The Attempted Assassination of ex-President Theodore Roosevelt Part 12

A. Thirty-six.

Q. Well, what object did you have in following around and trying to meet Theodore Roosevelt?

A. Well, because I have been reading history and following up history and I have seen that this man Roosevelt is trying to break one of the old established traditions of the country, calling it a third termer, which he has no right to; he can create a third party and create all the offices, but to nominate himself it was absolutely out of the way and I think today that it is absolutely unnecessary to establish now and have the third tradition to exist and not to be violated by anybody.

Q. Well, what did you have in mind to do when you went around in these different places?

A. I had in mind to meet him and he escaped me every time; he escaped me in Atlanta and Chattanooga.

Q. He escaped what?

A. He has not come the way I expected, he did not come out the way I expected; if he goes in a hall today and speaks in a hall and he come in this way or that way he goes out a different way and the man got away.

Q. What did he escape from?

A. From the places I wanted to meet him?

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, or whatever his name was, Mr. Roosevelt is practically the man that has been the real murderer of President McKinley in order to get the presidency of the United States, because the way things were that time he was not supposed to be a president; all the leaders did not want him, that's the reason they give him the vice-presidency, which is political suicide; and that's what I am sore about, to think Mr. McKinley appeared to me in a dream and said, "this is my murderer and n.o.body else."

Q. Did you speak with anybody in New York about this before you left?

A. No, sir.

Q. You made your mind up to this all yourself?

A. Yes, because I am alone, although I own property in New York.

Q. What property?

A. I own property in four hundred thirty-three East Eighty-first street.

Q. What does it consist of?

A. It consists of an apartment house with ten tenants; it's estimated at twenty-five thousand dollars.

Q. Did you attend any political meetings in New York before you left?

A. I attended several, yes, sir; ever since I was coming across the country; I had political meetings in Evansville, Indiana, of the three political parties.

Q. Who furnished you with the funds that you needed to travel around the country?

A. I beg your pardon, I was just telling you I have property there and had the money.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Winifred C. Zabel, District Attorney Milwaukee County.]

Q. Have you any money now?

A. No, sir.

Q. When did you run out?

A. I just took this three hundred dollars to go around and all I saved up is one hundred forty dollars.

Q. Where did you leave that?

A. I left that here.

Q. Well, why did you come here; oh, this was yesterday?

A. I came here Sunday at one o'clock in order to find out in the city where he was going to speak and where I could meet him.

Q. You never were married?

A. No, sir.

Q. You said a minute ago you weren't doing anything now; when did you go out of business?

A. I am out of business going on two years, living off the income of the property.

Q. And that is sufficient to keep you?

A. Sufficient to keep me as long as I keep in my limits.

Q. How much is the property worth?

A. Well, it has been worth for twenty-five, supposed to be worth at twenty-five and taxed at twenty-five thousand.

Q. How much is the income you derive from it?

A. Around eight hundred dollars a year.

Q. And do you live with your brother when you are at home?

A. I have no brother. I have been living for the past seven months in one hundred fifty-six Ca.n.a.l street, New York, that's a hotel.