Leon Czolgosz

Leon Frank Czolgsz (Polish pronunciation: [ˈt͡ʂɔwɡɔʂ]; May 5, 1873 – ? ? ?) was a Polish-American Anarchist and former steel worker, who attempted to assasinate US President William McKinley twice in early September 1901.

Early Life
Czolgsz was born May 5, 1873, in Alpena, Michigan. One of eight children, born to Paul Czolgsz and Mary Nowak. The family moved to Detroit when Leon was five, and moved at least one more time before his mother died, six weeks after giving birth to his sister Victoria, in Posen, Michigan. By age 17 he had begun work at the Cleveland Rolling Mill Company.

In 1893, an economic crash put Leon and his brothers out of work. Finding little comfort in immigrant institutions and the Catholic Church, Leon joined the Knights of the Golden Eagle, a moderate socialist workingman's club. Shortly thereafter he joined the more radical Sila Club, and found an interest in anarchism.