Conviction of Czolgosz

HE was arraigned on Monday of last week before Justice White in Buffalo; the case went to the jury on Tuesday; a verdict of guilty was returned within thirty minutes; and on Thursday he was sentenced to die by electrocution during the week beginning Oct. 28. The assassin will be executed at Auburn prison. Applications are being made by telegraph, telephone, and mail for permission to witness the electrocution. The first application was made one hour after the President’s death. The promptness of the conviction is gratifying to all. Over two months elapsed between the time of the assassination of Lincoln and the conviction of the conspirators responsible for his death. The case was handled by a military tribunal. Guiteau was tried in the Federal court of the District of Columbia. The trial lasted over two months, and five more elapsed before he was executed. The assassin of Mr. McKinley was given the full benefit of the law. His only defence was insanity, but his counsel could not find a single expert who would go on the stand and testify that his mind was sufficiently unbalanced to save him from legal responsibility for the deed. Despite his plea of “guilty,” which the court ruled could not be accepted, the record was made up precisely as if the State expected a vigorous defence. Every point was carefully established by competent witnesses in the interest of absolute justice. Nothing was developed during the trial showing the existence of a conspiracy. Just before the judge pronounced the sentence of death, the assassin declared: “There was no one else but me. No one else told me to do it; and no one paid me to do it.” This was accepted as meaning that his father and mother and relatives in particular had nothing to do with the crime.