Hotel Gilpatrick
Hotel Gilpatrick.
Q. You speak of housing—you are familiar with revolvers?
A. You are telling me a 44 casing.
Q. That is what you call a housing?
A. Well, that is what I meant—that is what I understand—casing—unless you mean the box where it was laying in.
Q. No, I am talking about the housing—frame?
A. I never knew they could use a 38 on a larger casing, could they? How is it possible that they can have a 38 cartridge in a 44, in a larger casing than that?
Q. Well, that is what you did—44 frame?
A. You found a different revolver than mine.
Q. Who did you discuss the question of the formation the character of revolver. Who did you talk with over that?
A. What?
Q. As to what sort of a revolver to buy?
A. To nobody. I didn't have to talk to nobody.
Q. How did you happen to get the 38?
A. I asked for it.
Q. Why didn't you ask for a 32?
A. I don't know. I tell you the other one I had home was a 38.
Q. Oh, you had another one home?
A. Oh, not now, that is years ago. If I had that home I didn't have to buy it. I got the thing in storage. It is in the storage house if you want to get it. Stored with the stuff.
Q. Where is your stuff stored?
A. In New York.
Q. Whereabouts?
A. 80th street, I guess, and Third avenue.
Q. Well, what warehouse?
A. Well, you got to wait now until my grip comes here from Charleston. I got the whole thing.
Q. Have you sent for your grip?
A. I don't know. You gentlemen—told me that you are tending to that.
Q. Can't you give us the name of the warehouse?
A. I could not give it to you now.
Q. What have you stored there?
A. Five-room furniture from the old folks of mine.
Q. And your revolver?
A. Why, everything, of course, that belongs to the house.
Q. How long had you had that revolver?
A. I don't know. I could not tell you.
Q. Are you sure it is stored there?
A. Unless they stole it. I know I stored it there.
Q. Did you have a receipt for the different articles you stored there?
A. Sure. I can show you that as soon as—but of course the revolver is not marked on that because the revolver is in one of the drawers, I suppose.
Q. You don't know when you got that revolver?
A. I could not tell you.
Q. Have you ever shot it?
A. I shot it, I believe twice or three times during the 4th of July celebration out in the yard.
Q. Had you ever shot this revolver?
A. No, sir.
Q. You shot it the other night. Where did you buy the bullets that went in that gun?
A. The same place with the gun.
Q. How many cartridges did you have?
A. Did I have? Well, I bought a box of them and paid 55 cents for it.
Q. Where are the rest of the cartridges?
A. They are in the grip.
Q. Oh, they are in your grip in Charleston?
A. As soon as it comes over you can see it all.
Q. You didn't bring extra cartridges with you?
A. Yes, sir; I had. I took some out. I had five in the gun and I had six with me in my pocket.
Q. Did they find those?
A. They have got it in the police station.
Q. They have got those cartridges in the police station. Now, who hit your arm—did somebody hit your arm?
A. I don't think so.
Q. When you were coming—who was the first man to get hold of you—that great big man?
A. I could not say who it was. I simply shot and I don't know whether I hit the man or not or whom I hit, but I know the first thing I went down and a whole lot on top.
Q. When you aimed the revolver at Roosevelt was there anybody standing on each side of you?
A. Yes.
Q. Did you stick the gun between the heads of two people?
A. Yes.
Q. Did you say any word?
A. No, sir.
Q. When you fired?
A. No, sir; I said nothing.
Q. Talk—— Did you try to pull the trigger again?
A. No, sir.
Q. You were knocked down before you could pull it again?
A. Yes, sir; I was.
Q. You would have pulled it again?
A. Perhaps I would. I don't know.
Q. Well, now in your grip have you any literature—any papers?
A. I have a book in there, yes, a memorandum book.
Q. Did you have any newspapers which you carried about—did you cut out clippings out of the newspapers?
A. Oh no, no. I didn't do it.
Q. Did you have any record that Col. Roosevelt that you cut out of his acts when he was commissioner of police?
A. Oh no, no. You think I'd carry that here, if I wanted to carry that with me ever since 1893 when he was commissioner—you are crazy or I must have a whole book.
