 |
| Leon Czolgosz. |
Cortland Evening Standard, Monday, Sept. 23, 1901.
STARTLY POSSIBILITY.
Said That Plot to Assassinate McKinley Was Laid a Year Before He Was Elected to Second Term.
CLEVELAND, Sept. 23.—The investigations made yesterday by Police Detective Schmunk reveal the startling possibility that a plot to assassinate President McKinley was laid a year or so ago before he was elected for his second term, and that it may have been laid in the peaceful precincts of Orange township where the Czolgosz family lived. A remittance made to assassin by his brother, Waldeck Czolgosz, about a month ago, led to the investigation that may have an important bearing on the case.
One of the strong elements in the belief of the Buffalo and secret service detectives has been the fact that the handkerchief with which the assassin concealed the hand in which he held his weapon was a woman's handkerchief. What is more important is that the handkerchief was tied about the hand in a way that he, it is claimed, would not have been able to tie it himself.
The fact that Czolgosz had money impelled the detectives to try to learn whence he got it.
Yesterday his brother, Waldeck Czolgosz, confessed to having sent it to Leon under the name of Frank Snyder at West Seneca, N. Y. In his search for clues Detective Schmunk learned from the neighboring farmers that Czolgosz boys, Leon and Waldeck, have been readers of socialist papers for several years. John D. Knox, an aged farmer who lives in the vicinity of the former Czolgoss farm said: "The two boys, the one that shot the president, and Waldeck, used to come to my house and talk to me about their socialist papers. They brought their papers to me and tried to get me to read them. Once when they were here during the last presidential campaign, they got to talking about President McKinley and one of them said: "If he is elected he will be shot before he serves out his term," and then went on 'I'd serve John Rockefeller the same way if I got a chance.' They talked of violence all the time and I was glad what they went out of the neighborhood."
PLEA OF GUILTY
BUT JUDGE WHITE WILL NOT ACCEPT THE PLEA
And Enters a Plea of Not Guilty—Trial Begun at 10: 15 This Morning—Rapid Work in Securing a Jury—Attorneys for Defense to go Through the Motions.
BUFFALO, Sept. 23.—The Czolgosz trial began at 10:10. At exactly 10:15 o'clock there was a commotion in the rear of the courtroom. Czolgosz was coming. There was a death-like stillness as the door opened and Assistant Superintendent of Police Cusack and Sheriff Caldwell appeared. He was followed by Detectives Solomon and Geary. In the center was the prisoner. He was shackled to both Geary and Solomon. Three of the biggest policemen on the force brought up the vanguard. There was a craning of necks and a murmur ran through the court room. Czolgosz's pale blue eyes were riveted on the features of Justice White.
Czolgosz did not look to the right or the left, as he slowly moved up the aisle between faces that depicted both curiosity and intense hatred. His blue eyes sought the ceiling as if to escape the cold stare of Justice White.
There was the greatest suppressed excitement in the court room at this juncture. The policemen were extremely vigilant. Every person in the audience was under the closest espionage, to prevent any violence toward the prisoner. But the audience contented itself with darting glances of hatred at the prisoner.
When the court was called to order Justice White asked of the district attorney:
"Have you any business for the court?''
"Yes," said Mr. Penney, "I wish to move the indictment of Leon F. Czolgosz, charged with murdering William McKinley."
"Let him plead," said the judge.
Mr. Penny then said: "Leon F. Czolgosz, you are indicted, and it is charged that you did, on the 6th day of September, 1901, unlawfully shoot and kill William McKinley. How do you plead?"
"I didn't hear you," said Czolgosz thus uttering the first words he has ever spoken in court.
Mr. Penney repeated the statement of the indictment.
"How do you plead?" asked the district attorney.
"Guilty," replied Czolgosz in a firm voice.
Justice White said, "The court cannot accept that plea, and a plea of not guilty will be entered."
