[untitled]

SEPTEMBER 6, 1901.     

     Fred Nieman says he has been in Buffalo a week to-morrow, September 7, 1901. I came from Cleveland, Ohio; been in Cleveland three or four years. Father used to live in Cleveland. Don’t know where he is now. I am a blacksmith’s helper by occupation and worked. I did not work in Buffalo. Lived on Broadway, No. 1025, room No. 8, I think. Saloon conducted there by a man whose name I don’t know. I am 28 years old. I first thought of shooting President McKinley this morning. I was in exposition grounds yesterday afternoon. I did not try to see President then and don’t know if I did see him or not. I stayed at grounds yesterday until about 6 o’clock. After that I went home to Broadway and to my room. After that I walked around town. I was born in Detroit, Mich. I lived on Fleet Street in Cleveland, Ohio. I think No. 99, near Ackley Street. I was living with myself.
     In Detroit I used to live near Polish Catholic Church. It is so long ago I can not remember the street. It is over 20 years since I was in Detroit. Don’t remember church. In Buffalo I lived on Broadway, opposite side of the street from Broadway. Market further out Broadway than the market. It is on the other side of Fillmore Avenue. I went out to exposition to-day, September 6, 1901, alone. I was out alone yesterday. I did not shake hands with my right hand with the President. I [know?] the President was shaking hands with the people when I shot him. I am not left-handed. I did not shake hands with him at all. I don’t remember if I put out my left hand to him. After coming from exposition yesterday I went home first, and then I went to a small square down town. There was a monument in it and grass and seats in it. I did not sit down. I went alongside of the square. It was late at night. I left exposition at 6 o’clock. I did not go home at once. I took car down town. Left exposition somewheres between 5 and 6. I got off the car near the monument. I stayed around monument 5 or 10 minutes. Walked then around town. I went in some barrooms; met a crowd of fellows; don’t know their names. Walked around till 10 o’clock, then went home, reaching home close to 11 o’clock. I did not go out again. It is third building from the corner of the cross street on Broadway going out. I want a clean shirt. I do not see why they dirtied this one. I have some clothes in my room at Broadway. I spoke to my landlord on Broadway in English. I can speak Polish. My father was a Pole. My father’s name was Paul. I think it is a good many weeks since I saw him. I was not drunk since I have been in Buffalo. I have got shoes and clothes in my room. I think Hotel Tuper is John Nowak. My name is F. Czolgos [sic]. I got off the car on Broadway when I came here and asked for lodgings. Never was in Buffalo before this year. I was in Buffalo about year ago. Stayed here two, three, or four nights. Came for fun, boarded that time down town. I did not know where I was going when I came this time. I got off at market house and asked for lodgings and was told to go there. I had a letter to him. He would have to destroy the letter. I had a letter to the Noble Chief of the Knights of the Golden Eagle Order, and he would have to destroy the letter. It was the order. I got that letter at the post office in Buffalo on the 27th or 28th of August, 1901, at —. I thought letter was dated August 23. The letter stated I was good in any lodge. The letter also said that the noble chief should destroy the letter. I had it in my pocket, and they took it away from me. The Knights of the Golden Eagle is the same as any other order.
     I saw Emma Goldman. She writes for newspapers in Chicago. I think. I don’t know for sure. I read the “Free Society” published in Chicago. I have been reading that for a long time. It is the anarchistic paper published at Chicago. I have been reading it a good many months. It is published at 515 Carroll Street, Chicago. The editor is A. or A. J. Ezziak (Eziak). Emma Goldman and a lot of men wrote articles for this paper. I used to get this paper at the same hall in Cleveland I have spoken of. This is No. 170 either Ontario or Superior Street. I heard Mrs. Bedford talk at the Cleveland hall. She lives out in the direction of Bedford, south of Cleveland, about 10 miles from Cleve- [62][63] land on trolley line. She made speeches on “free love.” I believe in “free love.” “Free love” means men and women living together without being married. Saw Mrs. Bedford three or four times. I knew a man named Baileu. I don’t know where he lives. I knew a saloon keeper who belonged to the club. His place was on Tod Street near Fleet. His name was Mandrak, about four blocks from where I lived. This man did not belong to the club. My former statement that he did was a mistake. When I went to Chicago I went on passenger train and bought ticket on Lake Shore. I paid $11.50 to come from Chicago to Buffalo. I got to Buffalo in the morning. It was on last Saturday. I walked to Broadway and took a car. I inquired for lodgings in saloons near Broadway market. Never knew any anarchist club in Buffalo. The last thing I worked at was in wire mill in Newburg, suburb of Cleveland, run by W. L. Hayes. I think it was in 1897 or 1898. In 1898, I think. Worked there good many years—about five or six years. I quit in 1899. I worked in the country as cook or anything that came along. Wire mill was last steady employment. I worked for farmer in Orange, Ohio, about 14 or 15 miles from Cleveland.