Q. Well, did you keep any?
A. No, sir; nothing at all. I didn't take that much interest.
Q. How do you mean, you didn't take that much interest?
A. I didn't feel that way about him then when he was police commissioner.
Q. When did you first commence to feel that way?
A. I felt it in Chicago.
Q. That was the first time?
A. The first time, yes, sir.
Q. When was that?
A. In fact, the first time I felt against him was when I had that dream against him the time McKinley died and then I thought I really could not believe in dreams, I could not go to work and shoot a man down because all dreams don't come true.
Q. When was that?
A. That was the same night or the evening that Mr. McKinley died.
Q. How long did you feel that way about it?
A. I felt about it. Well, have at least two weeks.
Q. Did you see Col. Roosevelt at that time?
A. No, sir.
Q. Did you go to Washington?
A. No, sir.
Q. Did you follow him about at all?
A. No, sir.
Q. Had you ever seen him personally prior to the time——
A. No, sir.
Q. Had you ever seen him when he was in New York?
A. No, sir.
Q. When was the first time you ever saw Col. Roosevelt?
A. At Chicago. In Chattanooga.
Q. At Chattanooga. The first time you ever saw him?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. Personally the first time you were ever near him?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. You mean to say all the time you were living in New York and the times he has been going back and forth from New York you have never seen him at all?
A. No, sir.
Q. Did you ever go out to Oyster Bay?
A. No, sir.
Q. Did you ever go over to the Outlook office?
A. I don't know where that is.
Q. Well, that is a publication—Mr. Abbott's weekly publication in New York.
A. I don't know where it is. I could not even find it. I know quite some streets in town, in the neighborhood. I have never been interested in that. I didn't know that Roosevelt had anything to do with the Outlook at all.
Q. Well, you knew where his office was in New York?
A. Whose office?
Q. Col. Roosevelt.
A. At the time he was police commissioner?
Q. No, since he was president—he has been going back and forth in New York——
A. Since he has been on his third term here.
Q. I say he has been back and forth in New York?
A. How could I know his office?
Q. While he was in New York after the meeting of the Progressive party in Chicago you knew that, didn't you?
A. I don't think so. I thought he was to Oyster Bay. I don't think that I ever read of it that he was in New York city.
Q. He went to his office to the Outlook office?
A. I have never been looking for him then, sir.
Q. You weren't looking for him then?
A. No, sir; I wouldn't know where to find his office.
Q. When you read of the formation of the party in Chicago what papers did you read that in?
A. The same papers.
Q. New York Herald and the World?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. What you read about it then, did that rouse you up to anger at all?
A. Well, not exactly anger but I was getting more and more convinced that this man's ambitions is nothing else but a blow to McKinley's death and he wants to get a third term and he shouldn't have it, and that is all.
Q. When did you make up your mind to that—in August?
A. I made up my mind pretty much in August and then I was corroborated during the vision I had on the 14th day of September.
Q. When you say you made your mind up pretty much in August after the meeting of the party, what do you mean by that, that you thought of killing him then?
A. Yes, sir, I thought of killing him then.
Q. In August. Had you made any plans then to kill him?
A. No, I had made none until the 14th.
Q. And you thought then of doing this same thing?
A. I thought about it, yes, sir; although I was making up my mind as to how or whether I would do it and I thought about it.
Q. What time in August was that that you thought about it—just after you read in the papers?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. After the formation of the party?
A. After the formation of the party—wasn't that the 7th of August?
Schrank in County Jail
Schrank in County Jail.
Q. What particular thing in the accounts of the papers impressed you at that time that gave you or caused you to make up your mind?
A. Nothing particular but simply the fact that he built the new party; that he was going to take a third term presidentship.
Q. Did you have any grip with you when you went to Chicago?
A. No, sir.
Q. You had no baggage when you went to that hotel?
A. I never had any baggage since I left it in Charleston.
Q. Bought no underwear?
A. Yes, I bought underwear, certainly, and I threw the old underwear away.
Mr. Zabel:
I think that is all.
CHAPTER XV.
REPORT OF THE ALIENISTS.
The report of the sanity commission follows:
To the Honorable A. C. Backus, Judge of the Municipal Court of Milwaukee County:
Pursuant to your appointment of the undersigned on the 12th day of November, 1912, as a Commission to examine John Schrank with reference to his present mental condition, we respectfully submit our report.
This report consists of:
First: The examination of John Schrank with reference to his personal and family history, his present physical state, and his present mental state.
