The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1907-12-06
.LUNATIC WOUNDS
LABOR LEADERS
IN STATEHOUsE
Invades the Room Adjoining
Executive Chamber of
Massachusetts
SHOOTS TWO VISITORS
Governor Guild Appears and
Aids in Subduing the
Assailant
THIRD MAN IS HURT
Insane Man With Grievance
Makes a Sensational
Attack

walked into the anteroom of the exec
utive chamber of the statehouse this
afternoon and finding Governor
Guilds door closed turned on three
prominent labor leaders and fred three
shots at them, probably fatally
wounding Edward Cohen of Lynn,
president of the branch of the Aneri-
can federation of labor; seriously
wounding Dennis D. Driscoll of Bos-
ton, secretary of the same board, and
injuring with the muzzle of his re-
volver Arthur M. Huddell of Boston,
former president of the central labor
union of this city. The insane man
was John A. Steele of Everett, who
was released on parole last month
from the Danvers insane asylum. He
was overpowered by Private Secretary
Charles S. Groves and General J. H.
Whitney, chief OF the state police.
GOVERNOR TAKES A HAND
Governor Guild was in his Office only
few feet away. He rushed out. as
sistng in subduing steele, then kneit
by Cohens side and subsequently di-
rected the removal OF the wounded
men to the hospital.
Cohen was shot twice through the
head and was in critical condition at
the Massachusetts general hospital to-
night. The third bullet struck Dris-
coll a glancing blow on the forehead,
making long wound over the head,
and rendered him unconscious. He re-
covered consciousness half an hour
later. Huddelrs wound, which was at
first supposed to be an alarming one,
was quickly dressed and probably will
cause him little inconvenience.
The three labor leaders went to the
statehouse today to meet the governor
by appointment in regard to pardon
for A. NJ. Kennedy of Salem, who is
serving a sentence in the Essex house
of correction. They reached the state
house shortly after o'clock and found
that the governor was receiving a
delegation from Rhode Island.
The three labor men were asked to
wait in one of the anterooms until the
men should leave. All three were
standing beside a long table conversing
pleasantly. while at the farther end of
the room Private Secretary Groves was
debating letter to the executive
stenographer.
SHOT BY THE LUNATIC
Steele appeared at the door of the
room from the hallway, and. without
announcing his mission, walked by the
door keeper and Messenger Reed and
room, which was about 20 feet away.
The door was closed. Steele turned
around. and, drawing a revolver, fired
at Cohen, who was about six feet away.
Cohen's back was turned, and the
bullet struck the back of the head.
passing directly through, and came out
at the forehead, driving splash of
blood to the wall opposite beside
a picture of Abraham Lincoln The
wounded man turned and received an
around and fired at Driscoll, the bull
let in1icting a severe scalp wound.
Huddell, in attempting to close on the
man, was struck on the cheek by the
muzzle of the revolver and knocked
down.
Several state officials said after the
shooting that Steele was a well known
character to the board of insanity and
that he had an Illusion that he was not
getting his rights. for which he held
the governor responsible.