25 Facts About Leon Czolgosz

1.

Leon F Czolgosz was an American laborer and anarchist who assassinated president William McKinley on September 6,1901, in Buffalo, New York.

2.

Leon F Czolgosz was born in Detroit, Michigan, on May 5,1873.

3.

Leon Czolgosz was one of eight children born to the Polish-American family of Paul Czolgosz and his wife Mary Nowak.

4.

When Leon was 10, and the family was living in Posen, Michigan, Czolgosz's mother died six weeks after giving birth to his sister, Victoria.

5.

In 1889, the Czolgoszes moved to Natrona, Pennsylvania, where Leon worked at a glass factory.

6.

Leon Czolgosz joined a moderate working man's socialist club, the Knights of the Golden Eagle, and eventually a more radical socialist group known as the Sila Club, where he became interested in anarchism.

7.

In 1898, after witnessing a series of similar strikes, many ending in violence, and perhaps ill from a respiratory disease, along with his brother Micheal coming back from the Philippines, Leon Czolgosz went to live with his father, who had bought a 50-acre farm the year before in Warrensville, Ohio.

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8.

Leon Czolgosz fixed boxes and machines on the farm and was constantly at odds with his stepmother.

9.

Leon Czolgosz was impressed after hearing a speech by the anarchist Emma Goldman, whom he met for the first time at one of her lectures in Cleveland in May 1901.

10.

Leon Czolgosz told her that he was disappointed in Cleveland's socialists, and Goldman quickly introduced him to anarchist friends who were at the train station.

11.

Leon Czolgosz is well dressed, of medium height, rather narrow shoulders, blond and about 25 years of age.

12.

Leon Czolgosz's demeanor is of the usual sort, pretending to be greatly interested in the cause, asking for names or soliciting aid for acts of contemplated violence.

13.

Leon Czolgosz believed there was a great injustice in American society, an inequality which allowed the wealthy to enrich themselves by exploiting the poor.

14.

Leon Czolgosz concluded that the reason for this was the structure of government.

15.

Leon Czolgosz rented a room in Nowak's Hotel at 1078 Broadway.

16.

Leon Czolgosz approached McKinley, who had been standing in a receiving line inside the Temple of Music, greeting the public for ten minutes.

17.

James Parker, a man standing directly behind Leon Czolgosz, struck the assassin in the neck and knocked the gun out of his hand; as McKinley slumped backward, members of the crowd began beating Leon Czolgosz.

18.

Leon Czolgosz was taken to Buffalo's 13th Precinct house at 346 Austin Street and held in a cell until he was moved to police headquarters.

19.

Leon Czolgosz's trial began in the state courthouse in Buffalo on September 23,1901, nine days after McKinley died.

20.

Under New York law, Leon Czolgosz was legally insane only if he was unable to understand what he was doing.

21.

Leon Czolgosz had two visits the night before his execution, one with two clergymen and another later in the night with his brother and brother-in-law.

22.

Leon Czolgosz later incurred a great deal of negative publicity when she published "The Tragedy at Buffalo".

23.

Leon Czolgosz's revolver is on display in the Pan-American Exposition exhibit at the Buffalo History Museum in Buffalo.

24.

Leon Czolgosz is buried at Soule Cemetery in Cayuga County, New York.

25.

Leon Czolgosz's grave is unmarked, with a stone reading "Fort Hill Remains".

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