The Mathews journal. (Mathews C.H. [Court House]) 1903-1937, 1907-12-12
GOVERNOR GUILD
HELPS SEIZE ASSASSIN
Insane Man Shoots Three in Boston
State House.
BLOOD SPATTERS THE LOBBY.
John A. Steele, Who Was Recently
Released From Insane Asylum and
Imagined He Had Grievance Against
Governor Guild-The Governor Crap
pies With the insane Man.

Boston, Mass. (SpeciaD An in
sane man walked into the anteroom
of the executive chamber of the state
house and, finding Governor Guilds
door closed, turned on three promi-
nent labor leaders and fired shots at
them, probably fatally wounding Ed
ward Cohen, of Lynn, president of
the state branch of the American
Federation of Labor; seriously
wounding Dennis ID. DriscOll, of Bos-
ton. secretary of the same board, and
injuring, with the muZzle of the re
volver, Arthur NJ. Huddell. of Bos-
ton, former president of the Central
Labor Union of this city. The in
sane man, who was John A. Steele,
OF Everett, and who was released
on parole last month from the Dan
vers Insane Asylum, was overpower-
ed by Private Secretary Charles S.
Groves and Gen. J. H. Whitney. chief
of the state police.
Governor Guild was i'm his office
only a few feet away. and, rushing
out, assisted in subduing Steele; then
knelt by COhen's side and subse-
quent directed the removal of the
wounded men to the hospital
Cohen was shot twice through the
head. The third bullet struck Dris-
coll a glancing blow on the side of
the forehead. and, making a lonC
wound over the head, rendered him
unconscious. He recovered con-
sciousness half an hour later. Hud-
dells wound, which was at first
supposed TO be an alarming one. was
quickly dressed. and will probably
cause him little Inconvenience.
The three labor leaders came to
the State House to meet the Govern
or by appointment in regard to q
pardon for a. NJ Kennedy. OF Salem
who Is serving n sentence in the Es-
sex House of Correction. They
reached the State House shortly af-
ter ; o'clock. and found that the
Governor was receiving n delegation
from Rhode Island. The three labor
men were asked to wait in one OF
the anteroOms until the Rhode Island
men should leave All three were
standing beside a long table convers-
ing pleasantly, while at the farther
end of the room Private Secretary
Groves was debating letter to the
executive stenographer.
William Reed, the cOlOred messen-
ger of the department. was seated al
his desk within a few feet of the
labor men. Suddenly Steele appear.
ed at the door of the room from the
hallway. and. without announcing his
mission. walked by the doorkeepel
and Messenger Reed. and then glanc
ed toward Governor Guilds 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
n -
the bullet struck tho back of the
head, passed directly through and
came out at the forehead. driving
great splash of blood 10 the wal
opposite and beside the picture Of
Abraham Lincoln. The wounded
man turned, only to receive another
bullet in the head. which also passed
completely through. Cohen sank un.
conscious TO the floor Steele ther
swung around and fired at Driscol
the bullet inficting a severe scalr
wound. DriscOll also fell unconscious
to the floor. Huddell. in attemptine
to close on the man. was struck or
the cheek by the muzZle of the re.
volver, and knocked down.
Struggle For The Weapon.
BY this time Private Secretary
Groves had leaped over table and
SFappled with steele, and almost at
the same moment General Whitney
who had been summoned to the Ken
nedy hearing, came through the door
and rushed TO the assistance of Mr.
Groves.
Huddell also jumped up and
wrenched the revolver away. while
one of the messengers dashed into
the Governors office and said:
'"IhpV are DlurderiDo noODID -,
the lobby" The Governor instantly
went into the lobby and helped Gen
eral Whitney, Mr. Groves and Mir
Huddell pushed Steele on to one OF
the sofas. Word was sent to the
office of the state police. in the base
ment, and a force of officers quickly
reached the scene and handcuffer
Steele.