Second: Inquiry by means of data furnished by the New York Police Department, the Magistrate of Erding, Bavaria, reports furnished by the Milwaukee Police Department and other officials brought in contact with him, and certain documents furnished by the defendant himself, and others found in his possession, some of which are herewith submitted as exhibits, duly numbered.
Third: Summary and conclusions arrived at.
PERSONAL AND FAMILY HISTORY.
Age 36. Single. Born in Erding, Bavaria, March 5, 1876. Father born in Bavaria, and mother born in Bavaria. Occupation, bar tender and saloonkeeper. No regular occupation in the last one and one-half years. Education, common schools in Bavaria from the seventh to the twelfth year; three or four years in night school in New York, in English.
In early life a Roman Catholic; not a practical Catholic for the past 15 years.
His father died at the age of 38 of consumption; was a moderate drinker; the mother living at the age of 56 or 57. One brother and one sister living, in good health. One brother and one sister died in infancy.
A sister of mother insane, suffered from delusions of persecution; died of softening of the brain, so-called, in 1904, in Gabersee Asylum, Bavaria. Certified by Magistrate of Erding, Bavaria.
Patient states he was never seriously sick. Knows of no serious accident or injury. Never suffered from headaches.
Lived with grandparents from three to nine years of age; worked in a vegetable garden during that time, and then returned to parents.
HABITS.
Denies excesses; no use of tobacco until two years ago, never more than five or six cigars a day, average two or three cigars. Has generally taken about five pint bottles of beer in twenty-four hours, of late years. For two years, in 1902-1903, drank no intoxicants at all. He states he drank to slight excess at most half a dozen times a year. Never used drugs of any kind. Denies all venereal diseases, and presents no physical evidence of them. His usual habit was to retire before 10 o'clock at night.
PRESENT PHYSICAL STATE.
Height 5 feet 4½ inches in stocking feet. Weight, 160 pounds, with clothing. Is right-handed. Head presents no scars or injuries or evidence of injuries or irregularities of cranial bones; normal in shape, except measurements over left parietal bone from ear to median line at vertex is 1.25 centimeters larger than the right. Cephalic index 80. Cranial capacity normal. External ears normal in shape. Holds head slightly tilted to left. Shape of hard palate, mouth and teeth normal. Maxillary bones normal except lower jaw slightly prognathic. Blonde hair. Eyes, bluish gray. Complexion fair. Tongue, slight yellowish coating, edges clean. Appetite and general nutrition good. Stomach, digestion, bowels normal. Sleep good. State of heart and arteries normal. Blood pressure 125 to 130 systolic; 115 to 120 diastolic. Pulse 82-86. Temperature Nov. 12, 1912, P.M., 99.4. Nov. 14, normal. No scars on genitals. Urine practically a normal specimen.
NEUROLOGICAL.
The Eyes—Light, accommodation and sympathetic reflex present, but somewhat slow. Slight inequality of pupils, right distinctly larger than left. Color sense normal. No contraction of visual field. Slight horizontal nystagmus in both eyes on extreme outward rotation of the eyeballs. (Pupils equal and normal Nov. 20th, 1912.)
After above symptoms ascertained, 1.40 grain euphthalmine inserted, and examination of eye grounds showed no optic atrophy. The right eye ground (retina) was slightly higher in color than the left.
Hearing very acute, both sides.
Sense of taste and smell normal.
Tactile, pain, temperature and weight sense normal.
Deep Reflexes—Knee, reflex, right, irregularly present, regular on reinforcement; knee, left, absent; brought out by reinforcement irregularly.
Myotatic irritability of forearm, right markedly heightened; left slightly heightened.
No ankle-clonus.
Superficial Reflexes—Abdominal reflex present. Epigastric reflex absent. Cremasteric reflex, active both sides. No Oppenheim reflex. No Babinski reflex. Plantar reflex: right markedly heightened; left heightened.
Musculature—Arm and leg showed slightly diminished power on right side. The left side stronger, though subject right-handed.
Dynamometer, right 90, 90 (two tests); and left 100, 100 (two tests).
No Romberg symptom, and no inco-ordination of upper and lower extremities.
Gait and station normal.
Slight tremor of fingers, noticeable under mental excitement. At times slight tremor of lips.
EXAMINATION OF PRESENT MENTAL STATE.
Tests for attention show normal conditions.
Tests for memory, general and special, show normal conditions.
Tests for association of ideas and words showed special bearing upon his delusional state.