Judge Titus then rose to address the court. He said that he did not wish to say anything in apology for the presence of himself and his associates, but he wished to explain the reason as to why they were there. "At the time we were assigned to defend this prisoner," he said, "I was out of the city and neither myself nor my associates were consulted about the assignment. At first I declined to accept, but later considered it a duty that I owed to the court to accept the task, disagreeable though it was. So we are here to see that this defendant, if guilty, is convicted only on such evidence as the law of the land requires in a case of this character and that in the trial form of law shall be observed as the statutes demand in cases of this class."
Justice White said that the prisoner would be accorded such justice as the law demands. The court would enter a plea of "not guilty" in behalf of the prisoner, just as though he had not pleaded "guilty."
"The prisoner's plea of guilty," said the judge, "indicates that he himself anticipates no escape from the penalty which the law prescribes for a crime of the character alleged in the indictment."
The judge then observed that he was sure the counsel for the defense would act for the prisoner just as though they had been retained voluntarily and were to be compensated for their services. As there was some question of the regularity of county court's assignment of counsel, remarked the court, the supreme court hereby assigned them again.
Clerk Fisher was then directed to call the first talesman for a juror. The securing of a jury proceeded with great rapidity, only a few questions being asked each man.
GOODING AND CORCORAN.
Convicted of Assault in Third Degree—Sentenced to Pay a Fine of $100 Each.
The case of the People against S. N. Gooding and John H. Corcoran [both former Cortland policemen—CC ed.] indicted for assault in the second degree was brought to a close Saturday night when the jury at 11:15 o'clock brought in a verdict of assault in the third degree. The judge was notified that the jury had agreed on a verdict and went to the court house to hear the verdict.
At 3 o'clock this afternoon sentence was pronounced. A petition signed by nearly 500 representative citizens of Cortland was presented by their attorney, N. L. Miller, asking for leniency. The sentence of the court was that each should pay a fine of $100 and in default of payment each should be confined in the county jail until the fine is paid, not to exceed 100 days. Gooding's was paid on the spot and it was understood that Corcoran's would be before night.
Fred Dykeman and Fred Curtis who last week pleaded guilty to burglary in the third degree was sentenced to two years each at hard labor in Auburn prison.
REGIMENTAL REUNION.
ONE HUNDRED FIFTY-SEVENTH MET AT SMYRNA, SEPT. 19.
Seventy Men Were Present—Five Deaths Reported—Election of Officers—Meeting Next Year Will Be At Hamilton, N. Y.
The thirty-sixth annual reunion of the One Hundred Fifty-seventh regiment, N. Y. Vols., was held on Sept. 19, at Smyrna, Chenango county. Seventy men answered to the roll call. The reunion is always held on the 19th, when it falls upon a week day, as this is the anniversary of the mustering of the regiment into the service in 1862. This year the reunion occurred on the day of the McKinley funeral and it partook more or less of the nature of a memorial service. A telegram of condolence was sent to Captain Lafayette Mac Williams at Canton, O., he being the commander of Company F of this regiment and his wife being a cousin of Mrs. McKinley.
Comrade L. Coe Young made some very interesting remarks on the death of President McKinley, and short addresses were also made by Mr. Pudney of Smyrna and Mr. Montgomery of Plymouth.
Five deaths were reported during the year, W. H. Bradley of Co. E, O. J. Hayes of Co. E, Harry Orndoff of Co. I, John D. Fox of Co. I, and Capt. C. H. Van Slyke of Co. B.
It is rather remarkable that of the eight captains of the regiment who were mustered out of the service in 1865, six are still living, thirty-six years after the mustering out, and the two deaths that have occurred are both of comparatively recent date, Capt. F. E. Gates of Canastota, commanding Co. K, having died three years ago, and Capt. C. H. Van Slyke of Sioux Falls, N. D., commanding Co. B, having passed away this last year. Two companies at the time of the mustering out, were commanded by lieutenants, and both these two lieutenants are living. When the regiment was mustered out it was officered as follows:
Lieutenant Colonel—J. C. Carmichael, Cortland, commanding, deceased, Oct. 2, 1889.