     When I left Cleveland I went Chicago. I stopped different places. I came from Chicago on the train direct, had a railroad ticket on passenger train. I worked for the money and had money myself. In Chicago I did not work. I stayed hotel Chicago two or three days. I saw boarding house advertised in paper. I read Polish papers. I said to the officer, I done my duty in shooting the President. I was working under my own instructions. I shot the President because I wanted to do it. I came here from Chicago. I saw it in the papers in Chicago that the President was to be here.
     I have not worked as blacksmith’s helper in about three or four years. I did not belong to any labor union. I came here from Chicago not purposely to shoot the President. I made my plans for shooting the President this morning. I saw President in the grounds yesterday in the afternoon. I am a citizen. I voted once about seven years ago. It was in 1894 when I was 21. I voted in Cleveland. I don’t vote and have not voted since. I don’t believe in voting. I have read paper books and pamphlets on the subject of voting, I don’t believe in voting. It is my principle that I should not vote. I know others that don’t believe in voting. They meet at hall in Cleveland on either Ontario or Superior street. They met on Sunday afternoon. It is called some kind of a club. They had some officer—forgot his name. One woman whom I saw at the Cleveland Club was Emma Goldman from Chicago. She talked about Government. She said she don’t believe in voting and don’t believe in Government. Said all Government was tyranny. She said she believed in anarchy. I am an anarchist. Anarchy, as I understand it, means self-government. That time in Cleveland was the only time I was on my father’s farm. I worked for him on the farm two years—winter and summer. I have brothers and sisters older and younger than I. Some live with him. I had a quarrel with my father and stepmother. I didn’t just quarrel with them. I didn’t like their style and I left and went to Cleveland a few weeks. I did not work during time I was in Cleveland after I left farm. I was in this anarchist hall before I went to farm. My father was not an anarchist so far as I know. After I was in Cleveland that time I went to Chicago. I stopped at different places. I stopped at Fort Sheridan one night to rest, and then went to Chicago. I stopped Chicago three or four nights, and then came to Buffalo direct. I did not go to see anyone in Chicago. Got no money from father when I left farming or from anybody else. I have not worked at anything since I left farm.
     The picture shown me is myself. It was taken in Cleveland. I had them taken when I was working on farm for my father, some seven or eight months ago, probably a year ago. I came to Cleveland often when I was on the farm, and stayed two or three days, and sometimes attended the anarchist meetings and I use [sic] to go there and get these papers that I spoke of.
     I had the money to go to Chicago. I saved it when I worked in the mill $300 or $400, some I had in Stafford Savings Bank in Cleveland. I drew it out in 1894 and 1896 and carried it in my pocket and gave some to my father. He did not give it back.
     Judson Davis in Cleveland belonged to the Golden Eagles. I belonged Forest City Castle in Cleveland. His address is 2270 Spafford street, Cleveland, Ohio. I know this box. Paid $4.50 for the gun that was in it, this week some day in Buffalo here. I could not say what street. I think it was a big gun store day before yesterday. I think it was Thursday. I bought it before I went to Pan-American. I went to Exposition yesterday afternoon. The gun was in my room yesterday. They had rifles in the store window where I [63][64] bought gun. I bought five cartridges, 32-caliber. I loaded the gun in my room yesterday in the evening and left in my room put it in my pocket loaded this morning. Left house 9 o’clock. I went to Niagara Falls. I didn’t see President. Came back on street car. I went to Falls on trolley car. Went alone. I tried to find President there. I did not intend to shoot him there. I did not see anyone I knew. I owned a gun before. Somebody swiped it on me. I never was arrested before. I gave my father over $100 of the money.
     (Rest of statement missing.)
     Witness:
          FRANK HAGGERTY,
          M. J. O’LAUGHLIN,
          JOHN MARTIN.