which, Woven Together, Make the Appalling Story of the MnrJer of a Notion's Chief— Defense Offers No Kvhlence, anti Attorneys Make but Brief Argument— Assassin Shows Kmotlon and Sheds Tears as Story of Hi) Dastardly Crime Is Told. “GuiltyT’ was the verdict solemnly returned late Tuesday afternoon In the trial of Leon F, Czolgosz for the assassination of President McKinley. Little deliberation was required by the jury to render the formal verdict, which merely confirmed legally the sentence of death already pronounced against the murderer by the whole country. The verdict of the jury followed soon after the closing of the case by the people. No testimony was presented by the defense. An earnest and eloquent address by ex-Judge Loren C. Lewis, on behalf of the defendant, and by District Attorney Thomas Penney, together with instructions from the court, were crowded into the momentous hour which preceded the verdict. With the testimony of William S. Bull, general superintendent of police, the people of the State of New York closed the case against Leon Czolgosz shortly before 3 o'clock in the afternoon. Following the retirement of Superintendent Bull from the witness stand ex-Judge Loren C. Lewis advanced to the jury rail and earnestly outlined the case of the defense. The venerable jurist urged that If the defendant was sane he was guilty, while If be was Insane be was not guilty. He said the defense had no testimony to offer. He then declared that the arguments for the defense would be offered, and without delay began his argument for Czolgosz. “If the President met his fate by the fact of an insane man his death, awful as it was. must be classed lawfully ns an accident,” urged ex-Judge Lewis, “and the verdict of guilt should not be fastened upon the unfortunate l>eing who was Its irresponsible cause.” Ex-Judge Titus declined to say anything in addition to what his associate had said on behalf of the defendant, so District Attorney Penney eloquently closed for the prosecution. With the presentation of Instructions by the court the case of Leon Czolgosz, assassin of President McKinley, was in the hands of the jury, aud the jury soon returned its verdict.

Aw.'ul Array of Facta. During the day an overwhelming array of awful facts was presented by District Attorney Penney for the prosecution. With crushing force witness after witness told what he had seen and heard, and woven together It made the appalling story of the murder of the nation's chief by the being who sat in the defendant's chair. All the tragic circumstances of the attack upon the President were dramatically recounted and the revolting detatls of the prisoner’s cold-blooded avowal of guilt the afternoon of the assassination were repeated. Denial was made that the prisoner’s confession had been extorted by threats or procured by promises of Immunity, and proof was advanced to show that the assassin had been well treated by the police from the time of his arrest. During it all Leon Csolgosz, around whom the trial centered, sat still, beads of perspiration standing out on his face, and only yielded to his tense emotions when the story of his life was repeated. Then his eyes tilled with tears. To prevent any demonstration when Cxolgos* passed out of the county jail tunnel into the court house and up the stairs to tho court room on the second floor no onlookers were allowed to accumulate in the corridors. The Idea in this was to prevent gratification of the assassin’s vanity as much as anything else. Extreme precautions were taken to preany possible outbreak or attack upon the building. Only persons were admitted to the City Ilall building who had business there, and this they had to prove to two sets of police officers before gaining entrance even to the rotunda of the building, persons admitted were searched for concealed weapons before passing the guards.