New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-08-10
MIGHT HAVE SAVED MAYOR
Police Aide Knew Gallagher, but
Stayed on Duty at City Hall.
BUSY DAY FOR Mr.. mitchell
Rushes to Hoboken in Borrowed
Auto, Then to Hospital-Many
Mesa es and Callers.

From the time the first news Of the
| shooting of the Mayor became known the
Mayors office in the City Hall was fairly
swamped with visitors calls on the tele-
phone and messages by telegraph and by
cable expressing sympathy and asking for
the latest particulars.
Little business was transacted. and almost
every one had enough sense not to try TO
bother tie MAYORS office with business
matters that were not urgent. There were
one two, however, who insisted upon
seeing the Acting Mayor on making trivial
complaints, but Lieutenant Kennel, or the
Police Department, the Mayors aid, per-
suaded them to go away.
At one time. soon after the reports of the
shooting reached Park Row, several nun
dred people thronged the corridors of the
City Hall to learn If the rumors We're true
lieutenant Kennel reached the Mayors
office as usual, just before O'clock He
had not been asked to go with the Mayor
to the dock. and expressed the greatest
regret that he had not. as he was 1amliar
with Gallagner's face, and would prooapiy
have recognized him in the crowd AROUND
the Mayor on the boat.
About $50 o'clock a report drtfted into
the CITY Hall that Municipal Court Justice
-
Arverne, Long Island. Kennel called up
Arverne and was talking, when somebody
broke in on the wire and said: Mayor
Caynor- has heen shot in Hoboken.
The Ee,-tenant was Just about to ask VINO
u,oc talking and for more information,
when the unknown man was switched OIL
and Kennel was talking again with Ar
verne He lost no time in hanging up the
receiver and calling Police Headquarters
They did not know anything about the
shooting. but Just then the reporters came
in with the news. Lieutenant kennel got
Hoboken Police Headquarters on the WIRE
and confirmed the report
Meantime Acting Mayor Mitcnel hao
hoard the news. He was in the office OF the
President of the Board of Aldermen. IN the
IMMIGRANT Savings Bank. just before ~
O'clock. when Deputy Attorney General
Ezra Prentice called him up.
The ticker has Just announced that the
Mavor is shot" said Mr.. Prentice
THAT must be wrong" said the Acting
Mayor; Il have not heard 1t.
R11t he Immediately got Lieutenant Ken
mel in the Mayors office, and on learning
that the news was correct went TO the tlty
Hall There he heard that the wound was
serious, and made preparations to go 10 Ho-
hoken at once He had to elbow his way
out through a big crowd that had gathered
in the corridors of the City Hail oS thlS
time He could not find an automobile,
and Lieutenant Kennel rushed up to a prl-
,ate car explained the circumstances. and
asked the owner If he would take the Act
ing Mayor to Hoboken. Arthur Z. Beggs.
vice president of a concern at No. 81 Will
lam street, owned the car. and was running
il at the time. He at once consented 10 lake
the Acting Mayor to Hoboken-
When Mr. Mitchell returned he said he
had gone TO the hospital. but had not tried
to see the Mayor as the doctors mad for
hidden any more visitors
The Hoboken detectives, with Gallagher
in custody got on the same elevator with
Mr. Mitchell in the hospital. They were
taking him to the Mayors bedside. Mr..
Mitchell had learned that there were a
number of witnesses to the shooting. and,
believing that further identification was
unnecessary. he stopped the detectives from
taking their prisoner to the Mayor.
Mr. Mitchell recognized Gallagher as a
man who had come IN to see him three
ar four times within the last few weeks TO
oct him 10 intercede with the Dock Com
missioner to take him back Gallagher had
sent Mr. Mitchell a number of letters. in
which he said his bread and butter-not
bir norterhouse steak had been taken from
him
Soon after President Mitchell left the City
Hall for Hoboken persons of prominence
began to come in to ask regarding the
Nayor's condition. Among the first was
Reginald Walsh, the acting British Consul
General Others were George b. Cortelyou,
former Secretary of the Treasury, now
president of the Consolidated Gas Com
many: Felix NJ. Warburg. John D.. Grim
Minis. Louis l.. Tribus, acting Borough Pres
ident of Richmond: Philip j. Donohue,
treasurer of Tammany Hall: Stephen c.
baldwin Ralph Peters, president of the
Long Island Railroad, and J. Clan, Consul
General of Denmark.