Logical power good, except as limited by his delusions.
Judgment the same.
Has no "insight" as to his own mental condition.
Emotional tests show tone of feeling exalted.
Orientation correct as to time and place.
Delusions present, as subsequently set forth.
CHAPTER XVI.
FINDING OF THE ALIENISTS.
We find that John Schrank came to New York at the age of 12, and lived with his uncle and aunt as foster parents, who kept a saloon at 370 East Tenth street, New York City.
Before coming to this country he had 5 years of the public schools of his native village in Bavaria, and after arrival in this country his only schooling was such as he could obtain at night schools in New York during 3 or 4 years.
Up to this time no peculiarity had been observed in him, from any evidence available. We note the fact that he was most especially interested in history and government, as illustrated by political writings and by the Bible. He speaks frequently of his very great admiration for the character of George Washington.
At 15 or 16 years of age he became greatly interested in poetry. This perhaps corresponds to the period of development at which eccentricities are wont to appear.
He represents that in the saloon in which he worked he was chiefly engaged in supplying beer to residents of neighboring tenements; that there was no gambling or other immoral conduct practiced or encouraged in this business place. He went on for over 12 years as barkeeper. His uncle and aunt had during this time accumulated means for the purchase of a small tenement. At the death of the uncle and aunt in 1910 and 1911 the defendant came into possession of this property.
In the last year and a half has not been in any regular business or employment, and spent his time in long walks about New York and Brooklyn, during which he meditated upon poetical compositions, and political and historical questions, jotting down ideas upon loose slips of paper as they came to him, night or day, forming the basis of his poems. He spent his evenings in a saloon, retiring early. The average daily quantity of stimulants or beer taken by him was insufficient to produce intoxication. He also states that in 1902 and 1903, for a period of nearly 2 years, he drank no intoxicants at all.
He states that in 1901, between 1 and 2 o'clock in the morning of the day after President McKinley's death he experienced a vivid dream, in which he appeared to be in a room with many flowers and a casket, and saw a figure sit up in the casket, which he says was the form and figure of the assassinated President McKinley, who then pointed to a corner of the room, and said, "Avenge my death." He then looked where the finger pointed and saw a form clad in a Monkish garb, and recognized the form and face of this individual as the form and face of Theodore Roosevelt.
At the time this made a strong impression, but was not dwelt upon especially except in the light of later events.
Prior to the nomination of Colonel Roosevelt for the Presidency in the year 1912, he had felt great interest in the political campaign, and had read articles expressing great bitterness toward the idea of a third term, and toward Colonel Roosevelt personally in the newspapers of New York, and after the period when the nomination of Colonel Roosevelt began to be actively agitated, meditated more deeply upon these matters. He had always studied with the greatest interest the questions of free government, as illustrated by the Declaration of Independence, and Washington's Farewell Address. In this connection, the Monroe doctrine also assumed great importance in his mind, and the converse thereof, the duty of this nation to refrain from war of conquest; and out of these meditations grew what he elaborated into his declaration as to the unwritten laws, or "The Four Pillars of our Republic," namely (1) the Third Term Tradition, (2) the Monroe Doctrine, (3) that only a Protestant by creed can become president, (4) no wars of conquest. This document, hereunto annexed as Exhibit 1, fully sets forth his views on these subjects.
These "four unwritten laws" had assumed in his mind a character of sacredness. They were "sacred traditions" to be maintained at all hazards, and, as subsequently appeared, even the hazard of life.