Adjutant—Charles J. Baldwin, M. D., Granville, O.
Chaplain—Rev. O. H. Seymour, Cortland, deceased, Sept. 8, 1889.
Quarter Master—A. W. Kingsbury, Homer.
Surgeons—Dr. H. C. Hendrick, McGraw; Dr. J. Mortimer Crawe, Watertown; Dr. F. D. Beebe, Hamilton, deceased, April 21, 1893.
Co. A—Lieutenant W. H. Morgan, Cortland.
Co. B—Captain C. H. Van Slyke, Sioux Falls, N. D., deceased, 1901.
Co. C—Captain William Saxton, Edgar, Neb.
Co. D—Captain J. C. Atwater, Homer.
Co. E—Captain George L. Warren, Cortland.
Co. F—Captain Lafayette Mac Williams, Chicago.
Co. G—Lieutenant John Campbell, Peterboro.
Co. H—Captain G. S. Van Hoesen, Cortland.
Co. I—Captain L. F. Briggs, Eaton.
Co. K—Captain F. E. Gates, Haddenfield, N. J., deceased, 1899.
At the time of mustering out Lieut. Col. Carmichael had received his commission as colonel of the regiment, Major Place has received his commission as lieutenant colonel and Captain Briggs had received his commission as major, but none of the three had yet been mustered in as such.
The original quartermaster of the regiment was Hon. P. H. McGraw, who resigned and was succeeded by C. O. Newton of Homer, and he in turn was succeeded after his resignation by A. W. Kingsbury of Homer. Other officers of the regiment still living are Lieut. C. H. Paddock of New York, Lieut. R. W. Bourne of Willet, Lieut. W. S. Barnum of Syracuse, Lieut. H. A. Curtice, Colorado Springs, Colo.; Lieutenant Jerome Forbes, Republican City, Neb.; Lieutenant R. E. Grant of the patent office, Washington, who was shot through both lungs and still lives; Lieutenant Clark Pierce of the custom house, New York; and Lieutenant H. D. Waters of Cuyler.
At the reunion at Smyrna many letters were read from absent comrades regretting their inability to attend and all sent greetings to those present. The regiment was three times recruited to full ranks during the [civil] war, over 300 men being added to the number at one time. Of the entire regiment it is believed that over 450 are still living. It is, however, impossible to determine how many of the number originally mustered in are still living.
Officers for the coming year were elected as follows:
President—W. H. Abbert, Hamilton.
First Vice-President—L. F. Briggs, Eaton.
Second Vice-President.—B. Earskine, Randallsville.
Third Vice-President—A. M. Stevens, Madison.
Recording Secretary—George L. Warren, Cortland.
Treasurer—L. F. Briggs, Eaton.
Executive Committee—To be appointed by the president.
Custodian of Colors—The president, ex-officio.
The next place of meeting will be at Hamilton on Sept. 19, 1902. The last previous meeting at Hamilton was in 1892.
MAKING NAIL KEGS.
At the Rate of More Than 500 Per Day.
Mr. G. M. Watson, who has the contract for furnishing nail kegs for Wickwire Bros. and who has rented the old desk factory near the Lehigh Valley tracks for the purpose, has begun the manufacture of the kegs and is already turning them out at the rate of more than 500 per day. Five men are now employed and this number will soon be increased.
Mr. Watson has been making the kegs for some time at his factory in Malloryville near McLean. . From there the kegs had to be shipped to Cortland and to save freight and extra handling, Mr. Watson decided to come to Cortland and carry on the business nearer where the goods are to be used.
