The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1898-09-29

LOS ANGELES, Sept. 2S.-Andrew ].
Smith, governor of the Pacific branch
of the National Home for disabled SOL
diers, lies at his home at the point of
death with five bullets from the revol-
yer of a would be assassin in his body
He may live, but three Of the bullet
wounds are serious. He is of advanced
age, but he has strong physique, =.
The assassin who attempted to take
the life of Governor Smith is Albert G..
Bradley, native Of Vermont, aged 81.
He served during the War of the Re
bellion in the Second Vermont Infan-
try. He was admitted to the home
first in 1898; was discharged in 1896, and
Teadmitted in 1897. He has also twice
been an inmate of the State Home for
disabled veterans; located at Yount-
vile. There is no question, at least
among those who know him best, as
to Bradley's sanity. He was pecu-
liarly moody person and had a very
vicious temper, of which he gave fire.
quent exhibitions among his comrades.
AT 9:46 this morning Governor Smith
had just completed his daily .inspec-
ton Of the quarters and grounds of the
home. After he left the guardhouse
he started for the headquarters build
Ing to sign some papers. Just as he
was about TO enter the building from
the rear, Bradley, who evidently had
been lying in ambush for him, passed
Smith and stepped to one side. AS he
did so he drew his revolver and. opened
fire upon Governor Smith.
AS rapidly as he could he emptied
the five chambers Of a 38-caliber re-
vOlver into Governor Smiths body.
The first two shots were fired almost
together; then there was an interval of
several seconds and the remaining
three shots were fired.
When the shots were fired the vic
tim was about thirty feet from the
steps OF the headquarters building. He
did not fall, but walked on. Major
w. D. Graham and Orderly Pottle at
the sound of the first shot. ran TO the
back porch. Graham carried Governor
Smith inside and Pottle secured the
murderer, who was taken to the guard
house.
The home surgeons made an exami-
nation and found that one bullet had
passed through Smiths right arm be
tween the shoulder and elbow; another
passed through the right thigh and
came out at the groin; d third entered
the back just below the shoulder blade.
Two bullets have not been located.
Governor Smith suffered much pain
life hangs in the balance,
As soon as the Intelligence of Brad
ley's awful deed became noised about
the home, the veterans manifested in
tense feeling. Bradley was not popu-
lar with any of them. He was always
very bitter against those IN authority
and had anarchistic views. After he
had been lodged in the guardhouse
threats of lynching were heard on all
sides. a Santa Monica officer was
called and Bradley was BROUGHT to the
County Jail in this city for safe keep
ing.
He was seen this evening by The
Call correspondent. He seemed. to re-
alize fully the consequences Of his act
and appeared to be somewhat repent
ant. All he would say was that he
must have been crazy when he fired
the shots and that he was sorry.
Just after he had unloaded his revol-
yer into his victim he talked differently
He said then that he was sorry he had
not killed him, for that was what he
intended to do.
Bradley's victim was brigadier gen
eral OF volunteers during the civil war
When Morgan's threatened raid fright
ened all Northern Ohio General Smith
and his New York brigade were sta
toned at Johnsons Island, off the city
Of Sandusky, to prevent possible release
of Confederate prisoners of war con-
fined there. In 1867 he became connected
with National Soldiers Homes, first
being stationed at the Maine Home. He
was transferred later to Leavenworth
About two years ago he was placed in
charge here.
Governor Smith had trouble at
LeavenWorth with few inmates,
which was dignifed by Congressional
investigation owing to the bitter OPP
position and personal i'll feeling Of
Congressman r. w. Blue and Case
Broderick Of Kansas. He was exon
Grated.
Last November The Call correspond
ent devoted two days to an investiga-
ton Of the complaints made by some
twenty-five Of the 2200 inmates of the
home at Santa Monica. About fifty
veterans were interviewed at random.
Only two had any complaints 10 make
and they were of the most trivial char
acter. Governor Smith was then seen
and he gave the correspondent carte
blanche to inspect or examine any de-
partment of the home or: to interview
any and all inmates If he desired. He
said that he had issued orders against
pictures being put on the walls of the
quarters as men sometimes placed vul-
gar and obscene photographs and litho-
graphs on the walls. He had also re-
quired of the inmates that they at all
ZINES Keep IIlSlI Qudl lCAo NAoaiI anu
neat.
Absolutely nothing could be found
upon which to base a reasonable charge
against Governor Smith. But a Los
Angeles paper opened up it's columns to
the kicking inmates and printed col
umns of matter written by the inmates
about Governor Smiths management,
claiming 1t was tyrannical and that he
used autocratic powers. There was no
verif1cation of these statements and al
most to a man the inmates exonerated
the governor. Yet the paper referred
to continued to print diatribes. against
Smith, giving publicity in that line to
all that was sent in to It, Some few
veterans finally believed they did have
a grievance and were very bitter
toward Smith. The result was the at
tempted assassination to-day Smith
did not know Bradley and had never
reprimanded him. Bradley had meyer
been in the guardhouse.
Smith will not die tonight. His
greatest danger is from blood poison
ing.
G0VERN0R SMITHS