The following are some quotations from this document:
"Tradition is an unwritten law.""I would doubt the right of a court to have jurisdiction over a man who had defended tradition of his country against violation.""The oldest of these traditions is the 'third term tradition,' it has never been violated and is an effective safeguard against unscrupulous ambition, but never before has been established a test case of its inviolability as a warning to coming adventurers.""For the first time in American history we are confronted by a man to whom practically nothing is sacred, and he pretends to stand above tradition.""Anybody who finances a Third Term Movement should be expatriated and his wealth confiscated.""The dangers in this campaign are these, the third termer is sure that the nomination has been stolen, and that the country and the job belongs to him, therefore, if he gets honestly defeated in November he will again yell that the crooks of both parties have stolen the election and should he carry a solid West, he and the hungry office-seekers would not hesitate to take up arms to take by force what is denied him by the people, then we face a Civil War, * * * * * * and that he who wilfully invites war deserves death. We would then be compelled to wash out the sin of violating the Third Term with the blood of our sons. Yet this is not the gravest danger we are facing. We have allowed an adventurer to circumtravel the Union with military escort with the torch of revolution in his hands to burn down the very house we live in.""Have we learned no lesson about a one man's rule experienced in France with such disastrous results as the end of the reign of Napoleon I and Napoleon III.""Are we trying to establish here a system like our ancestors have done in Europe, which all revolutions of a thousand years could not abolish.""Are we overthrowing our Republic, while the heroes of the French revolutions, and the martyrs of 1848 gladly gave their lives to establish Republican institutions.""The abolition of the Third Term tradition is the abolition of the Monroe doctrine also.""Hardly any revolution has started without pretending that their movement was progressive.""The prudence of our forefathers has delivered to us an equally sacred unwritten law which reads that no president should embrace another creed than Protestant, if possible, a sect of the English Church. I am a Roman Catholic. I love my religion but I hate my church as long as the Roman parish is not independent from Rome, as long as Catholic priests are prevented from getting married, as long as Rome is still more engaged in politics and accumulation of money contrary to the teachings of the Lord. The Roman Catholic Church is not the religion for a president of the United States.""The Fourth unwritten law, which is practically supplementary to the second, we find in George Washington's Farewell Address, where he advises us to live in peace with your neighbor. We have no right to start a war of conquest."
"Tradition is an unwritten law."
"I would doubt the right of a court to have jurisdiction over a man who had defended tradition of his country against violation."
"The oldest of these traditions is the 'third term tradition,' it has never been violated and is an effective safeguard against unscrupulous ambition, but never before has been established a test case of its inviolability as a warning to coming adventurers."
"For the first time in American history we are confronted by a man to whom practically nothing is sacred, and he pretends to stand above tradition."
"Anybody who finances a Third Term Movement should be expatriated and his wealth confiscated."
"The dangers in this campaign are these, the third termer is sure that the nomination has been stolen, and that the country and the job belongs to him, therefore, if he gets honestly defeated in November he will again yell that the crooks of both parties have stolen the election and should he carry a solid West, he and the hungry office-seekers would not hesitate to take up arms to take by force what is denied him by the people, then we face a Civil War, * * * * * * and that he who wilfully invites war deserves death. We would then be compelled to wash out the sin of violating the Third Term with the blood of our sons. Yet this is not the gravest danger we are facing. We have allowed an adventurer to circumtravel the Union with military escort with the torch of revolution in his hands to burn down the very house we live in."
"Have we learned no lesson about a one man's rule experienced in France with such disastrous results as the end of the reign of Napoleon I and Napoleon III."
"Are we trying to establish here a system like our ancestors have done in Europe, which all revolutions of a thousand years could not abolish."
"Are we overthrowing our Republic, while the heroes of the French revolutions, and the martyrs of 1848 gladly gave their lives to establish Republican institutions."
"The abolition of the Third Term tradition is the abolition of the Monroe doctrine also."
"Hardly any revolution has started without pretending that their movement was progressive."
"The prudence of our forefathers has delivered to us an equally sacred unwritten law which reads that no president should embrace another creed than Protestant, if possible, a sect of the English Church. I am a Roman Catholic. I love my religion but I hate my church as long as the Roman parish is not independent from Rome, as long as Catholic priests are prevented from getting married, as long as Rome is still more engaged in politics and accumulation of money contrary to the teachings of the Lord. The Roman Catholic Church is not the religion for a president of the United States."
"The Fourth unwritten law, which is practically supplementary to the second, we find in George Washington's Farewell Address, where he advises us to live in peace with your neighbor. We have no right to start a war of conquest."
In his examination in this connection he stated as follows: "Four-fifths of the United States would take up arms to defend the Third Term tradition. Trying to get perpetual power and dictatorship would justify killing."
He also said he would be justified to the same extent, that is, by killing, a man who would seek the presidency and was a Roman Catholic; and also for a man who would start a war for conquest; and he thought also of the possibility of foreign powers to help Roosevelt possibly to annex the Panama Canal and break down the Monroe Doctrine. He said he believed the country would be facing a civil war if Roosevelt went on as he had done.
