Q. Well, do you believe that that is a sane act that you committed this
evening?

A. I believe that is my duty as a citizen to do, it's the duty of every
citizen to do so.

Q. Well, how did you happen to get the idea that it was your duty among
all the people that live in the United States?

A. I don't know, I thought maybe somebody else might do it before I got
there.

Q. And you spoke to no one about your intention on all the route you
took concerning this, nobody?

A. No, sir; nobody.

While in jail the prisoner prepared a written defense, which we submit
herewith as Exhibit 4, and we extract certain sentences from the same,
as follows:

"Gentlemen of the Jury, I appeal to you as men of honor, I greet
you Americans and countrymen and fathers of sons and daughters. I
wish to apologize to the community of Milwaukee for having caused
on October 14th last, great excitement, bitter feeling, and
expenses."

* * * * *

"Gentlemen of the Jury: When on September 14th last I had a vision,
I looked into the dying eyes of the late President McKinley, when a
voice called me to avenge his death, I was convinced that my life
was coming soon to an end, and I was at once happy to know that my
real mission on this earth was to die for my country and the cause
of Republicanism."

* * * * *

"You see that I have appeared here today without assistance of a
counsellor at law, without any assistance save that of God, the
Almighty, who is ever with him who is deserted, because I am not
here to defend myself nor my actions."

* * * * *

"The law I have violated for which you will punish me is not in any
statute book."

* * * * *

"The shot at Milwaukee which created an echo in all parts of the
world was not a shot fired at the citizen Roosevelt, not a shot at
an ex-president, not a shot at the candidate of a so-called prog.
pty. (Progressive party), not a shot to influence the pending
election, not a shot to gain for me notoriety; no, it was simply to
once and forever establish the fact that any man who hereafter
aspires to a third presidential term will do so at the risk of his
life."

"If I do not defend tradition I cannot defend the c