But he was alone in the city. He had no friends there. There was nothing to check the fever burning deeper and deeper into his mind.

BUYS A REVOLVER.-On Wednesday morning, the day of the President's arrival, Czolgosz had his mind made up. His mission to Buffalo was clear to him then. He determined to shoot the President. The first thing he did was to buy a revolver. With the consciousness that his work would have to be done quickly and must be effective, he secured a revolver of the self-acting type. It occurred to him that he might have to shoot the President more than once, and he knew that there could be no delay. He loaded the revolver, placed it in the side pocket of his sack coat, where he could reach it quickly and without attracting attention, and went to the exposition.

DOGGING HIS VICTIM'S STEPS.-He arrived on the grounds shortly before noon. He knew the President would not arrive before the early evening. He had read the papers carefully and knew every detail of the plans. But he was anxious to be on the scene where the assassination was to be committed, and remained at the exposition all day.

In the afternoon he took up his position close to the railroad gate. He knew the President would enter the grounds that way. After a time other people began to assemble there until there was a crowd that hedged him in on all sides. He came to the conclusion that the place for him to be was outside of the railroad station, close to the tracks, arguing that inside the grounds the crush might be so great that he would be brushed

aside and prevented from reaching the President. He tried to pass through the gate to the station, but he was too late. Guards had just closed the exit.

He was in the forefront of the throng when the President came through the gate. The exhibition of tenderness and affection for his wife which the President unconsciously gave her as he led her through the entrance thrilled everyone who saw it but Czolgosz. He alone felt no pity for the pale, sweet-faced, suffering woman.

Several times, as the figure of the Chief Executive came into full view as the guards drew aside, the impulse to rush forward and shoot took possession of the murderer, but each time he changed his mind, fearing that he would be discovered before he could reach his victim. He saw the President enter the carriage and drive away. He followed, but the crowd closed in front of him and held him back.

The next morning he was on the fair grounds early, taking up his position close to the stand beneath the Pylon of Liberty, where the President was to speak. When the time came for the orator to arrive, the guards pushed him back. He stood there in the front row of the hurrahing people, mute, seemingly with the one thought of committing the most dastardly crime of the century.

HEARS THE SPEECH.-He heard Mr. McKinley speak. He reckoned up the chances in his mind of getting closer and shooting down the President where he stood. Once he fully determined to make the attempt, but just then a stalwart guard appeared in front of him. He concluded to wait a better opportunity.

He saw the President drive away and followed. He tried to pass through the entrance after the President, but the guards halted him and sent him away. He entered the stadium by another gate, but was not permitted to get within reach of the President.

THE FATAL MORNING.-On Friday morning he was at the exposition again and was in the crowd at the railroad gate when the President arrived at that point after crossing the grounds from the Lincoln Park entrance. But with the rest of the crowd he was driven back when the President arrived in his carriage and passed through the gate to the special train which was to take him to the Falls.

Czolgosz waited for the President's return. In the afternoon he went to the Temple of Music, crowding forward, as close to the stage as possible. He was there when the President entered through the side door. He was one of the first to hurry forward when the President took his position and prepared to shake hands with the people.

Czolgosz had his revolver gripped in his right hand, and about both the hand and the revolver was wrapped a handkerchief. He held the weapon to his breast, so that any one who noticed him might suppose that the hand was injured.

COMMITS THE CRIME.-He reached the President finally. He did not look into his victim's face, but, extending his left hand, pressed the revolver against the President's breast with his right hand, and fired. He fired twice, and would have fired again and again but for the terrific blow that drove him back.

CHAPTER XXVIII

THE TRIAL AND THE SENTENCE

ANARCHISTS ARRESTED.-The attempted assassination and Czolgosz's confession that he was an Anarchist were followed by the arrest of Anarchists all over the country. Among the first to fall into the hands of the police were six well known Anarchists in ChicagoAbraham Isaak, editor of the Free Society, a rabid Anarchist paper; Abraham Isaak, Jr., Hippolyte Havel, Henry Tiezelegio, Clarence Pseutzner and Alfred Schneider. Later Isaak's wife, daughter, and Julia Mechanic, a woman guest, were arrested.

An immediate search was made for Emma Goldman in all parts of the country, but she was not caught until Sept. 10, when she was found in Chicago in a flat at 303 Sheffield avenue.

John Most, editor of "Freiheit," was arrested in New York. Other Anarchists were put in jail at Cleveland, Pittsburg, Cincinnati, and Detroit.

The police at first confidently believed the assassination of President McKinley was the result of a widespread conspiracy, but no satisfactory evidence was secured and all the arrested were discharged.

THE ASSASSIN'S TRIAL.-On September 16, Czolgosz was indicted at Buffalo for the murder of President McKinley. Next morning he was arraigned in court, and two of the ablest lawyers of the Buffalo bar,

Judges Titus and Lewis, were assigned by the Court to defend him. The entire bar joined in a request that they consent to serve, and they reluctantly accepted the task as a matter of duty.

On Sept. 23 the assassin was placed on trial before Justice Truman C. White in the Supreme Court of Erie County. He pleaded guilty when formally arraigned, but this plea, not being permitted by law in a murder case, was withdrawn by his counsel, ex-Judge Lewis,

JUSTICE TRUMAN C. WHITE, WHO PRESIDED AT THE TRIAL
OF CZOLGOSZ

who, a few minutes later, entered a plea of not guilty. Prompt trial and conviction followed. There were no witnesses for the defense, and there was no possible extenuation of the crime except that the prisoner might not be sane. On this point, also, the evidence