He gives as a reason for his present attack upon Roosevelt, that he did not wish to give him (Roosevelt) an opportunity to plead that no defense of the Third Term tradition had been made in 1912 should he aspire to another term in 1916. Asked as to how he reconciled his act with the commandment "Thou shalt not kill," he replied that, "religion is the fundamental law of human order, but to kill to try and do a good thing, and to avenge McKinley's murder, justifies the killing."
The proof of his position came to him in his dream and in his vision.
"Roosevelt's ambition and conduct proves to every man that he was back of McKinley's assassination in some way or other."
The defendant says that he prayed God to find a leader among men who would take this responsibility, and he expected all along someone else would do this thing, but no one did it, and as he was a single man of 36, without a family, and thought the deed was a good deed, and it made no difference to him, he was willing to sacrifice his life for that end, even if he were torn to pieces by the mob. He therefore concluded that it was his mission, and desired to make of this a test case.
Henry F. Cochems
Henry F. Cochems.(Who was in the Automobile with Col. Roosevelt when the Ex-President was Shot.)
He thinks the election returns corroborate the fact that the people have been awakened to the idea of no Third Term.
In the progress of the campaign, when the progressive movement had taken shape, and Colonel Roosevelt had been nominated as the head of a third party, and on August 7th, 1912, the dream which had come to him in 1901, as above related, began to assume more importance, and special significance in his mind. He felt extreme agitation on this subject continuously. On the morning of September 15th, 1912, the anniversary of the date of his dream in 1901, having retired as usual the night before with his manuscript by his bedside, he suddenly awakened between 1 and 2 A.M., with the completion of a poem entitled "Be a Man" uppermost in his mind.
We insert the poem at this point:
1. Be a man from early to lateWhen you rise in the morningTill you go to bedBe a man.2. Is your country in dangerAnd you are called to defendWhere the battle is hottestAnd death be the endFace it and be a man.3. When you fail in businessAnd your honor is at stakeWhen you bury all your dearestAnd your heart would breakFace it and be a man.4. But when night draws nearAnd you hear a knockAnd a voice should whisper yourTime is up; Refuse to answerAs long as you canThen face it and be a man.
1. Be a man from early to lateWhen you rise in the morningTill you go to bedBe a man.
1. Be a man from early to late
When you rise in the morning
Till you go to bed
Be a man.
2. Is your country in dangerAnd you are called to defendWhere the battle is hottestAnd death be the endFace it and be a man.
2. Is your country in danger
And you are called to defend
Where the battle is hottest
And death be the end
Face it and be a man.
3. When you fail in businessAnd your honor is at stakeWhen you bury all your dearestAnd your heart would breakFace it and be a man.
3. When you fail in business
And your honor is at stake
When you bury all your dearest
And your heart would break
Face it and be a man.
4. But when night draws nearAnd you hear a knockAnd a voice should whisper yourTime is up; Refuse to answerAs long as you canThen face it and be a man.
4. But when night draws near
And you hear a knock
And a voice should whisper your
Time is up; Refuse to answer
As long as you can
Then face it and be a man.
He found his ideas were taking shape, and getting up he sat writing, when he suddenly became aware of a voice speaking in a low and sad tone, "Let no murderer occupy the presidential chair for a third term. Avenge my death!" He felt a light touch upon his left shoulder, and turning, saw the face of former President McKinley. It bore a ghostlike aspect. This experience had a decisive effect in fixing in his mind the iniquity of the third term, and from this time he questioned as to his duty in the matter, and he finally regarded this vision and its connection with the exact anniversary of the dream as a command to kill Roosevelt, and as an inspiration. When asked by us whether he considered this as imagination or as inspiration and a command from God, while showing some reluctance to claim the vision as an inspiration, he finally answered decisively that he did.
When asked whether a man had a right to take a weapon and hunt down a man who had violated tradition, he submitted his written statement in reply, which is hereto annexed as Exhibit 2, some quotations from which are as follows:
"I should say where self-sacrifice begins the power of law comes to an end, and if I knew that my death during my act would have this tradition more sacred I would be sorry that my life was spared so convinced am I of my right to act as I did that if I were ever a free man again I would at once create an Order of Tradition.""I presume you men would declare Joan d'Arc, the Maid of Orleans insane because the Holy Virgin appeared to her in a vision.""When we read that God had appeared to Moses in the shape of a burning thorn bush, then again as a cloud, we will find many people who doubt the appearance of God to man in human or other shape.""Why then in cases of dire national needs should not the God appear to one of us in vision."