The old desk factory meets the present requirements very well. The lower floor is all that is used at present. The large room at the south next to the Lehigh Valley tracks is used for a storeroom where the material, unloaded directly from the cars, is stored. Adjoining this is a large room where the kegs are set up and the entire north end of the building serves as a shipping room and a store room for the kegs when finished. Very little machinery in fact practically none at present, is needed in the work here. The staves, hoops and heads are purchased and are shipped to Cortland all ready for setting up. The staves came principally from central Pennsylvania, the hoops from Michigan and Ohio and the heads are manufactured by a firm in Binghamton. Two sizes of kegs are manufactured. One used for the small nails and another for the larger sizes. When the kegs are finished Mr. Watson's part of the work is done, as Wickwire Bros. take them directly from the factory as fast as they are needed.
The nail department at Wickwire Bros. has now commenced running nights, consequently more kegs will be required. The force of men at the new factory will be increased as occasion demands and from present indications it appears that it will not be long before the product will be increased to 1,000 kegs per day.
Mr. Watson expects soon to begin the manufacture of barrels for the use of the Wickwire Copperas Co., a new branch of the business at Wickwire Bros. These barrels will be of the standard size and their manufacture can be carried on in connection with the nail kegs to good advantage. The new plant starts off with excellent prospects and promises to become a valuable addition to Cortland's business enterprises.
CHANGES IN THE STORE.
Warren, Tanner & Co. to be Lighted by Electricity—Other Matters.
A number of changes are being made in the arrangement of the large dry goods store of Warren, Tanner &Co. Up to this time Mr. Tanner has both kept the books and acted as cashier, but as year by year the business has increased this has become more and more burdensome for him. It has now been decided to relieve him of the duties of cashier, and the business office has been removed to the northeast corner of the store, and there Mr. Tanner can be found. A new desk has been placed in the center at the rear and there Miss Sadie Bostwick will preside over the cash drawer. Mr. Warren, who looks after the buying and all the correspondence, has his desk removed to a place adjoining the counters on the north side. The store is being wired and will soon be lighted with electricity. Other changes are contemplated in the near future.
GUN SHOT WOUNDS
Discussed by the Cortland County Medical Association Friday Night.
The Cortland County Medical association met Friday evening at Dr. C. D. Ver Nooy's office. Dr. S. J. Sornberger was in the chair. Dr. Ver Nooy read a paper on "The Uses of Digitalis," and Dr. Higgins read one on "Wounds Penetrating the Abdominal Cavity." Each paper brought out interesting points and a general discussion took place. The subject of wounds penetrating the abdominal cavity—always an interesting and important one—is doubly so at this sad time. Many intricacies and complications that are impossible to foresee with certainty are liable to arise and make the prognosis of any case uncertain, this notwithstanding the fact that modern science has with its light done wonders within the past twenty or even ten years. P. M. NEARY, Sec'y.
BREVITIES.
— The Republican county convention will be held at Taylor hall in Cortland on Tuesday, Sept. 24 at 2 P. M.
—Lehigh Valley painters are giving the Cortland station two new coats of paint.
—A regular meeting of the Royal Arcanum council will be held Tuesday evening, Sept. 24, at G. A. R. hall at 8 o'clock.
—New display advertisements today are—Mitch's Market. Meats, etc., page 5; City Steam Laundry, Laundry work, page 5; J. W. Cudworth, Optical goods, page 5; Warren, Tanner & Co., Dry goods, page 6.
—Mr. and Mrs. S. W. Sherwood on Saturday evening very pleasantly entertained a small company of friends at tea and during the evening in honor of their guests, Mr. and Mrs. Burton F. Jackson, of Buffalo.
—Division Passenger Agent E. J. Quackenbush of the Lackawanna with\ headquarters in Syracuse has been assigned to take charge of the Lackawanna's passenger business over the Delaware & Hudson railroad from Rouse's Point to Binghamton in connection with his other work.
—The Cortland Science club met Saturday night at the Hatch library. The paper of Prof. W. M. Booth upon "Water" given two weeks before was reviewed by superintendent F. E. Smith. Mr. A. J. Murray gave a comprehensive and discriminating talk upon "Trusts." An abstract of this will be published a little later.
No comments:
Post a Comment