Complete Life of William McKinley and Story of His Assassination: An Authentic and Official Memorial Edition, Containing Every Incident in the Career of the Immortal Statesman, Soldier, Orator and PatriotEverett, Marshall
History
Complete Life of William McKinley and Story of His Assassination: An Authentic and Official Memorial Edition, Containing Every Incident in the Career of the Immortal Statesman, Soldier, Orator and Patriot
The attention of the comrades is called to another spy. He is well
dressed, of medium height, rather narrow shoulders, blond and about
25 years of age. Up to the present he has made his appearance in
Chicago and Cleveland. In the former place he remained but a short
time, while in Cleveland he disappeared when the comrades had
confirmed themselves of his identity and were on the point of
exposing him. His 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. If this same individual makes his
appearance elsewhere the comrades are warned in advance, and can act
accordingly.
The police were suspicious of this alleged fear of Czolgosz, and
asserted that the publication of the notice might have been done for the
purpose of exculpating the Chicago Anarchists in case they were accused
of being parties to the conspiracy.
In his further examination Isaak answered proudly that he was an
Anarchist, and when asked what he meant by anarchy, replied:
“I mean a country without government. We recognize neither law nor the
right of one man to govern another. The trouble with the world is that
it is struggling to abolish effect without seeking to get at the cause.
Yes, I am an Anarchist, and there are 10,000 people in Chicago who think
and believe as I do. You don’t hear about them because they are not
organized.
“Assassination is nothing but a natural phenomenon. It always has
existed and will exist as long as this tyrannical system of government
prevails. However, we don’t believe tyranny can be abolished by the
killing of one man. Yet there will be absolute anarchy.
“In Russia I was a Nihilist. There are secret meetings there, and I want
to tell you that as soon as you attempt to suppress anarchy here there
will be secret meetings in the United States.
“I don’t believe in killing rulers, but I do believe in self-defense. As
long as you let Anarchists talk their creed openly in this country the
conservatives will not be in favor of assassinating executives.”
Isaak had had an eventful career and had been a socialist and
anarchistic agitator for years. He was born in Southern Russia and came
to Chicago seven months ago. In Russia, he says, he was a bookkeeper. He
was forced to leave the country, and after traveling over South America
he came to this country and located first in San Francisco. There he
worked as a gardener. Later he removed to Portland, Ore., and began the
publication of a rabid anarchistic paper called the Firebrand, but the
publication was suppressed by the United States postal authorities.
Then Isaak came to Chicago and started Free Society, a paper devoted to
the interests of local Anarchists. Isaak talked intelligently but
rabidly on matters pertaining to sociological questions.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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