THE MURDER OF THE PRESIDENT.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CVI, Issue 12621, 2 October 1901, Page 5

THE MURDER OF THE PRESIDENT.

NEWS BY THE MAIL. A DETECTIVE'S STORY.: (Per Ventura afc Auckland.) SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 12. ' . The following is the story cf the attack, . a.s told by a secret service detective, who stood close to the President the time of the shooting: of assault was entertained by the Presidential Party. .It has been my habit to stand at the back" of the President and just to the- left, so that I could see tha right handl of each person approaching, but yesterday t I was requested to sLancl opposite the Pre- • sident, so that Mr Milbum could stand at the left and introduce people to tfca President. When Czolgosz came up I noticed that he was a- boyish-looking fellow, with an innocent face, and with his right hand wrapped in'what appeared to be a bandage. Just as the man in front released the President's hand and the President was reaching for the hand of the assassin thei© wsra two quick shots. ' Startled for a moment, I looked, and saw the President draw lids right' hand up trader his coat, straighten up, and give Czolgosz the most scornfuL and contemptuous look possible to imagine.

At the same moment I reached for the young" man and caugh'b his lefo arm.' A big negro, who would have been the next to grasp the President's hand, struck the young man in the neck with one hand, and)' with the other wrenched away his. revolver, which, had been discharged through the handkerchief, and the shots from which had sot fire to the linen. Immediately a 'dozen men fell upon the assassin and bore Mm: to the floor. On th© way to the station Czolgosz; would n-ot soy a word, but &oen> - ed greatl y agi tat ed."

The President was hurried to the Emergency Hospital on the Exposition grounds.lb was found that there were two wounds, one in the chest, which required littta at- ■ lentdon, and ono in the abdomen. Tha bulkt hole in the abdomen was about five inches below the left, nipple and an irclii and a half to the left of the median line., It was found necessary to make an incision and removo the stomach. It was found that the bullet had penetrated,both walls o'f the stomach, making a much larger and more ragged hole on leaving the organ than at the entrance. Both holes were closed with ordinary antiseptic, silk sutures, and the stomach and abdominal ' cavity were washed with normal salt solution. It was determined that the bullet was either embedded in the muscles of the back, or lying loose in the abdominal cavity. No probing was t dono, and nonier was deemed neces-sary. .. After the operation 'th? patient was re* moved to tho rosidenes of Mr Milbuni, which was hastily connected by numerous wire-' with Washington and the outside world.

