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Who was McKinley assassin Leon Czolgosz?

EDITOR’S NOTE: This is part of a weekly series on our region’s history coordinated by the Trumbull County Historical Society.

President William Mckinley’s assassin Leon Czolgosz was born in Detroit, Michigan, on May 5, 1873, to immigrant parents Paul (Pawel) Czolgosz of Poland and Mary (Maria)Nowak of Germany.

Leon was one of eight children and lost his mother when he was only 10 years old after she experienced difficulties during childbirth with his sister, Victoria. He held laborer positions at an early age, including in a glass factory in 1889 and the Cleveland Rolling Mill in 1890.

He became disenchanted quickly when his pursuit of the American dream did not pan out the way he had hoped. When the Panic of 1893, which was a severe depression that affected every sector of the economy, occurred, the mill was forced to reduce wages and eventually was forced to close. There was little help available, especially to immigrant families, and Leon was drawn to the socialist movement.

He joined a socialist club called Knights of the Golden Eagle and eventually gravitated to a more radical group called the Sila Club. It wasn’t long before Leon became interested in the writings of Emma Goldman, who played a crucial role in the anarchist political ideology in both America and Europe.

Czolgosz’s obsessive interest in secret societies and his social awkwardness raised red flags among his new anarchist friends. In fact, in their newspaper Free Society, the following announcement was published.

“Attention! The attention of the comrades is called to another spy. … His demeanor is of the usual sort pretending to be interested in the cause, asking for names or soliciting aid for acts of contemplated violence. If this same individual makes his appearance elsewhere, the comrades are warned in advance and can act accordingly.”

To put his infatuation with the anarchist movement in perspective, it seemed as if democracy in America was not working, that every voice was not heard. Wealthy industrialists and financiers seemed to be running Congress, and in turn, Congress seemed to be listening to only them.

This was not the mindset in America alone, however. In European countries, the same disgruntled atmosphere existed, which explained the influx of immigrants along with their ideas to the United States. Czolgosz learned of the assassination of King Umberto I of Italy by fellow anarchist Gaetano Bresci on July 29, 1900, and this inspired him.

Before that fateful day of Sept. 6, 1901, Czolgosz had at least three other opportunities to shoot President William McKinley — at Myers Lake Park in Canton, in Cleveland and an earlier occasion in Buffalo, New York. On that day during a meet and greet, President McKinley extended his right hand to Czolgosz, then leaned in to move him along with his left hand. The President often did this to move the lines along more quickly.

It was at that moment that Czolgosz fired two shots, both in McKinley’s abdomen. When asked why he had shot the President, Leon responded, “I killed President McKinley because I done my duty. I didn’t believe one man should have so much service and another man should have none.”

President McKinley succumbed to his wounds and died on Sept. 14, 1901, and Czolgosz was executed six weeks after this.

On Oct. 29, 1901, Czolgosz was put to death using the electric chair in Auburn, New York. Before the coffin was buried on the prison grounds, sulfuric acid was poured inside, which disintegrated the remains and literally eliminated all traces of McKinley’s assassin.

In addition, on Nov. 4, 1901, a silent film was released depicting the execution of Czolgosz. Edwin Porter directed the 3:24 minute film and it was produced by a film company owned by Thomas Edison — Edison Studios, a division of Edison Manufacturing Company. People tend to have an interest in the macabre, which is demonstrated by not only President McKinley’s assassination, but also the execution of the man behind the gun — Leon Czolgosz, an immigrant of Polish / German descent, an American laborer, an anarchist, and of course, an assassin.

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