New-York tribune., 1901-09-07
1T COULDN'T HAPPEN HERE
so SAYS CAPTAIN TITUS. OF THE DE-
TECTIVE BUREAU-THE ASSASSIN
NOT KNOWN IN NEW-YORK

To reporter for The Tribune Captain George
F. Titus of the Detective Bureau of this CITY,
when asked what measures the police of this
city would have taken TO protect President Nc
hlnley II there had been exposition here and
the President had been visiting it, said:
;, This is deplorable accident. and I do not be-
heve the assassination occurred because of in
adequate or careless police protection / do not
doubt that the Buffalo authorities took every
precaution to prevent such catastrophy.
vi course. l do not know all the circum-
stances, but l certain that such a thing
could not occur in this city. matter how large
the crowd surrounding the President Here
would have had at least fifty men in plain
clothes circulating about In the crowd on the
lookout for suspicious persons. In front of the
PRESIDENT there would have been two men. walk
Ing little apart from each other, and covering
the approach to the President either side. A
little behind him. also at either side would have
been two other men, and beside MIN and at a
short distance from him would have been two
more. 1t may be that would take even
greater precautions than this because the crowd
was large. However all such affairs must he
shaped by the circumstances.
L doubt the story that the assassin made his
way through the crowd to the President with
his hand covered with a handkerchief. He
never would have reached the President in this
city with his hand covered. For one thing if
his hand were sore he would be able TO
shake hands. For another. the handkerchief
would be at a suspicious sign. and one of
my men would have grasped il long before he
had got near the President. The first thing TO
Oe COnSluerS0 IN a crowd or that Kind, in fact
any large crowd, is the presence of cranks. They
are dangerous If for nothing else, because they
are likely TO cause panic Our men. there
fore, are always looking out for these, even
more than for thieves. 1t is because of this
that L say he could not have got through a
crowd here with his hand covered with a hand
kerchief
SMALL PISTOL. UP HIS SLEEVE
From the very meagre information we have
at this hour judge that the man had small
pistol up his sleeve and worked his way through
the crowd quietly until he was near the Presi
dent. There, If anywhere, the handkerchief
was used When he stepped out of the crowd
as the information says he did-to shake hands
with Mr.. Mckinley he must have dropped the
cloth over his hand TO conceal the weapon.
Even then it seems almost impossible that he
would have had time to fire the shot before one
OF our men could have caught his hand and at
least misdirected the bullet.
l cannot crticise the Buffalo police. particu-
larly since l know nothing of how the shooting
occurred. know they are efficient and have
good men in their detective department. When
we know more we shall PROBABLY ind that the
man did not approach the President In the man
described
When the President is in New-York there
never fewer than four men close by him. and
when there is likelihood of a crowd there
always more. We frequently have a prominent
man under surveillance while he knows nothing
about 1t. and our men trained to meet any
emergency that may arise For that reason 1
say the President could not have been shot II
he had been visiting exposition of the same
kind here.
AS soon as captain Titus heard the news that
the President had been shot at Buffalo he
dered every of his bureau within reach to
assemble in the Telegraph Bureau He then
communicated by telephone with Detective Ser
geant Valley. who is in charge OF the police
bureau of the exposition Buffalo. Captain
Titus much relieved when he heard that
the Presidents attempted assassin in the
hands of the police.
THE ASSASSIN NOT KNOWN HERE
Valley told Captain Titus all he knew about
the man. AS soon possible Captain Titus
went all the records of anarchists and
dangerous characters that the Detective Bureau
contains. He had his men go over all their pri-
vate records. Not "A man knew the assassin.
Captain Titus afterward said that he could not
find out that the man was known in New-York
AT all.
Captain Titus warned all his men to watch
closely any anarchist groups they knew to OBJ
tain. II possible any hint at plot.
Detective Sergeant Funston was In charge OF
the Detective Bureau last night He accom-
panied Mrs. Mckinley and her party last winter
when she shopping in this city at Christmas
time He rode in carriage with the President
at time He felt extremely indignant over
the shooting OF the President.
In the theatres last night the regular precinct
policemen who do duty there were replaced by
bicycle patrolmen The regulars were kept in
reserve TO handle crowds