On this day: in history (1901), Leon Frank Czolgosz was executed by the State of New York, 45 days after McKinley’s death.
Leon Frank Czolgosz was an American steelworker and anarchist who assassinated President William McKinley on September 6, 1901, in Buffalo, New York. The president died on September 14 after his wound became infected.
Czolgosz’s last words were: “I killed the President because he was the enemy of the good people – the good working people. I am not sorry for my crime. I am sorry I could not see my father.”
Czolgosz brother and brother-in-law visited before his execution. His brother asked him, “Who got you into this scrape?” to which Czolgosz responded “No one. Nobody had anything to do with it but me.” His brother said it was unlike him and was not how he was raised. When asked by his brother if he wanted the priests to come back, Czolgosz said, “No, damn them. Don’t send them here again. I don’t want them,” and “Don’t you have any praying over me when I am dead. I don’t want it. I don’t want any of their damned religion.” His father wrote a letter to his son the night before his execution, wishing him luck and informing him that he could no longer help him, and Leon had to “pay the price for his actions.”
Czolgosz and his attorneys were informed of his right to appeal the sentence, they chose not to after Czolgosz declined to appeal.
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Created by Okey Obiabunmo