: The news of. the' shooting of President M'Kinley travelled over the country '' al-:.; most instantaneously,- and was everywhere ' received' ■with horror and grief.■: Tho,ma-. : thods of tho President with regard- ' to' .public affairs have been severely /criticised v'k 'by political opponents, but the life of the':, : : man has been irreproachable, and: his place in the respect and. affections of his country-,..:: ''mto/has always been high.. Be: has -been, most energetic in fulfilling what he believed ,! to be his duties, a-nd in his hour 'of': trial his bearing was'consistent,' brave and,; . noble.; He did 1 not at first believe: that'-his-,;; injury was serious, and be asked immediate-' ;ly that the occurrence' should' be kept, .'if,; ■; possible, from his wife.: Mrs M'Eanley,:; accompanied her husband cm the yis-it 'to :: the Buffalo Exposition, as it was her liabiti j.: to 'do whenever he went abroad.' She-was ; : resting from, the fatigue of the journey;: from "Niagara Falls when the attentat' at"; assassination was made, and she was mot told; was r/eaily time for, the wound- ,' ed President • to \ be 'brought to the': homia . ■■ of ]Mi ; iiilbum, which had bsenCsefc aside* for the. use of these distinguished, guesta 'during their stay at-Buffalo; : ; - '■ 7 THE .ASSASSIN'S: STATEMENT.;;;^!;? 1/ Leon'Czolgcsz, who shot the President,' gaiye.to tira police the following statement-,.:: '■tnins-cribed and Signed by himself,;—'l ; : was' born at Detroit nearly. twenty-ninei;-;:; years ago- My parents were Russian P01e5...; Thev ; canto here forty-two.-yeaps-got *my .'education in the public:schools.of::|; Detroit,'and 'then went to'Ckvelaiid,- where: iI got work. In Cleveland! I read books o&. :: Socialism, and niet a great: many .Socialists.:;! I was pretty '■■ well hMwa as- a- in,:'', th?: West. Afterl:cing : in Cleveland several.;■ years I w«nt to: where I:;remiakea: ; ;;;' Wren months/ after'iwMdi^l.:wentst-6, i NewrVi : ' burgh, on! f he ■' cut'skjrts : of- Cleveland; }iaxA;'£: went to ,work iii wire mills. During the-; la.;.t f our ye a re. I ■' have had as friends: Amatv ;:';:■ chists in" Cleveland, : Detroit md;;:; other Western cities. -I .became .| more or less bitter. Yes, Ilniew;I;:wa« : :';;i bitter.' I never 'had much hick;-at';.any-:'-;; thin?, ■'■ and this preyed upon inel;:-,K''taaa*,:|; into morora 'and envious'-; but what ■ started';-;::: tha:crnßo to kill was -a, lecture,!;heart!:;;: some little tinis! a'go-by She was • in Glevslarvd, ami:■";'I : -and"; ■ Anarchists went ■+•■> h»r;her. ; =She-e^:ib« : : ; ;j:: on, fire. Her doctrine that all rulers should; ;| p b e cxtermi nat-ed set in?: tHiikihg£''so'. that:;-1- : my head Marly- split 'with .'p'aki.;--Miss';;;;;; Goldnrin's word's went.-rightthrough -MMy?!* and when I : left the lecture:l:hai&made;-up J,\ my mind that. I would'do,'somet)iicg;Sh«Tcie ; ;-;;; for; the; cause.:.l, loved.;'':'; Eight- :days/ag*s;:;:j: . while in I readin thV ■ |, cf tbs' Present's : visit to tho'. :Pan-Amcin-:;!; oa*Exposition;.at ./Buffalo.';; .;.That.'--:;day'; : : ':J 1 -|;; bought,a ticket; for Buffalo, and;'Fgot"' : bsra '§ with tho dc'tVnri-ir.-atio-n:;fti> do soniething,;;! f ■ did'-jrot know,jujt-whftii': !:.■•■ I '-.thought,;;--«£ : i r . >hcol:ng"tS3 'PreME ! nt,'. ! ,but fornifd":a pla.n".**' I' went Broadway,- which ■ is. .avhotel - nnS l : ' [ taloonr : si Jolhk wlio-has led hi * 'ptopler lieife;4or -faiisi, qwns.'f.' it. I told Howach that.:J:caa»l:t:o--eee.';tho;'.K ivxr. ~' He knew nothing iwas/'r': .:s=ttiiiar "me ti-asr/■■.■"!■ weat grounds- a , couyle -of -. day?.' : '■ ■ N'ofe.uS* il : d » y' jnorni n,g'ilid- the' 'd^sTminatjoh^to.:: stioyftjl} the President tak? iiHild;c.f .nie.^lt-iiwa^t^il:'

' my heart; there was ivo escape for ms; I could nob Live- conquered" it had my life "bsen at stake. There were thousands of people iiji town on Tuesday. I beard; that it was tho Prerident's day. All those p-'2plo seemed bowing': to the great ruler. I made up my mind to kill that ruler. I bought a 32-calibre revolver, and loaded it. On Tuesday night I went to tho .Fair grounds, and was near the gate when the Presidential party arrived. 1 tried to get near him, but the police forced me back. They forced everybody back, so that the great ruler could pass. I was close to the President when he went into tho grounds, but was afraid to attempt assassination because there were so many men in the bodyguard that watched him. I was not afraid of them or that I should get hurt, but afraid that I might be seized, and then my chance would be gone for ever. Well, he went away that time, and I went home. On Wednesday I went to the grounds and stood near the President, right under him near the stand from which he spoke. Yesterday morning I went again to the Exposition -grounds. Emma Goldman's speech was still burning me up. I waited near the central entrance for the President, who was to. board his special train from that gate, but the police allowed nobody but the Presidential party to pass where the train waited, so I stayed _■ at the grounds all day. waiting. During "Ti yesterday I first thought of hiding my '"*"'■ pistol under my handkerchief. I was afraid that if I had to draw it from my pocket I would be seen and seized by the guards. I got to the-Temple of Music, the first one, and waited at the spot where the reception was to be held. Then he came, the President, the ruler, and I got in line and trembled until I got right up to him, and then I shot hirn twice through my white handkerchief. I would have shot more, but I was stunned by a blow in the face, a frightful blow that knocked me down, and everybody jumped on me. 1 thought I would be killed, and was surprised the way they treated me." Czolgosz was suffering from nervous exhaustion when he finished his story, but said he had meant to kill the President, and that he had no accomplice at any time. ,He did not regret his act, as he was doing what he could for a cause. A RAID AGAINST ANARCHISTS. > The identification of the assassin was the signal for the hunting out of Anarchists all over the United States. Prominent men are declaring that this country must no longer be an asylum for dangerous persons who are compelled to fly from Eiirope, and that they have too long been permitted to gather in American ycities and make plans for carrying out "their dangerous work here and abroad.