"I should say where self-sacrifice begins the power of law comes to an end, and if I knew that my death during my act would have this tradition more sacred I would be sorry that my life was spared so convinced am I of my right to act as I did that if I were ever a free man again I would at once create an Order of Tradition."
"I presume you men would declare Joan d'Arc, the Maid of Orleans insane because the Holy Virgin appeared to her in a vision."
"When we read that God had appeared to Moses in the shape of a burning thorn bush, then again as a cloud, we will find many people who doubt the appearance of God to man in human or other shape."
"Why then in cases of dire national needs should not the God appear to one of us in vision."
The defendant states that at no time and under no circumstances did he communicate to anyone his intention. In fact, he kept it as an inviolable secret and took measures to throw off the scent persons who might inquire about his leaving New York. The defendant stated in this connection that he did not wish to commit the act in New York, as it would then be claimed that he had been "hired by Wall Street" and in that way the real purpose of the act would be obscured.
CHAPTER XVII.
SCHRANK DESCRIBES SHOOTING.(BEFORE SANITY COMMISSION.)
On September 21, 1912, he left New York City, having first borrowed $350, and purchased a 38-caliber revolver, for which he paid $14. His efforts from this time were continuous to come within shooting distance of Colonel Roosevelt. He missed him at Chattanooga and at Atlanta, and then went to Evansville, where he remained seven days awaiting Colonel Roosevelt's return to the West. He then sought to come within range of Colonel Roosevelt in Chicago, and states that he waited for him at the exit of the building, where he spoke, but found afterwards that he had left by a different exit. He then preceded him to Milwaukee, arriving here at 1 o'clock P.M. the day preceding the attack.
On the evening of the shooting Schrank arrived at the hotel, where he had learned Colonel Roosevelt would stay, in advance of the time he was expected to start for the place of meeting. When a crowd began to collect around the automobile awaiting Colonel Roosevelt at the curb, he went into the street, standing near the automobile in a line just behind the front seat on the left hand side opposite the chauffeur's seat. He says,
"Seeing him enter the automobile and just about to seat himself, I fired. I did not pick any particular spot on his body. The crowd was all around me and in front of me. The next minute I was knocked down, but was not rendered insensible, and the gun was knocked out of my hands."
The defendant insists that he said nothing during his assault. He was then dragged to the sidewalk, and getting on his feet was hurried into the hotel, and the doors were locked. Here he said nothing, and was taken by the police through the back door to police headquarters.
From the examination at police headquarters, made at 9:25 P.M., October 14, 1912, by the Chief of Police, John T. Janssen, we find that he objected to telling his name, but did so when it was insisted upon. We also find that his statements made to the police concerning his following and attempting to gain access to Colonel Roosevelt, and his visits to various localities correspond, and his explanations of his acts agree with those made to us.
Some of his statements to the Chief of Police, are as follows, as extracted from document submitted herewith, marked Exhibit 3.
Q. Why did you want to meet him?
A. Because I wanted to put him out of the way. A man that wants a third term has no right to live.
Q. That is, you wanted to kill him?
A. I did.
Q. Have you any other reason in wanting to kill him?
A. I have.
Q. What is that?
A. I had a dream several years ago that Mr. McKinley appeared to me and he told me that Mr. Roosevelt is practically his real murderer, and not this here Czolgosz.
Q. Did you know Johann Most when he was alive?
A. No, sir.
Q. Did you ever hear him talk?
A. No, sir.
Q. Did you ever hear Emma Goldman?
A. No, sir; I am not an anarchist or socialist or democrat or republican; I just took up the thing the way I thought it was best to do.
(It seems worth while to note that the defendant differs from many assassins of rulers or prospective rulers in having no anarchistic ideas or connections, but rather that he intended to be an upholder of established government.)
"Mr. Grant was refused" (a third term) "and he was satisfied; this man was refused and he is not satisfied; it's gone beyond limits; if he keeps on doing this after election, he can't possibly carry a solid Western state; the next thing we will have a civil war, because he will say the scoundrels and thieves and crooks stole my nomination, and now they will steal my election, and they will take up arms in all the Western states; we are facing a civil war just to keep him in a third term."
Q. Where did you get all this idea from?
A. I have been reading history all the time.
Q. What schooling did you have?
A. Well, I have attended school in the old country, and I attended night school in New York for about four winters; that's all the schooling I had.
