4 September 1901 (Wednesday)

President McKinley departs Canton, OH, by train in morning.
McKinley arrives in Buffalo, NY, at Pan-American Exposition grounds approx. 6:30 p.m. Immediately goes to 1168 Delaware Avenue, residence of exposition president John G. Milburn.

 

 5 September 1901 (Thursday)

McKinley spends day at Pan-American Exposition as part of President’s Day celebration. Gives formal public address, reviews military troops, partakes in luncheon, and attends afternoon reception. Views fireworks display in evening. Retires to Milburn residence.
Leon Czolgosz allegedly spends day at Pan-American Exposition, departing in late afternoon.

 

 6 September 1901 (Friday)

President McKinley visits Niagara Falls, NY, returning to Pan-American Exposition in afternoon for public reception held in Temple of Music.
Leon Czolgosz allegedly visits Niagara Falls. Returns to exposition and waits with crowd in reception line at Temple of Music.
4:00 p.m. — Public reception begins.
4:07 p.m. — Czolgosz shoots McKinley twice (in chest and abdomen). Is immediately taken into custody.
4:18 p.m. — McKinley arrives by ambulance at emergency hospital on exposition grounds.
5:20 p.m. — McKinley begins receiving anesthesia.
5:29 p.m. — Surgery begins. Dr. Matthew D. Mann serves as chief surgeon.
5:30 p.m. — Vice President Theodore Roosevelt, in Isle La Motte, VT, learns of attack.
6:50 p.m. — Surgery ends.
7:00 p.m. (approx.) — Mrs. McKinley, at Milburn residence, learns of assassination attempt.
7:32 p.m. — McKinley placed in ambulance. Taken to Milburn residence for recovery.
8:15 p.m. — Vice President Roosevelt arrives by yacht at Burlington, VT. Boards train for Buffalo.
10:40 p.m. — Official bulletin states McKinley “is rallying satisfactorily and is resting comfortably.”

 

 7 September 1901 (Saturday)

Assembled medical team attending President McKinley consists of Drs. Matthew D. Mann, Herman Mynter, Roswell Park, Presley M. Rixey, and Eugene Wasdin.
Official bulletin (3:30 p.m.) affirms that “the President continues to rest quietly; no change for the worse.”
Vice President Roosevelt arrives at Buffalo.
Drs. Joseph Fowler, Floyd S. Crego, and James W. Putnam examine Czolgosz for mental illness on behalf of the prosecution. Additional interviews occur on 8 and 9 September and other dates.

 

 8 September 1901 (Sunday)

Dr. Charles McBurney joins medical team.
Official bulletin (4:00 p.m.) states that President McKinley’s “condition is satisfactory to all physicians present.”

 

 9 September 1901 (Monday)

Grace McKenzie joins nursing team.
Official bulletin (4:00 p.m.) reports that President McKinley’s “condition steadily improves and he is comfortable, without pain or unfavorable symptoms.”
Drs. Fowler, Crego, and Putnam declare Czolgosz sane.

 

 10 September 1901 (Tuesday)

President McKinley has four stitches removed and his wound redressed.
Official bulletin (9:00 a.m.) describes McKinley’s condition as “eminently satisfactory,” adding that “[i]f no complications arise a rapid convalescence may be expected.”
Chicago police arrest anarchist Emma Goldman upon suspicion of conspiring to assassinate the president.
Vice President Roosevelt leaves Buffalo.

 

 11 September 1901 (Wednesday)

Official bulletin (9:00 a.m.) reports McKinley’s condition as “excellent.”
President McKinley consumes beef juice, the first food taken by stomach.
Remainder of McKinley’s stitches removed.
Emma Goldman arraigned in Chicago.

 

 12 September 1901 (Thursday)

President McKinley eats small piece of toast—first solid food—and coffee.
Dr. Charles G. Stockton joins medical team as consultant.
Dr. McBurney leaves Buffalo.
Official bulletin (8:30 p.m.) announces that President McKinley’s condition “is not quite so good” though by midnight it improves somewhat.

 

 13 September 1901 (Friday)

Official bulletin (2:50 a.m.) states that President McKinley’s “condition is very serious and gives rise to the gravest apprehension.” Two subsequent bulletins indicate some improvement.
Czolgosz relocated from police headquarters to Erie County Penitentiary.
Dr. Charles McBurney returns to Buffalo. Drs. Edward G. Janeway and William W. Johnston summoned for consultation.
Vice President Roosevelt, while hiking in the Adirondack Mountains, receives news of McKinley’s decline.
5:35 p.m. — Medical team publicly reports McKinley’s condition as “grave.”
6:30 p.m. — Official bulletin declares that unless his decline can be reversed “the end is only a question of time.”
9:30 p.m. — Official bulletin confirms McKinley is dying.

