New-York tribune., 1907-12-06
TRIES TO KILL GUILD.
MANIAC SHOOTS THREE.
Labor Leaders Wounded, One Fa
taLly, IN Governors AnterOOm.

turned three labor leaders and fired three
shots at them, probably fatally wounding Ed
ward Cohen. of Lynn, president of the state
branch of the American Federation of Labor:
seriously wounding Denpis D. Driscoll, OF Bos-
ton, secretary of the same board, and lnJurlns
with the muzzle of his revolver Arthur NJ. Hud-
dell of Boston, former president of the Central
Labor Union of this city.
The maniac. who was released on parole last
month from the Danvers Insane Asylum, was
overpowered by Charles s. Groves. private sec
retary to the Governor, and General ]. H. Whit
ney chief of the state police
Governor Guild in his office only rev
feet away. Rushing out he assisted IN SUD
DUNG Steele, then l1nelt by Cchens side, and
subsequently directed the removal of the wound
ed men TO the hospital.
Cohen was shot twice through the head and
was in a critical condition at the Massachusetts
General Hospital tonight The third bullet
struck Driscoll glancing blow on the side of
the forehead and, making a long wound over
| the head, rendered him unconscious for half an
hour. HuddeITs wound probably will cause him
| little Inconvenience
The three labor leaders went to the State
House to meet the Governor by appointment in
| regard to a pardon for a. NJ. Kennedy, of Salem,
| who is serving a sentence in the Essex House
| of Correction They reached the State House
| s
| ernor was receiving delegation from Rhode
| Island. They were standing beside a long table
| in an anteroon while Mr.. Groves was dlctat-
| ing a letter to the executive stenographer
SENDS BULLETS THROUGH HEAD.
Suddenly Steele appeared at the door, and
| without announcing his mission walked past the
| doorkeeper He glanced toward Governor
| Guilds room and saw the door closed. Then
| he turned around and, drawing a revolver, fired
| at Cohen, who was six feet away, with his back
| turned. The bullet struck him in the back OF
| the head passed directly through and. coming
| out at the forehead, drove splash of blood on
| the opposite wall beside the picture of Abraham
| Lincoln The wounded man turned. only to re-
| ceive another bullet in the head. which also
nassed completely through. Cohen sank to the
| floor unconscious.
| Steele then swung around and fired at Dris-
| coll, the bullet inhicting severe scalp wound.
| Driscou also fell unconscious. Huddell in at
| tempting grapple with the maniac was
| struck on the cheek by the muzzle OF the re-
| voiver and knocked down
| BY this time Groves had leaped over =
table and grappled with Steele Almost at the
| same moment General Whitney. who had been
| summoned TO the Kennedy hearing. came
through the door and rushed to the assistance
| of Mr. Groves. Huddell also jumped up and
wrenched the revolver away.
| Meanwhile one of the messengers dashed into
! the Governors office and cried: They are muir
| derine people in the lobby" The Governor
| fastened into the anteroom and helped General
| whitney, Mr.. Groves and Mr.. Hudden push
| Steele on TO one of the sofas. Assistance was
summoned from the office of the state police. in
| the basement of the building. and force Oh
! officers quickly handcuffed Steele.
! yIn
| knelt by Cohen's side and was wiping his face
| ,tb q handkerchief and towels In response
| IN a call for medical assistance, DR.. owen Copp,
| chairman Of the state Board of Insanity, was
| the first to reach the executive department lie
| Immediately recognized Steele. having had him
| under observation for more than f1ve years III
| various state insane institutions DIT Harrlhs-
| ton and DR.. Harvey. of other state commissions
| arrived a few minutes later. Steele was sent TO
| the Tombs under strong guard.
| INTENDED TO KILL GOVERNOR.
| Tho doctors after a hasty examination of
| Cobap and DriscoII. expressed the opinion that
| the formers wound probably would prove fatal.
b,t that the wound in Driscolls head was
nothing more serious than a scalp affair The
| two men were taken to the Massachusetts Cen
| eral Hospital, where Huddeil, who was bleeding
considerably from the wound in his check, was
also taken
| Several of the state officials said after the
| shooting that Steele a well known char
acter to the Board of Insanity and that he had
| an illusion that he was not getting his rights
| for which he held Governor Guild responsible
Before he was taken to the Tombs he declared
| be had intended to kill the Governor
| Edward Cohen is one of the best known labor
leaders in Massachusetts. He is married and
-. .o,,orar children Driscou is almost prom
| inent in labor circles in the state HuddeI Is
rasidant Of the Engineers Union of Boston.
| Dopvers Mass Dec. 5.-John ~ Steele was
an inmate of the State Insane Hospital In this
town for three months up to November IL last
ON that day he released on parole the in
stitution's officials believing he had shown al
| most positive signs of recovery. lie was trans
| ferred to this hospital from the State Insane
Hospital at Westboro
officials of the local institution stated Tonight
that Steele never showed any signs OF violence
while he was here. He was transferred here at
his own request, being dissatisfied with his
treatment at Westboro. where he commit
| ted several years ago Before His commitment
| he had worked in machine shop and as an in
surance agent He is thirtyseven years old
He was released ON parole at the request of his
nother Mrs. Jane Steele, of Everett. During
his confinement at Westboro he was released on
naroe several times, such occasions work.
| ing for various persons and giving trouble
While here Steele always denied that he was
insane but he told the officials of certain
thoughts he had, which might be called de-
lusions and said if they thought these really
were delusions he would guard against them IN
! the future and not think of them as facts. His
| insanity, as far known here. did not take the