New-York tribune., 1907-09-28
NAGLE FACES PISTOL.
PRIMARY FIGHT GILMAN.
Burke and Tammany Leader Meet
Formers Friend Clicks ReUOIUer.

SOON
Percy Nagle leader of the Both Assembly Dis
! trict whom Burke holds responsible for his de
| feat. in the corridor of the Park Row Building
yesterday afternoon. Only the failure of a cart
ridge to explode saved the life Of the politician
The dispute between the two candidates Tor
the leadership in their respective districts has
| been extremely bitter since the day of the prl-
| maries. Nage is supposed to be a Mcclellan
| man. though his opponents say that he wants
| all that he can get from both sides. On the day
| before the primaries. when the Tammany law
committee asked Sheriff Hayes to assign to the
various districts Tuesday sufficient num-
Der of deputy sherffs to protect the Murphy
| men, Nagle visited the Sheriff in his own in
terests and asked that deputies be sent to the
Both District where he a candidate.
Burke says that at the time Nage went out
of his province. and also asked the Sheriff to
send deputies 10 the oath District to look after
the interests of Dietz. The deputies were as
signed requested and Burke says that when
they arrived they began TO work industriously
for his opponent. and that it through them
that he finally defeated. At any rate, he
much enraged against Nagle. The latter
says several threats have been made against
him since.
WARNED THE DAY BEFORE.
On Thursday Nagle was dining with friends
IN Park Row restaurant when other aCquaint
ances of his came along and stopped to talk
with him. One of them leaned over his chair
and said:
Percy that fellow Burke says that he is
going to kill you. You want to look out for
him"
Nage is said to have replied that he was
perfectly able to take of himself and
that if his opponent came him he would
Knock his block off"
Nage and some friends we're standing In the
corridor of the Park Row Building yesterday
afternoon when Burke entered with number
OF his supporters Burke is reported to have
seen his opponent first, and said:
"Oh. there you are. you big -"
Nage is said to have retorted In kind, and
then, while the two men we're glaring at each
other, to have suggested that they sit down and
talk the matter over like men.
NO. I wouldn't sit with you. you big stiff.
Burke is said TO have replied As he did. so the
story goes. he struck Nagle a blow in the neck
This aroused both Nage and his friends. and
they began close in. For time IL looked as
though small riot would Just then one
OF Burke's followers is said to have suggested
that they shoot the dub"
Burke waved back the and said: NO. I
wouldn't do IL that way
an do IT myself, then" another man T. al
legged to have said, and at the same time he
jabbed the muzzls of revolver into NagIes
neck and pulled the trigger. A loud click is
all that resulted when the revolver refused 10
go off.
NaEIe turned white and grabbed the revolver
4 crowd soon surged around the men and hur-
ried the co,nbatants from the building.
NAGLE's STORY or THE TROUBLE.
AT the Kanawha Club last night Nasle gave
the following account OF the fight:
Burke sent word TO me yesterday that he was
going cunning for me. Big Tom Foley. Sheriff
Nick Hayes and Senator Jim Frawiey went
down TO the Park Row Building on business
when I came down stairs. Burke wait
ing for me. l said to him: I understand that
YOU are looking for II you've got any
grievance, let's talk II over Ike men lie
didn't answer right away. and I said: Well.
what about it? Says he: Yes, I am looking
for you you -
with that he suddenly hit me in the left
side of the face with a revolver. You can see
the mark il left here, although have had
cake of ice it
NagIe had bad discoloration on his left cheek
last night
when he hit me-" continued Nagle Il backed
,Ip against one the big pillars in the corridor
near the elevator shaft. AS did SO somebody
slipped UP behind the pillar In front of which |
was standing and threw gun up against my
throat
II felt the click of the trigger, and thought
T WAS goner I had only one friend with me
Every one that was with the ether people
,ut of the corridor. BY and by. a policeman
came I'D 10 me and asked what was the trouble
You'll have to ask some one else, replied to
him. Pm an interested party Now. L don't
know the man who tried to shoot me. but Ia
know him again If I him.
DIDN'T WISH TO SEEM AFRAID
..Wben I heard of his threats against me
made I'D my mind that I would go downtown
because I didn't want to have it said that
u.s afraid They say barking dog never
bites but he does sometimes.
.yrbat was the cause of the trouble?' was
asked. -
"He claims that 1 sent 40 deputy sheriffs
down into his district with badges and clubs
IN heat him. ] had nothing to do with that
Sheriff Hayes sent what men were sent there-
op,,, one friend was waiting for me in the cor
r;dor I had been upstairs for about twenty
r;nutes when | came down about ) o'clock
He told me that he had seen Burke pacing up
and down the corridor for at least twenty
minutes before l down in the elevator
He looked wild eyed, and l suppose he was
.urerjng over the defeat he met at the pri-
maries.'
James J. Gormley, vice. president of the Moqui
club Burkes headquarters said:
..ur Burke is in Westchester tonight He
left me here as his spokesman. Mr.. Burke told
mo to-niRht that the newspaper stories were
GROSSLY exaggerated There gun play
,,hatsoever and no blows were struck, to Mr.
R,,rlke's knowledge Mr.. Burke accused Nagle of
trict to beat him. and we can prove that he did
. 80 We don't need pistols blacktacks, and