THE TRIAL OF CZOLGOSZ 201 assemblage. That same night the funeral cortége started from Washington for Canton, Ohio, President McKinley's home, where on the following day the body lay in state. The last services were held in the Methodist church at Canton on September 19, and the remains were placed in a vault at Westlawn Cemetery. At the hour corresponding with the time when the coffin was being laid in the vault the country stood still. The word had gone out through the land, and everywhere the moment became one of solemn quiet. In the great cities traffic stopped for five minutes at the signal. Pedestrians stood motionless, wherever they happened to be, and removed their hats and bowed their heads; electric currents were turned off and the street-cars stopped; drivers of vehicles pulled up their horses; even the great telegraph system of the country was silenced, for the first time since the electric telegraph was put into continuous service. III Czolgosz, the assassin, was brought to trial at Buffalo, on September 17. Judges Titus and Lewis, two well-known lawyers, were assigned to defend him, and they did their distasteful duty as well as they could. There was really no defense to offer, for prominent alienists. agreed that the prisoner was not insane. The trial was given up to witnesses for the prosecution, though the counsel for the defense did address the jury. Throughout the proceedings, which lasted only two days, Czolgosz was accorded fair play. His plea of "guilty" was disallowed by the presiding justice, Truman C. White, who was determined. that the absolute justice of the proceedings should not be questioned. This man, Czolgosz, was born of Polish parents in Detroit, Michigan. He had some education in the public schools, but was early set to work, his time, up to the commission of his crime, being mostly spent in Cleveland, Ohio. He was about twenty-eight years old. The brief confession signed by Czolgosz said: "I killed President McKinley because I done my duty. I don't believe one man should have so much service and another man should have none." During his trial Czolgosz maintained an indifferent demeanor, but after his condemnation his nerve weakened. He was sent to Auburn prison, and on the train going thither he admitted that he regretted his deed, Arrived at Auburn, an indignant crowd threatened to tear him away from his guard. Then he broke down completely. He was, however, taken safely to the prison, where he was executed on October 29. William McKinley was the third President of the United States to fall before an assassin's bullet. The first, President Lincoln, was mortally wounded by Wilkes Booth on April 14, 1865. Booth was a partisan fanatic. His motive in killing Lincoln was strong hatred, inflamed by the failure of the Southern cause. The second, President Garfield, died from the effects of a shot fired at him by Charles J. Guiteau on July 2, 1881. Guiteau was a disappointed office-seeker. His inability to secure an appointment had probably preyed on his mind, but the background of his crime was the spoils system. Czolgosz shot President McKinley, but he aimed at the office, not the man. His motive was neither sectional nor personal, but a despicable theory which he could have applied in action against the head of any state. The assassinations of Lincoln and Garfield arose out of conditions which were peculiar to the country and, by their nature, ephemeral. The assassination of McKinley was inspired by a pervasive and subtle germ which was taking root in partly diseased brains the world over. The Accession of President Roosevelt Though inexpressibly grieved and shocked by the murderous attack on the President, the country took the news of Czolgosz's deed without panic. The markets were not seriously disturbed. Moreover, there was reassurance in this, that Theodore Roosevelt, the Vice-President, who would succeed to the presidency in the event of President McKinley's death, was a popular personality; one to whom the people looked with interest and confidence; one in whose hands they would not fear to trust their administration, if the sad necessity should come. When President McKinley's condition became grave, on September 12, word was sent at once to Mr. Roosevelt. He was in the Adirondack woods when the news reached the Tahawus Club, and his exact whereabouts were not discovered until late in the afternoon of September 13. A little after one o'clock the next morning he left Tahawus and was driven over dark mountain roads thirty-five miles to North Creek, where a train was waiting. He reached Buffalo the afternoon of the same day, going straight to the Milburn house to pay homage THE OATH OF OFFICE 203 to the dead President. He then went to the home of his friend, Ansley Wilcox. Present in Mr. Wilcox's library were all but two of President McKinley's Cabinet and a few friends and newspaper men. The moment was one of profound emotion. Mr. Root, the Secretary of War, turned to Mr. Roosevelt and said brokenly: "I have been requested on behalf of the Cabinet of the late President, at least in behalf of those who are present in Buffalo-all except two-to request that, for reasons affecting the Administration and the Government, you take the constitutional office of President of the United States." It was with a noticeable effort that Mr. Roosevelt replied. "I shall take the oath at once," he said, "in response to your request; and in this hour of deep and terrible national bereavement I wish to state that it shall be my aim to continue absolutely unbroken the policy of President McKinley for the peace and prosperity of our beloved country." Judge John R. Hazel, of the United States District Court, then administered the presidential oath of office. II Theodore Roosevelt was born in New York City, on October 27, 1858, being descended from seven generations of prominent citizens. As a lad his health was poor, but while going through his course at Harvard he entered into athletics and developed a rugged physique. His fondness for athletic sports, marked at this time, continued in after life, and seldom did many months pass that he did not find the opportunity to spend at least a week or two in the open. After leaving Harvard he traveled for a time, studied law for a few months, and then plunged into municipal politics. For several years he was active as an assemblyman in New York City, and in 1886 he ran for Mayor and was defeated. President Harrison started Mr. Roosevelt on his national career by appointing him Civil Service Commissioner, an office which he retained under President Cleveland's second administration until he resigned it to become President of the New York Police Commission. His efforts to reform the police department of the metropolis were vigorous and in no small degree effective at the time. As assistant secretary of the Navy in the first McKinley administration, Mr. Roosevelt helped to prepare for the conflict with Spain. |