Schrank Owns Guilt, Callous, Then Sorry.

New York Times 100 years ago today, October 16, 1912:
Trial of Roosevelt's Assailant Deferred Until Presidential Election Is Over.
SEEK POISON IN BULLETS
Analyst Will Examine Revolver Schrank Used to Shoot Colonel — Not Considered Insane.
Special to The New York Times.
    MILWAUKEE, Wis., Oct. 15.— John Schrank, who attempted to kill Theodore Roosevelt last night, was bound over for trial to the December sitting of the Criminal Court by Judge Neelen in the District Court this morning.
    Schrank was called before the bar of the district at 10:35 A.M. This quick action on the part of the District Attorney and the police was taken to evade the crowd that would be certain to gather were it known at what hour Schrank would be arraigned. Scarcely 200 people were in the courtroom.
    When Schrank faced the Court Detective Hartman unwrapped a package and took out the shirt and undershirt Col. Roosevelt wore when shot. Both were streaked with blood. The detective held up the garments to the gaze of the Court and of Schrank, who made no comment.
    "You are charged with assault with intent to kill and murder," said District Attorney Zabel. "What do you plead? Guilty or not guilty?"
    "I plead guilty," said Schrank.
    Judge Neelen then explained to Schrank that he was charged with a serious offense, and that he had the right to ask for an adjournment and time in which to obtain a lawyer and prepare his defense.
    "I understand that," said Schrank. "I plead guilty, and I waive examination."
    "Then you are bound over in the sum of $5,000 bail," said the Court.
    Schrank was then asked whether he wanted a trial at once.
    "No, I don't want one at once," he said. "I wish to have some time."
    "We will give you plenty of time," said the District Attorney.
    The Court then stipulated that Schrank should appear at the December term of the Municipal Court. He was then taken from the courtroom to the County Jail.
    Detective Hartman took Schrank at 10 A.M. into the office of Inspector Laubenheimer, where the warrant was read to him by Detective Valentine Schwierawski. Schrank listened intently and without comment. When the detective asked him to come with him he demurred, protesting that he had no hat. "I lost my hat in the shuffle last night," he said.
    An old hat was found for him in the police station, and then detectives Hartman and Schwierawski took him to the City Hall and placed him in the bull pen of the District Court.
    When jailers entered the cellroom in which Schrank was confined this morning, Schrank was seated on the board that had been his bed.
    "Stand up, Schrank," Conway requested. "Here is a man who wants to talk with you."
    "Want to see the animal, do you?" asked Schrank of the reporter. "Well here I am. Take a good look at me."
    "Well," replied Schrank, "I am not very hungry, but I guess I had better eat something."
    Officer Conway prepared a sausage sandwich and a cup of coffee. Schrank drank the coffee and ate part of the sandwich.
    "My appetite is not as good as I expected." he said. "I did not sleep very well. I am not accustomed to the bars."

Schrank Not Worried.
    "Did you worry about the act you committed?"
    "No. Why I should worry? My mind was made up about it, and I am not going to worry about it."
    Schrank, although questioned for hours, displays little annoyance when asked to repeat his story.
    "Do you think of the punishment for your offense?" he was asked.
    "I haven't thought much about it, and I don't care much," he replied,
    "I don't know what they will do with me, but I will take my medicine.
    "I guess I will stand what they hand out to me."
    "When did you last go to confession?"
    "I think it was about sixteen years ago. It was so long ago I don't remember."
    "Do you think your religion sanctions such work as this?"
    "I refuse to answer." he replied, rising and beginning to walk up and down in his cell.
    Schrank said he graduated from grammar schools in New York and attended high school for over a year, but never attended a parochial school.
    Schrank was taken before Robert Haukohl, Secretary of Police, and had his fingerprints taken. The record is: John Schrank, address 156 Canal Street, New York City; age, 36; native, Bavaria; occupation, saloon keeper; teeth, full; chin, regular; hair, medium chestnut; complexion, medium light; weight, 160; build, stout; height, 5 feet; head, short and wide; length of head, 18.4 centimeters; width, 15.4 centimeters; cheeks, 14.2 centimeters; ears, medium large, 7 centimeters in length; marks, has a small cut on the left index finger and a broad mole on the right cheek.
    In order to be assured that the bullets in the revolver carried by Schrank were not poisoned. Judge Neelen ordered the police to send them to Prof. Sommer of Marquette University for chemical examination. Schrank when questioned on this point denied emphatically that he had used poisoned bullets, and asserted with a confident air that the chemical tests would reveal nothing of this nature.
    Schrank spent a quiet afternoon and evening in his cell. At the prisoner's request, Sheriff William A. Arnold of Milwaukee County refused to admit further visitors to see him.
    "I don't want to see any more people to-day or to-night," said Schrank as he was being taken to his cell.
    Just before he lay down to sleep in his narrow cot at 9 o'clock to-night Schrank expressed the first words of regret that he has uttered since the shooting.
    "I'm sorry I shot," he said, as a Deputy Sheriff was locking him up for the night.
    Then Schrank dropped down on his cot and within half an hour was sleeping "just like a kid," as the jail attendants expressed it.
    The men who are watching Schrank were surprised that the prisoner has not asked to see a newspaper nor made any inquiry whatever regarding Col. Roosevelt's condition.
    So far as the jail attachés knew,Schrank has not been informed whether Col. Roosevelt was dead or alive. He exhibited no curiosity on this point. His expression of regret was not made in reply to any interrogation by the Deputy. It was repeated several times, apparently in soliloquy.

To Have a Fair Trial.
    Attorney Zabel, who is believed to be the only Socialist State's Attorney in the country, gave three specific reasons for deferring the trial till the December sitting of the Criminal Court. He said, first, that it was only reasonable to await the results of the Colonel's injury; second, he had no desire to hurry the defendant, and, third, he thought it would be unwise to call the case before the Presidential campaign was quite over.
    "It is my desire to try this case justly and expeditiously," said Mr. Zabel, "and this will he done. But we wish to avoid having the plain criminal aspects of the case in any way involved in the National political situation. It would not be fair to any of the persons involved to do so. If we went to trial before Election Day it is almost certain that the matter would be dragged into the campaign by one or another of the big political parties."
    Mr. Zabel said that, as far as surface indications went, Schrank was sane.
    "If Schrank is insane," said Mr. Zabel "it seems that there is method in his madness when he selects for the scene of this crime a State where there is no capital punishment, I am informed in messages from New York that there has been no insanity in Schrank's family, as far as can be traced."
    The State's attorney said he believed Schrank had no accomplices or advisers in the crime, and that the shooting of Col. Roosevelt undoubtedly was the outgrowth of his individual plans.
    The trial will be before Judge August C. Backus of the Municipal Court unless Schrank should ask for a change of venue, The Public Prosecutor said that after election he would consult with Judge Backus, and that they would call the case to trial formally at their discretion.
    The plea of guilty filed by Schrank in the District Court this morning is looked upon as merely perfunctory by the Public Prosecutor's office.
    "I shall permit Schrank to withdraw that plea of guilty when he goes to trial if he so desires." said Mr. Zabel. "In other words, this case will be tried in exactly the same manner as any other case of like criminal gravity. There will be no persecution of the defendant."