By: HISTORY.com Editors
President William McKinley’s assassin is executed
On October 29, 1901, President William McKinley’s assassin, Leon Czolgosz, is executed in the electric chair at Auburn Prison in New York.
Czolgosz shot McKinley on September 6, 1901. McKinley was shaking hands in a long reception line at the Pan-American Exhibition in Buffalo, New York, when Czolgosz, a 28-year-old anarchist, approached him with a gun concealed in a handkerchief in his right hand. McKinley, perhaps assuming the handkerchief was an attempt by Czolgosz to hide a physical defect, kindly reached for the man’s left hand to shake. Czolgosz moved in close to the president and fired two shots into McKinley’s chest. The president reportedly rose slightly on his toes before collapsing forward, saying “be careful how you tell my wife.” Czolgosz was attempting to fire a third bullet into the stricken president when aides wrestled him to the ground.
How the Assassination of McKinley Gave Birth to the Secret Service
After President McKinley was shot, Teddy Roosevelt became president and the first to have round the clock protection by the Secret Service. But why did it take Congress 25 presidencies and three assassinations to make that happen?
McKinley suffered one superficial wound to the sternum and another bullet dangerously entered his abdomen. He was rushed into surgery and seemed to be on the mend by September 12. Later that day, however, the president’s condition worsened rapidly and, on September 14, McKinley died from gangrene that had remained undetected in the internal wound. According to witnesses, McKinley’s last words were those of the hymn “Nearer My God to Thee.” Vice President Theodore Roosevelt was sworn in as president immediately following McKinley’s death.
Czolgosz, a Polish immigrant, grew up in Detroit and had worked as a child laborer in a steel mill. As a young adult, he gravitated toward socialist and anarchist ideology. He claimed to have killed McKinley because the president was the head of what Czolgosz thought was a corrupt government. The unrepentant killer’s last words were “I killed the president because he was the enemy of the good people—the working people.” His electrocution was reenacted and filmed by Thomas Edison.
How McKinley’s Assassination Spurred Secret Service Presidential Protection
The Secret Service accompanies the president and the First Family everywhere, but it wasn’t always this way.
The Secret Service accompanies the president and the First Family everywhere, but it wasn’t always this way.
Also on This Day in History
Discover more of the major events, famous births, notable deaths and everything else history-making that happened on October 29th
Related
Crime
42 videos
The brutal 1947 murder in Los Angeles of aspiring actor Elizabeth Short has never been solved. But there is no shortage of theories.
The FBI released two sketches of the Unabomber suspect: the first in 1987 and a second, which became iconic, in 1994.
Orphaned at 14, Billy the Kid became one of the Wild West’s most legendary outlaws. But how much of his reputation matches the real man?
About the author
HISTORY.com works with a wide range of writers and editors to create accurate and informative content. All articles are regularly reviewed and updated by the HISTORY.com team. Articles with the “HISTORY.com Editors” byline have been written or edited by the HISTORY.com editors, including Amanda Onion, Christian Zapata, Cristiana Lombardo and Adrienne Donica.
Fact Check
We strive for accuracy and fairness. But if you see something that doesn't look right, click here to contact us! HISTORY reviews and updates its content regularly to ensure it is complete and accurate.
Citation Information
- Article Title
- President William McKinley’s assassin is executed
- Author
- HISTORY.com Editors
- Website Name
- History
- Date Accessed
- October 23, 2026
- Publisher
- A&E Television Networks
- Last Updated
- October 23, 2026
- Original Published Date
- November 16, 2009
