The Attempted Assassination of ex-President Theodore Roosevelt Part 20

CHAPTER XIV.

A SECOND EXAMINATION.

Report of questions propounded by District Attorney Winifred C. Zabel, of Milwaukee county, and Wheeler P. Bloodgood, to, and answers given by, John Flammang Schrank, at the county jail, of the county of Milwaukee, Wis., in the presence of Sheriff Arnold, Donald Ferguson, Francis E. Davidson and others, commencing at 12:50 P.M. on the 16th day of October, 1912. Reported by Alfred O. Wilmot, court reporter, District court, Milwaukee county.

Mr. Zabel:

While you were living in New York what newspapers did you read?

A. I read the New York Herald and I read the New York World, and the New York Staats-Zeitung, a German paper.

Q. That is a German publication?

A. Yes, sir.

Q. Is that a morning paper?

A. Yes, sir; also evening edition.

Q. Did you read any of the Hearst publications?

A. No, sir.

Q. The New York American?

A. No, sir.

Q. New York Journal?

A. No, sir.

Q. What you read in the New York World and what is the other news----

A. Herald.

Q. And New York Herald did anything you read in those papers impress you in any way?

A. Well, it did in a way impress me, that means, I thought whatever I read in the paper was pretty much right, what the people were talking about this building of the new party and deserting the old party. You can read that in the newspapers and that is what I read and it must be right.

Mr. Bloodgood:

Q. Mr. Schrank, you remember I examined you at some length on Monday evening and you spoke of the New York Herald and New York World and the headlines that appeared in those papers, and that you have been reading them constantly, is that correct?

A. That is correct, yes, sir.

Mr. Zabel:

Q. Did you read those papers for the political items that were contained in them?

A. Well, in fact, not exactly for that. I read the papers the same as anybody else, and naturally things like those I took interest in every, and the items interested me in those articles.

Q. What headlines are still fresh in your recollection which you read?

concerning political----

A. Oh, I could not just recall anything. Headlines doesn't amount to much. It is now and then perhaps, but it doesn't amount to much. It is just the item itself.

Q. Was there anything you read in those papers that gave you any distinct impression to kill Roosevelt?

A. No, sir; not at all. I cannot blame the papers whatsoever. I have done what I done on my own convictions.

Q. Well, were you not impressed by what you read in the New York papers as to the menace which Mr. Roosevelt would be to our nation?

A. No, sir; not by the papers, hardly. I thought my own opinion about that.

Q. Do you remember reading anything in those papers in which Mr.

Roosevelt was described either as a tyrant or as a traitor?

A. Oh, no.

Q. Or his ingrat.i.tude or words to that effect?

A. No; there might have been a few criticisms that says I am It Or Me and I and that is about all, but that doesn't impress much on anybody.

Q. When you say that---- You started to say before that you were much opposed to Mr. Roosevelt deserting the old party and building up a new party---- What old party did you have in mind?

A. The Republican party.

Q. Were you interested in the Republican party?

A. No, sir; I was not interested.

Q. Ever vote the Republican ticket?

A. Yes, sir; I have several times.

Q. On National elections?

A. National elections.

Q. Ever vote for Mr. Roosevelt?

A. No.

Q. Munic.i.p.al elections were you----