Q. You haven't a very good education then?
A. Indeed I ain't.
Q. Have you always enjoyed good health?
A. Yes, sir; I am a healthy sane man, never been sick.
Q. Well, do you believe that that is a sane act that you committed this evening?
A. I believe that is my duty as a citizen to do, it's the duty of every citizen to do so.
Q. Well, how did you happen to get the idea that it was your duty among all the people that live in the United States?
A. I don't know, I thought maybe somebody else might do it before I got there.
Q. And you spoke to no one about your intention on all the route you took concerning this, nobody?
A. No, sir; nobody.
While in jail the prisoner prepared a written defense, which we submit herewith as Exhibit 4, and we extract certain sentences from the same, as follows:
"Gentlemen of the Jury, I appeal to you as men of honor, I greet you Americans and countrymen and fathers of sons and daughters. I wish to apologize to the community of Milwaukee for having caused on October 14th last, great excitement, bitter feeling, and expenses.""Gentlemen of the Jury: When on September 14th last I had a vision, I looked into the dying eyes of the late President McKinley, when a voice called me to avenge his death, I was convinced that my life was coming soon to an end, and I was at once happy to know that my real mission on this earth was to die for my country and the cause of Republicanism.""You see that I have appeared here today without assistance of a counsellor at law, without any assistance save that of God, the Almighty, who is ever with him who is deserted, because I am not here to defend myself nor my actions.""The law I have violated for which you will punish me is not in any statute book.""The shot at Milwaukee which created an echo in all parts of the world was not a shot fired at the citizen Roosevelt, not a shot at an ex-president, not a shot at the candidate of a so-called prog. pty. (Progressive party), not a shot to influence the pending election, not a shot to gain for me notoriety; no, it was simply to once and forever establish the fact that any man who hereafter aspires to a third presidential term will do so at the risk of his life.""If I do not defend tradition I cannot defend the country in case of war. You may as well send every patriot to prison."
"Gentlemen of the Jury, I appeal to you as men of honor, I greet you Americans and countrymen and fathers of sons and daughters. I wish to apologize to the community of Milwaukee for having caused on October 14th last, great excitement, bitter feeling, and expenses."
"Gentlemen of the Jury: When on September 14th last I had a vision, I looked into the dying eyes of the late President McKinley, when a voice called me to avenge his death, I was convinced that my life was coming soon to an end, and I was at once happy to know that my real mission on this earth was to die for my country and the cause of Republicanism."
"You see that I have appeared here today without assistance of a counsellor at law, without any assistance save that of God, the Almighty, who is ever with him who is deserted, because I am not here to defend myself nor my actions."
"The law I have violated for which you will punish me is not in any statute book."
"The shot at Milwaukee which created an echo in all parts of the world was not a shot fired at the citizen Roosevelt, not a shot at an ex-president, not a shot at the candidate of a so-called prog. pty. (Progressive party), not a shot to influence the pending election, not a shot to gain for me notoriety; no, it was simply to once and forever establish the fact that any man who hereafter aspires to a third presidential term will do so at the risk of his life."
"If I do not defend tradition I cannot defend the country in case of war. You may as well send every patriot to prison."
(As showing the erratic reasoning of the defendant, the following passage, intimating that the assassination of President McKinley was a part of a conspiracy to elevate Colonel Roosevelt to a permanent control of the destinies of the United States, we quote further:)
"Political murders have occurred quite often, committed by some power that works in the dark and only too frequently of late the assassin was classed as an anarchist, but the real instigators could never be brought to justice. Whoever the direct murderer of President McKinley has been it could never be proven that he has ever been affiliated with any anarchistic or similar society, but we may well conclude that the man who in years after willingly violated the third unwritten law of the country whenever he thought it profitable to change his creed while president, perhaps to the mother of monarchies."
"Political murders have occurred quite often, committed by some power that works in the dark and only too frequently of late the assassin was classed as an anarchist, but the real instigators could never be brought to justice. Whoever the direct murderer of President McKinley has been it could never be proven that he has ever been affiliated with any anarchistic or similar society, but we may well conclude that the man who in years after willingly violated the third unwritten law of the country whenever he thought it profitable to change his creed while president, perhaps to the mother of monarchies."
(From the remarks of the prisoner in our examination of him, we find by "the mother of monarchies" that he refers to the Roman Catholic Church.)
We further quote: