President McKinley arrived in Buffalo on a special train over the Lake Shore and Michigan Southern Railway at 6:00 P.M., Sept. 4th, and the special train went direct to the Exposition grounds.  At the railway gate of the exposition the President and his party were met by the Fourth Brigade, National Guard Signal Corps mounted-twenty mounted men of this department and Detective Sergeants Patrick J: Devine, Lewis. W. Henafelt, John J. Geary and Albert Solomon.  The Detective Sergeant’s instructions were to keep near the President's person during his visit to Buffalo.

The President was escorted through, the Exposition grounds to Mr. John G. Milburn's house, which was his Official Residence while the guest of the Pan-American Exposition Co.

Thursday, September. 5th, was the President's' day at the Pan American Exposition grounds, and he was escorted to the grounds by the same mounted escort that met him September 4th.  The instructions of the mounted detail was to be in attendance upon the. President during his stay within the city, but after the 5th, at the request of Mrs. McKinley, the detail of mounted police was reduced to eight men.

On Friday, September 6th, the President again visited the Ex	Exposition grounds, and also made a trip to Niagara Falls, returning to the Exposition in the afternoon of that day for the purpose of holding a public reception in the Temple of Music.  At 4:20 P.M., Friday, September 6th, I received a telephone message from Mr. James L. Quackenbush informing me that the President had been shot, and asking that I immediately send detectives and police officers to the Pan-American Exposition.  He also told me that the assassin of the President was under arrest.  Orders were issued for all available men to proceed at 	once to the Exposition grounds, and I dispatched some of our Headquarter Detectives.  At 4:30 P.M., in company with Inspector John Martin, I drove to the Exposition grounds, and when on Delaware Avenue near Barker Street, I met a carriage in which was Detective-Sergeants John J. Geary and Albert Solomon, Capt. Vallely of the Exposition Detective Force, Major Robertson, Deputy Commandant of the Exposition Police Force and the assassin.  Immediately I retraced my steps, proceeding to the City Hall in search of the District Attorney.

I found that the District Attorney's office had been apprised 	of the assassination of the President, and hastening to Police 	Headquarters I found that the assassin was in the Headquarter prison department, and Mr. Haller, Assistant District Attorney, present ready to proceed .with an investigation.  The prisoner was brought before Assistant District Attorney Haller and myself.  He gave his name as Fred Nieman, said that he was born in Detroit, was 28 years old, that he was an anarchist, had killed the President and believed that he had done his duty and was glad of it.  Shortly after the examination of the prisoner had begun, Mr. Thomas Penney, District Attorney, came to Headquarters and took charge of the investigation.  The prisoner was at all times cool and collected, showing no indication .of feelings of remorse or sorrow for the crime he had committed, repeatedly stating that he had done his duty and wasn't  sorry for it and realizing fully the penalty of the crime upon conviction.  In the statement made by the prisoner he said his name was not Fred Nieman. but Leon F. Czolgosz, and gave the history of himself and family.

Naturally the people were greatly excited; the streets were crowded with people threatening to assault Police Headquarters, take the prisoner from custody, and lynch him.  As soon as word had been received that the President had been shot, I ordered a heavy detail of patrolmen to report to Police Headquarters and all the streets within two blocks of Police Headquarters was patrolled and carefully guarded.  One or two demonstrations were made to break the police lines, and although within the breast of every patrolman was the same feeling that existed with the excited citizens that the assassin should be summarily dealt with, they felt that the majesty of the law must be upheld and that the prisoner and the property of the city would be defended at all hazards.  The bulletins issued by the surgeons in charge of the President, that the President was resting comfortably and that there was a possibility of his recovery, quieted the people, and at one o'clock A.M., there were practically no more people on the streets than ordinarily.  Day and night we kept a heavy patrol force about Police Headquarters.  The favorable reports from time to time of the President's improved condition had a most beneficial effect upon our citizens generally, changing their thoughts from vengeance upon the assassin, to hopeful prayers for the President's recovery, and that justice should be mete' out to the prisoner as provided under the constitution.

On the evening of the first examination of the prisoner, Dr. Joseph Fowler, Surgeon of Police, suggested to the District Attorney that an investigation as to Czolgosz' sanity should be immediately begun, and each day thereafter Doctors Fowler, Putnam and Crego examined Czolgosz, and the prison guards in charge of him carefully watched his conduct and made report, thereon.  There was at no time during his confinement that he showed the least indication of insanity or an unbalanced mind.  He was always calm, collected, fully realizing the enormity of the crime he had committed.

Although the city was quiet, and the excitement incident upon the first news of the President's assassination had become normal, the precautionary measures for the protection of Police Headquarters and the prisoner were not relaxed, except that the Reserve Force at Station No. I was somewhat reduced.

On Thursday, September 12th, the President's condition was not considered favorable, signs of unrest began to appear, and muttered threats against the assassin were heard occasionally.  The reserve at Police Station No. 1 was again increased, and the patrol posts in the vicinity of Police Headquarters were doubled.

No charge had been laid against Czolgosz, and by reason of the Erie County Jail undergoing repairs, and the jail prisoners being confined temporarily at the Erie County .Penitentiary, Czolgosz was detained at Police Headquarters at the request of the District Attorney, while making his investigation and. examining witnesses.  The daily bulletins of the Surgeons, in charge of the President's case, continued to be unfavorable; with threatened assaults upon the Police Headquarters building for the purpose of obtaining possession of the prisoner, that he might be summarily dealt with by the people, led the Police Commissioners to question the advisability of retaining him at Headquarters longer, not that they had any fear that any mob could successfully attack the building and release the prisoner, they knowing that we had a sufficient number of men to successfully cope and defeat any mob that should make the attempt; but knowing too, that any attempt would result disastrously to the attacking party, and possible many innocent persons would suffer, it was decided an consultation with the District Attorney to remove the prisoner.  This was done on Friday morning, September 13th, at eleven o’clock and he was taken to. the Erie County Penitentiary, by Assistant Superintendent, Patrick V. Cusack, and placed in charge of Mr. Alexander Sloan, Keeper of the Penitentiary, under an arrangement previously made between Mr. Sloan and District Attorney Thomas Penney.

The ridiculous and sensational stories that he was smuggled from Police Headquarters in the disguise of a police officer, and taken away in a patrol wagon, were untrue in every particular.  As has been stated above, he was removed from Headquarters in daylight, at eleven o'clock in the morning.  Mr. Cusack did not even place handcuffs upon the prisoner.  There was no change in his garments from those worn when he was brought to Headquarters, with the exception of a clean shirt and a hat that was provided for him, his hat having been lost in the Temple of Music.  His removal from Police Headquarters, and knowledge of where he had been taken was strictly guarded, his removal being known only to Police Commissioner Rupp, the Superintendent and Officer William Jordan.

At the Penitentiary he was placed in the women's dungeon and no one in the Penitentiary, with the exception of Mr. Sloan and one or two trusted assistants, knew who was the prisoner confined in that dungeon.  Czolgosz was detained at the Penitentiary until after the death of the President, and the remains had been removed from Buffalo, and until five o'clock on Monday afternoon, when he was brought to the Erie County Jail, and from thence conducted through the underground passage to the City and County hall, and arraigned before County Judge Emery, Czolgosz having been indicted Monday morning, September 16th, by the Grand Jury, then in session, charged with murder in the first degree.  Czolgosz was detained at the Erie County Jail until his conviction and removal to Auburn State Prison.  In the removal of the prisoner from Police Headquarters to the Penitentiary there was a strange coincidence in the fact that the coach driver, who had brought the prisoner from the Exposition grounds to Police Headquarters, also drove the coach that removed him to the Penitentiary.	.

The stories that Czolgosz while confined at Police Headquarters was fed sumptuously every day, that he was allowed to receive flowers, fruit and delicacies, and that newspaper reporters were allowed to interview him, are positively untrue.  Czolgosz received the same food provided for other prisoners, except that upon direction of the police surgeon after two or three day’s confinement his diet was reduced.  His breakfast consisted of potato, bread and butter and coffee.  His dinner consisted of one kind of meat, one vegetable, bread and butter and coffee, and his supper was the same as breakfast.  Of this food he had a sufficient supply, and usually ate more than an ordinary prisoner, he having a very keen appetite.  He was not provided with cigars, although having been a smoker; the surgeon directed that he be permitted to sue a limited amount of tobacco daily.  The treatment given Czolgosz was no different than that received by other prisoners, expect that he was in solitary confinement, guarded day and night.

On Friday night, September 13th, when the unfavorable reports of the President's condition was announced, and all hope of his recovery abandoned, the reserves at No. I station house were doubled, and all streets leading to Police Headquarters heavily patrolled.  General Samuel M. Welch, Jr., commanding the 4th Brigade National Guard, placed in the Armory of the 65th Regiment two companies of the 65th Regiment, and in the 74th Regiment Armory two companies of the 74th Regiment, to protect the State property in case of an outbreak.  Around all Bulletin Boards reporting the President's condition, large crowds assembled, hoping the next report would be favorable .to the President's recovery. At 11:35 P.M., when the last Bulletin was posted announcing the President's death, the crowds quietly dispersed.  Vengeance was turned to sorrow; it was as if death had entered every household. Sympathy for the bereaved widow, expressions of love and honor for the martyred President were upon every lip.  The pall had fallen, obscuring the tragedy and its author-Czolgosz was forgotten.
The President after being shot was removed to the Emergency Hospital on the Exposition grounds, and then to the residence of John G. Milburn.  A detail of Police was kept at the Milburn House.  The streets for one block in each direction were roped off and no vehicles allowed to approach the house.  In addition to the police detail there was a detachment from the 14th U. S. Infantry.

It was necessary to maintain a Police detail at the Milburn house from the time the President's remains were removed until the 1st of December.  From daylight until dark, every day, the camera and Kodak fiends were out in force, and the souvenir hunter was ready to destroy the house.  Pebbles from the driveway were picked up, leaves that dropped from the trees taken, and one souvenir hunter with more nerve than the others appeared with a mallet and chisel and requested the officer on duty that he be allowed to remove a few bricks from the building. It is unnecessary to say this request was denied, and nothing was destroyed either upon the grounds or about the house.
On Sunday morning, September 15th, funeral services were held at the Milburn house, and the remains of the President were escorted to the City Hall.  As the remains were removed from the hearse a severe rainstorm with heavy wind occurred.  The streets North and South of the City Hall, beyond the lines established by the Police, and the streets running East and West were a mass of people awaiting an opportunity to view the remains of the late President.  At 1:20 P.M the lines were opened to permit the people to pass into the City Hall and view the remains.  The people were formed in two ranks, entering the City Hall from Franklin Street, passing on either side of the casket and through the City Hall to Delaware Avenue.  The doors of the City Hall were closed at II P.M., and it was estimated that between ninety and one hundred thousand people had passed the remains of the President.

Although the crowd of people within the vicinity of the City Hall during the ten hours was probably larger than ever gathered in Buffalo within the same area, and the line of people at times was fully one mile in length.  There was no unseemly crowding or noisy demonstration. The crowd at all times was under perfect control of the Police officers.

At seven o'clock Monday morning, Sept. 16th, the remains of President McKinley, under military and police escort, were placed upon a Pennsylvania R. R. Special; to be taken to Washington, D.C. 

Czolgosz was placed on trial at 10 A.M., Monday, September 23rd.  The Jury was sworn in before three o'clock P.M.  The prosecution was most ably conducted by the Hon Thomas Penney, District Attorney for Erie County, and the defence was in the able hands of the Hon. Robert C. Titus and the. Hon. Loren L. Lewis, former Justices of the Supreme Court, State of New York.

On Tuesday afternoon, September 24th, the case was submitted to the Jury, the Jury retired at 3:51, and at 4:23 returned a verdict of murder in the first degree.

President William McKinley was assassinated in the Temple of Music at the Pan-American Exposition grounds at 4:10 P.M., September 6th; he died at 2.15 A.M., September 14th, and was buried at 3.30 P.M. September 19th, at Canton, Ohio.

Leon F. Czolgosz, his assassin, was indicted on Monday; September 16th.  The trial was held in part III of the Criminal Term, Supreme Court, City and County Hall, September 23-24, the Hon. Truman C. White, Justice of the Supreme Court presiding, and he was electrocuted in the State prison at Auburn, N.Y., at 7:12 A.M., Tuesday, October 29th.