|
DEATH WARRANT.
The
Instrument Which Consigns
Czolgosz to the Electric Chair.
Czolgosz's
death warrant is an historic document.
It is the supreme mandate of the court, commanding the death of
the anarchist assassin for the foul murder of the beloved President,
William McKinley.
It is not a document of vengeance, but it is the
final instrument by which the law takes the life of Leon F. Czolgosz
in return for the life which he took. But the document is not attested
until the victim has had every opportunity of a trial by a jury
of twelve men.
Those men passed upon that crime in all its details,
and swore that the assassin should suffer the penalty which the
law imposes for the crime of murder in the first degree. Then the
passing of the sentence that Czolgosz must die rested with Justice
Truman C. White, and he has pronounced the fateful words.
But one more instrument was required by the law
to place the assassin in the electric chair in Auburn state prison,
and that was the death warrant with all the formalities of law.
The death warrant was prepared by Martin J. Fisher,
clerk of part 3 of the supreme court of the state of New York, in
which the assassin was convicted of his guilt, and in which the
sentence of death was pronounced against him. When it was prepared
Justice White attached his signature to it.
When the prisoner's guards present that document
to the warden of Auburn state prison, the life of the assassin will
be in his hands.
So memorable is that document that it is given
in full herewith:
The People
of the State of New York-To the Agent and Warden of Auburn state
prison:
Greeting-
Whereas, at a term of the supreme court of the
state of New York, held at the city of Buffalo, in the county of
Erie, state of New York, beginning on the 23d day of September,
1901, before Honorable Truman C. White, one of the justices of said
court, presiding, and a jury, Leon F. Czolgosz was convicted of
the crime of murder in the first degree, in that he wilfully and
feloneously and from a deliberate and premeditated design to effect
the death of William McKinley, did kill and murder said William
McKinley, at said city of Buffalo, on the 6th day of September,
1901.
The said Leon F. Czolgosz appeared before said
court for judgment, and having been duly asked by the clerk whether
he had any legal cause to show why judgment should not he pronounced
against him, and after due inquiry being made into the circumstances,
and there appearing no legal reason why the execution of the sentence
against said Leon F. Czolgosz should not be made, or why judgment
should not be pronounced, said supreme court of the state of New
York, holden as aforesaid, did then and there, and on the 26th day
of September, 1901, render judgment and sentence said Leon F. Czolgosz
to suffer the punishment of death to be inflicted by the application
of electricity, as provided by law, within the week commencing on
Monday, the 28th day of October, 1901, within the walls of the state
prison of the state of New York, at Auburn, New York, or in the
yard or enclosure thereto adjoining; and that in the meantime he,
the said Leon F. Czolgosz, be removed to and until the infliction
of said punishment be kept in solitary confinement in said state
prison.
Now, therefore, you are hereby ordered, commanded
and required to execute the said sentence upon said Leon F. Czolgosz
upon some day within the week commencing Monday, the 28th day of
October, 1901, the time of the execution within said week to be
left to your discretion, and within the walls of said state prison,
or within the yard or enclosure adjoining thereto, by then and there
causing to pass through the body of him, said Leon F. Czolgosz,
a cur-rent of electricity of sufficient intensity to cause death,
and that the application of said current of electricity . be continued
until he, said Leon F. Czolgosz, be dead.
Given under
my hand and seal of the court this 26th day of September, 1901.
TRUMAN
C. WHITE,
Justice of the supreme court.
Thus was the doom of the miserable wretch scaled
by the majesty of the law.
Source: Buffalo
Commercial, September 26, 1901
[Click to see the pdf
version of this article.]
|
