Leon Czolgosz

Early Life & Upbringing

Leon Czolgosz was born in Alpena, Michigan to Albert Czolgosz, his father, and Maria Nowak, his mother. His parents were originally from Poland, both immigrating to the United States. Albert had immigrated in the 1850s, initially lived in New York before moving to Detroit and working as a farmhand to earn a modest living through manual labor. Mary had immigrated with her family when she was a child, and acted as a homemaker while Albert worked. The family was marked by economic hardship, living in poverty. Albert was a stern father, instilling values of authoritativeness and a strong work ethic into his children. His personality, however, was distant and he struggled to develop strong emotional bonds with his family. Mary, too, had faced many pressures of the immigrant lifestyle, and was seen to be withdrawn from those she lived with. Leon was forced to face many of the struggles of life on his own from a young age. Though he was raised Catholic, he was not heavily influenced by the religion.

Tragedy struck when Czolgosz's younger sister, Victoria, was born. His mother passed away just days after the birth due to complications, devastating the family. With Mary gone, Leon had been left to raise his children on his own, which didn't prove fulfilling. Leon moved away from the home at the age of 17 to Ohio, hoping to find work. Though the details of his early career are unknown, it is generally accepted that he worked in a slew of factory jobs into the early 1890s. Like his father, he often partook in labor-intensive positions, often handling machines, raw materials, or working on assembly lines. It is known that he worked in a steel mill, which closed due to the economic crash of 1893. The closure of his job led to even more instability and marked a turning point for him. 

Czolgosz's disillusionment with the culture that had been shaped for him through his life-- as an immigrant and a factory worker-- had exhausted him. Additionally, he began to resent the strictness of Catholicism that he was raised in, and grew skeptical of the teachings. He believed that religion was merely a way to distract oneself from harsh reality. Overall, his life is marked by a sense of alienation and rejection.

Assassination

While the precise times of each event on the day of McKinley's assassination (September 6, 1901) are not confidently recorded, there are approximate time frames for key moments of that day. Here's a breakdown based on historical records: 

Planning to assassinate President William McKinley at the Pan-American Exposition in Buffalo, New York, Czolgosz had arrived to the town several days early. McKinley was scheduled to make an appearance at the convention, which Czolgosz likely arrived at far earlier than its opening time of 9:00 AM. 

Around 4:00 PM, McKinley was to greet the public at the Temple of Music. A large crowd had been excited to meet the president, and waited in anticipation while Czolgosz planned his attack. Blending into the crowd, he was able to position himself near the front of the observers with a .32 caliber revolver wrapped in a handkerchief. As McKinley stretched out his hand to greet Czolgosz, he had identified his perfect moment; he quickly fired two shots at point-blank range into the President's abdomen. The first shot had gone through his stomach, and the second caused even more damage. The crowd had been frantic to determine what had just happened, while McKinley would stay standing whilst wounded.

Quickly after he had made his attempt, Czolgosz was tackled by James J. Parker, who was an employee of the Exposition. Parker held the assassin down until the police had arrived around 4:10 PM, where Czolgosz was apprehended and questioned about his motives. He had admitted to his crime, stating that McKinley was an enemy of the working people and believing that he had gained justice from his crime.

Gaps In The Story

Much of Czolgosz's history is unknown to historians. His status as an impoverished immigrant led many to believe that his life was not worth documentation. Czolgosz faced so much alienation by a society that did not welcome him. This lack of documentation attests to how our society often places those that are deemed "others" in the background, whereas those who are powerful and famous have their stories preserved. Czolgos'z assassination of McKinley is a reflection of who is truly seen in society-- and who is not.

"I am a grown man, twenty-seven, but I have no life! What do I know?! Nothing! What have I learned?! Nothing! What have I done-!"