| Leon Czolgosz |
Article Index for Leon |
Website Links For Leon |
Information AboutLeon Czolgosz |
|
) of Leon Czolgosz.]] Leon Frank Czołgosz ( 1873 – October 29 , 1901 ) was the Assassin of U.S. President William McKinley . A Registered Republican , in the last few years of his life he was heavily influenced by Anarchist writers such as Emma Goldman . EARLY LIFE One of two children of Polish immigrants, Czołgosz (Polish, pronounced , often anglicized to ) was born in Detroit , Michigan . His actual date of birth is unknown - some sources state, without offering any evidence, that he was born on January 1 , 1873 . He lived in conditions of brutal poverty most of his life. He left his family farm in Cleveland , Ohio at age ten to work at American Steel and Wire Company with two of his brothers. When Czolgosz was 12, his mother died while giving birth to another child. At the height of his employment, he was making $4 a day, but after the workers of his factory went on strike (during a time when Union s were considered dangerous and illegal), they were fired. ANARCHY AND EMMA GOLDMAN In 1898 , after witnessing a series of similar strikes (many ending in police confrontation), Czolgosz returned home, where he was constantly at odds with his family's Roman Catholic beliefs and with his stepmother. He became a recluse, and spent much of his time alone, reading Socialist and Anarchist newspapers. Some speculate that Czolgosz may have suffered a Mental Breakdown . He was very affected by hearing a speech of Emma Goldman , and sought her out in New York City to discuss political matters. She later wrote a piece sympathetic to Czolgosz's assassination of McKinley, though not quite in favor of the act. However, Czolgosz, as far as is known, failed to be accepted into any anarchist group. Indeed, his fanaticism and comments about violence aroused their suspicions; some even thought he may have been a covert government agent. The Radical ''Free Society'' Newspaper issued a warning pertaining to Czolgosz reading: :"The attention of the comrades is called to another Spy . He is well dressed, of medium height, rather narrow shouldered, blond, and about 25 years of age. Up to the present he has made his appearance in Chicago and Cleveland . In the former place he remained a short time, while in Cleveland he disappeared when the comrades had confirmed themselves of his identity and were on the point interested in the cause, asking for names, or soliciting aid for acts of contemplated Violence . If this individual makes his appearance elsewhere, the comrades are warned in advance and can act accordingly." Czolgosz's experiences had convinced him there was a great injustice in American society, an inequity which allowed the wealthy to enrich themselves by exploiting the poor. He concluded the reason for this was the structure of government itself. Then on revolver Bresci had used. When he was later arrested, police found a folded newspaper clipping about Bresci in Czolgosz’s pocket. SEPTEMBER 1901 On August 31 , 1901 he moved to Buffalo , New York and rented a room near the site of the Pan-American Exposition . On . The gun used by Czolgosz was a .32 caliber Iver-Johnson "Safety Automatic" Revolver , serial number 463344. Czolgosz purchased the gun for $4.50 on September 2 , 1901 . Czolgosz was convicted and sentenced to death on September 23 in a trial that lasted 8 hours and 26 minutes from jury selection to verdict. Czolgosz was found guilty and executed by Electrocution , by three jolts at 1700 Volt s each, on October 29 , 1901 , in Auburn prison in Auburn, New York . His last words were "I killed the President because he was the enemy of the good people—the good working people. I am not sorry for my crime." As the prison guards strapped him into the chair, however, he did say through clenched teeth, "I am sorry I could not see my father." Sulfuric Acid was thrown in his coffin so his body would completely dissolve within 24 hours. His letters and clothes were burned. Emma Goldman was arrested on suspicion of being involved in the assassination, but was released because there was no evidence to support this suspicion. The scene of the crime, the Temple of Music, was torn down in November 1901. TRIVIA
See also: List Of Assassins EXTERNAL REFERENCES
|