The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-11-14
SHOT BY j. WALDERE KIRK.
DIOK MANDELBAUM PIST0LLED At
THE GERARD HOTEL.

H~eart-Arreat or the Man with Forty suts
OF Ciothes-Snsa IL was = Buslness Quarrel
both Deny That y woman was Concerned.
J. WALDORF Kirk, the man with forty suits Of
clothes, who came from the West to
show New Workers how to dress, Shot
Richard Mandelbaum twice at the Ge-
rard Hotel. 1913 West Forty-fourth street,
last night with a 3s-calibre revolver. wounding
him In the groin aud over the heart. Kirk was
arrested and Mandelbnum was kept at tho hotel.
The shooting occurred at 11:40 o'clock In the
doorway of KRIS room, II, ON the nth Moor.
Mandelbaum also lived at the hotel with his
wife, and their rooms were on the seventh floor.
According to the story of the police, as 1t Is
given by Roundsman Richard Paulding of the
Forty.seventh street station, Mandelbaum. who
is a travelling agent for a wholesale cigar house,
came home from a trip last night. He
went to his room in the hotel about IL
o'clock and found that his wife was not there.
lie was surprised at her absence, and he ques-
toned the hotel servants. Then he got into the
elevator and went to the ffth floor. Walking
to Kinks room. the police say that he kicked
the door open. Still according to the police
story, as tho door fell in with a crash.
Kirk jumped up and took a revolver
which was lying on the table, and stepping
forward blazed away at Mandelbaum. He fred
five shots. discharging all the cartridges In the
revolver. The first shot shattered tho glass in
the transom over the door. The second one en-
tered Mandclbaum's body just above the heart.
The third and fifth went wifl, one glancing
and striking u marble slab in the hallway and
going through a window, which it shattered.
The fourth shot entered Mandelbaum's groin.
Neither at first would give any of tn, de-
tails Of the affair, but both denied that there
was any woman concerned in 1t. The sound Of
the shots attracted most of the hotel servants,
and n crowd gathered in the hallway.
Kirk stepped over Mandelbaum's body
and went down stairs to the Office.
He handed the revolver to the night
clerk. He talked with the clerk for a
few moments. Some person who was walking
through the street and had heard the shots ran
up to Roundsman paulding and told him there
had been a row in the Gerard. Paulding hurried
into the office OF the building and saw Kirk
standing at the desk. He got what information
he could and Immediately arrested Kirk, who
was locked up in the West Forty.seventh street
police station.
As soon as Capt. Schmittberger. who was turn
ing out the night platoon when Kirk was brought
in. heard OF the shooting, he went to the hotel.
Mandelbaum had been carried by the hotel
servants from the spot where he lay up to his
room on the seventh floor. and his own physi-
clan, DIR. f. Webster Davis, had come in to take
care of him.
DR.. Davis removed the bullet from the groin,
but he did not dare extract that which lodged in
the lung. DR.. Davis said he did not think Man.
delbaum would die, but as the wounds were
very serious ones. Coroner Fitzpatrick was
summoned to take Mandelbaum's ante-mortem
statement. Handelbaum identified Kirk before
his a~ssailant was taken to the police station.
Capt. Schmittberger had Kirk taken to his
private room, where he questioned him
in regard to the shooting. Kirk said
that he had known Mandelbaum for
eight years, and that at ono time they
travelled together for cigar houses. Their rela-
tions during that time had always been AMIGA
BILE. he said. until a few weeks ago. whom they
Kirk said that last night. between ii o'clock
@ @na m snd M. hS %ns SITTING eams r in MS
up Go" the 'e Corridor. The door was unlocked.
but Mandeibaum vas So impetHous, apppartt
says s"' that i".'''!MSs sndeibaum n rushed up to
him and struck him on the head with
wound. lie says he tried to defend him.
self and they struggled FSIn about the room Spn
was getting the better of the fight,
pushed him over against a small desk, in which
revolver from the desk and fred in self-defence,
inficting TIC wounds on Mandelbaum;
causes which led to the fight. Mrs. Mandel:
baum said that she had no idea OF what caused
Capt. scImittbergcr said he had a theory
night. I He said, however, ho ever e that leu Re Snder,tood
that Kirk b attentions TO the women at the hotel
had boon marked ever since his arrival there.
J. Waldere Kirk is the se~lt-crowned king Of
a Denver hhirm.. When 10 arrived IN The
a few days he attracted some attention. Then
he he was accepted by Broadway as a Joke and III,
about h'' 80 S'? Years Psao old. ~ avo ni faot '' eisSt inc Inches IS
tall. a we'll built man, and his eonver;;
goods. lie is well known in the Northwest,
where he first tried this method OF selling
he went to the ,HoIsl Imperial; He
business. which is true. Since his arrivalhere
Kirk has made himself, known TO the night
and restaurants. He wrote !, book during the
summer on his experiences in New York He
s hSs eifs a soS a F ii,is for Il t. 'n %R RSn'SEe e S M4G shA Il
was announced that he had a pripcely income,
the cisar trade. from, New York to San
Of sl.sSiillnSn as %sS SHs ; OF h laS @oi rspr pssalsdi
several Of the leading whoslesale cigar
h Isrss sraS St t ihs sSSri' ifiio Vest Rs eG %.s nI%ay :
siiered, .higL;nser" y those Who
in sporting circles, ON the race tracks. ana in
clubs where poker is tho PRINCIPAL feature. He
has made his headquarters In this city for the
past TWO years. During the WorId's Fair he lived
In Chicago. AS did j. Waldere Kirk. the man who
shot him last night. Mandelbaum ana his wife
occupied an apartment in one OF the principal
hotels near the Fair Ground, and had a
lively circle of aCqualn,ances. Previous to
that Mandelbaun travelled from Denver
and ten Or twelve years ago he lived in San
Francisco, then representing u wholesale cigar
house. His wife is AN attractive brunette, about
40 years old. They have been married, SO
one of their acquaintance said last night. ten
or twelve years. 1t WAS said that Mrs. Mandel.
baum came from San Francisco. She had many
acquaintanccs among theatrical people in this
city and elsewhere.