The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1910-08-11
CAYNOR RESTSWFLL
Mayor of New York City Shot
on Shipboard But His
Condition is Good
HIS ASSAILANT ARRESTED

About to Embark on Steamer Will
helm Der Crosse for European Trip.
Bullet in Head But Not Removed
Yet.
New York, Aug. civilian ]. Gay
nor, Mayor of New York City, was
shot in the head and seriously
wounded today as he stood on the
promenade deck of the steamship,
Kaiser Wilhelm Der Crosse, by James
j. Gallagher, discharged and dis
gruntled city employee. Gallagher was
almost instantly overpowered and ar
rested.
The shot was fired at 9:45 o'clock
this morning, Is minutes before the
Kaiser Wilhelm Der Crosse was due
: to leave her pier at Hoboken, New
Jersey, and the Mayor was receiving
: Godspeed from group of friends,
{ preparatory to vacation trip to Eu-
= rope.
The bullet struck him behind the
right ear and ranged downward. in
. fiicting a dangerous, though not nee
essarily fatal wound. Unless blood
poison develops, surgeons are hopeful
q of the Mayors recovery, although at
his age-59 years-such a wound is
essentially grave.
Tonight the Mayor is at ST. Mary's
Hospital, Hoboken, surrounded by
, specialists, with members of his fam
lily gathered near. All early reports
from the hospital were hopeful in
tone and this evening six X-ray mega
tives of the wound were taken to fa-
ciliate an operation for the removal
of the bullet.
Gallagher, the would-be assassin, is
locked in a cell at Jersey City, held
without bail. He expresses no re-
morse.
He used a SO calibre revolver and
an examination later disclosed that
the first cartridge had missed fire.
This probably saved the Mayors
life. for Gallagher was less than two
feet away when he first pulled the
trigger. Backing away slightly in His
excitement, he pulled the trigger.
a second time and sent a bullet
crashing into the Mayors neck be-
low the ear.
William H. (Big Bid Edwards,
Commissioner of Street Cleaning, and
the former Princeton football star,
lunged forward with his 300 pounds
just as Robert Adamson, the Mayors
Secretary, struck Gallagher's arm. AS
he did so a second shot pierced Ed
wards sleeve, infiicting slight flesh
wound on the Commissioners right
arm, which remained undiscovered
for hOurs because of the excitement.
Unmindful of his wound Edwards hit
the man a crushing blow in the face
and they crashed to the deck to-
gether Gallagher struggling with the
strength of desperation and pulling
viciously at the trigger in an attempt
to fire another shot.
Edwards was too much for him. He
rained blow after blow in Gallagher S
now bleeding face, while Adamson and
Archibald R. Watson, Corporation
Counsel for the city, flung themselves
on the struggling man in an attempt
to grasp the weapon. When Mr.. Wat
son had obtained possession of it, Ed
wards and Gallagher continued a
bitter struggle about the deck, Ed
wards now crying and shouting in his
anger and excitement and Gallagher
painting, but fighting hard. When COM
pletely subdued by the former foot.
ball star, pair steel nippers were
slipped on his wrists by a special Of
ficer aboard the ship and he was rush,
ed through hooting and threatening
crwd off the vessel into an automo
bile and arraigned before Recorder
McGovern of Hoboken.
During the struggle with the mar
who had attempted to take his life
Nh"JOi poJhOA liOuSu uduly WOuHu
ed and bleeding from the mouth ant
nose, did not once lose consciousness
The impact of the bullet did not ever
throw him from his feet, but he raise,
his hand to his ears and with hi
face contorted with pain, he stagger
ed and leaned Imply across tn
ships rail until Adamson came to hi
assistance. Then someone drew
steamer chair to his side and int
this the Mayor sank with relief. A fey
minutes later he was removed to
stateroom, where the ships surgeo
temporarily bandaged the wound, pre-
paratory to his removal to st. Mary
Hospital
Rarely has wounded man evince
more fortitude and cheerfulness tha
did William j. Gaynor today. He evi
IDENTIFY thought as he was being car
ried down the companionway froI
the ship on stretcher that his woun
was fatal, for he smiled family an
said to those near him: Tell the pee
pie goodbye"
To his wife and his son, Rufus, h
said at the hospital later: at is yer
StranRa very atran0a r u,ondar x,,k