Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1910-08-09
MAYOR GAYNoR SHOT
Crank shoots New Eotk's Executive
on Board Ocean Mayor About
70 Take a Trip Abroad.

60 rake Trip SDf1dd.
New York. Aug. 8. Mayor William
~. Gaynor, OF New York, was shot by
crank as he was about to board the
North German Lloyd steamer Kaiser
Wilhelm der Crosse this morning His
ton is thought to he serious.
The would-be assassin was immed-
ately captured and taken to the Ho-
boken police headquarters. The mayor
was about to start on months yaca
condition in Europe.
The mar upon being arrested gave
his name as James j. Gallagher, aged
90. Gallagher was a discharged fore
man from the dock department. The
shooting occurred just after the mayor
had boarded the steamer at the Ho-
boken pier. Mayor Gaynor was inn
mediately hurried to st. Mary's Hospi-
tai, Hoboken.
The physicians there pronounced his
case serious.
At the moment OF the shooting
Mayor Gaynor was standing in the
under the bridge on the
port side. convcrsing with President
Mont. OF Chile, and the latter's wife.
Without a word OF warning the
would-be assassin fired, and as the
mayor staggered into the arms OF his
secretary, Robert Adannson, the blood
streamed down his neck from the
wound in the back Of his head. The
injured man was Immediately carried
to his suite OF rooms on the same deck
on which he was standing and was in a
couple of minutes attended by the ships
physicians.
In the meantime an ambulance
arrived in response to a hurry call anu
after his wounds had been bandaged
the mayor was rushed to st. Mary's
Hospital in an ambulance.
As soon as the mayor had been
carried TO the operating room at st.
Mary's Hospital, all inquiries as 10 his
condition remained unanswered until
the result OF the examsnatlon OF his
wound could be ascertained.
Secretary Adamson accompanied the
mayor to the hotpital. At 1923
Adamson came from the operating
room and told the reporters that he did
not believe tile wounds would prove
fatal
But one bullet hit Mayor Gaynor
This entered back of the ear in the re-
gion of the mastoid bone, where 1t
buried itself and, so far as preliminary
examination discloses, the injury will
not necessarily prove fatal.
Mayor Gaynor did not lose conscious
ness. but remained calm and quiet as
he was-being transferred to the hospital.
Upon arrival there he asked that an
effort be made TO clear his throat of the
fast accommodating bloou. Ether was
then administered and Surgeon Mel
vile, Of st. Mary S, started TO probe for
the bullet.
Gallagher was arraigned before Re
corder McGovern and remanded to jail
without bail.
At the Hoboken police headquarters
the police elected the following state
ment from Gallagher;
Il came over toHoboken about 900
this morning. went to the steamer
pier and went on board the Kaiser
Wilhelm der Crosse. l met clergy
man on board of the steamer and asked
him to point out Mayor Gaynor to me.
He did so. and shortly aiterward fired
shot at the mayor. / do not know
if fired more than one shot or not.
Knowing that Mayor Gaynor was going
to Europe this morning TO enjoy him
self after depriying me OF my bread
and butter-not porterhouse steak
was irritated to the point Of committing
the act. The revolver that you show
me-(as the desk sergeant brought
forth the gun the police had taken from
Gallagher)-is the revolver that done
the shooting with. | don't know how
many shots were in the revolver when
| used it. | have had the revolver a
long time in my possession. l carried
it when was in the employ OF the
city"
When Gallagher was brought back
to the Hoboken jail he was again ar
raigned be- fore Recorder McGOvern. The
recorder questioned Gallagher at some
length. but ELECTED nothing more than
the prisoner had told the police in his
statement. He said he had 10 counsel
and expected to have none. McGovern
remanded him to the Hudson county
Jail at Jersey City to await the acton OF
the grand jury. He was Immediately
taken to Jersey City.
Gallagher showed some reluctance
about talking, and the impression
first created, that he was a crank, was
later dissipated. He appeared rational
and did not show the least excitement,
talking calmly and naturally. He was
very bitter against the mayor, and
INDUCED in some rough s9rcasm.
Gallagher is widower with no
children, and lived at 440 Third Avenue,
New York. He was discharged on Jan.
l, from the department of docks and
ferries by'Commissioner Tompkins, on
charges OF intoxication. At that time
he had been in the employ Of the city
four years and four days.
In the unlikely event that Mayor
Gaynor's injuries prove fatal, John
Purroy Mitchell, president of the board
of aldermen, and republican, would
succeed him.
The capture of the would-be assassin
was as spectacular as the shooting it.
self. Gallagher fired three shots in
rapid succession, the first striking
Mayor Gaynor. Bystanders declare that