 

 14 September 1901 (Saturday)

President McKinley declared dead at 2:15 a.m.
Vice President Roosevelt arrives at North Creek, NY, at 5:20 a.m. (approx.) after six-hour overland journey. Boards train for Buffalo.
Drs. Harvey R. Gaylord and Herman G. Matzinger perform autopsy at Milburn residence.
Roosevelt arrives at Buffalo at 1:40 p.m. (approx.).
Judge John R. Hazel swears in Roosevelt as new president at 3:30 p.m. (approx.) at Ansley Wilcox residence on Delaware Avenue in Buffalo.
Roosevelt issues his first official presidential proclamation, designating 19 September as “a day of mourning and prayer throughout the United States.”

 

 15 September 1901 (Sunday)

Eduard L. A. Pausch takes death mask of President McKinley.
Rev. Dr. Charles Edward Locke conducts private funeral services in Milburn residence at 11:00 a.m. (approx.).
McKinley’s remains relocated to Buffalo city hall at 11:30 a.m. (approx.). Lies in state until 10:30 p.m. (approx. 10 hours). Viewed by an estimated 75,000-100,000 persons.
Official death certificate attributes cause of death as “gangrene of both walls of stomach and pancreas following gunshot wound.”

 

 16 September 1901 (Monday)

McKinley funeral train departs Buffalo for Washington, DC, at 8:30 a.m. (approx.).
Erie County grand jury indicts Leon Czolgosz for crime of murder in the first degree.
Czolgosz relocated from Erie County Penitentiary to Erie County Jail.
Czolgosz appears before Judge Edward K. Emery. Retired state supreme court justices Loran L. Lewis and Robert C. Titus assigned as defense counsel (neither being present).
McKinley funeral train arrives in Washington, DC, at 8:30 p.m. (approx.). McKinley’s remains relocated to East Room in White House.

 

 17 September 1901 (Tuesday)

Funeral procession from White House to Capitol begins at 9:00 a.m.
Funeral services held in Capitol rotunda.
Lies in state in Capitol rotunda until 6:30 p.m. (approx. 6.5 hours). Viewed by an estimated 50,000 persons.
McKinley funeral train departs Washington, DC, for Canton, OH, at 8:30 p.m. (approx.).
Czolgosz meets with (and refuses to speak to) defense attorney Lewis for first time.
Czolgosz appears again before Judge Emery, remaining mute throughout the proceedings. Defense attorney Lewis enters “not guilty” plea on Czolgosz’s behalf.

 

 18 September 1901 (Wednesday)

McKinley funeral train arrives at Canton, OH, at noon (approx.). McKinley’s remains relocated to courthouse.
Lies in state in courthouse until 6:00 p.m. (approx. 5 hours). Viewed by an estimated 30,000 persons. Remains then relocated to McKinley residence.

 

 19 September 1901 (Thursday)

President McKinley’s remains relocated from McKinley residence to First Methodist Episcopal Church.
Funeral services begin at 1:30 p.m.
Remains relocated to Westlawn Cemetery and placed in receiving vault.

 

 23 September 1901 (Monday)

Judge Truman C. White arraigns Leon Czolgosz in State Supreme Court of New York, Buffalo, NY, at 10:00 a.m. Czolgosz pleads guilty. A “not guilty” plea is automatically entered on his behalf.
Jury selected in under three hours.
Assistant District Attorney Frederick Haller gives opening statement for prosecution. District Attorney Thomas Penney conducts questioning.
Court adjourns at 4:00 p.m. (approx.).

 

 24 September 1901 (Tuesday)

Trial re-convenes at 10:00 a.m.
Prosecution concludes its case.
Defense declines to present evidence or witnesses on Czolgosz’s behalf. Defense attorney Loran L. Lewis briefly addresses jury. Defense rests.
Jury deliberates for less than half an hour. Declares Czolgosz guilty of murder in the first degree at 4:25 p.m. (approx.).
Chicago police release Emma Goldman from custody due to lack of evidence.

 

 25 September 1901 (Wednesday)

Family members visit Czolgosz for first time since arrest.

 

 26 September 1901 (Thursday)

Judge Truman C. White sentences Czolgosz to be executed in the week beginning 28 October 1901.
Sheriff Samuel Caldwell and team of deputies escort Czolgosz by train from Buffalo to Auburn, NY (departs approx. 10 p.m.).

 

 27 September 1901 (Friday)

Czolgosz arrives at Auburn State Prison at 3:15 a.m. Suffers temporary nervous breakdown.

 

 29 October 1901 (Tuesday)

5:00 a.m. (approx.) — Death warrant read to Czolgosz.
7:06 a.m. — Witness jury enters execution chamber.
7:10 a.m. — Czolgosz removed from prison cell.
7:11 a.m. — Czolgosz led into execution chamber.
7:12-7:15 a.m. — Czolgosz electrocuted.
7:17 a.m. — Warden Mead officially declares Czolgosz dead.
E. A. Spitzka performs autopsy in execution chamber (7:50 a.m.-12:30 p.m.).
Czolgosz buried in unmarked prison grave, his remains destroyed with acid.

 


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