Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-08-09

spread from mouth TO mouth through the
streets The Evening Telegram was the
first paper uptown to get out an extra
and this carried the statement that the
mayor was dying. A little later the news
tickers flashed an official statement from
the steamship company that the wound
was not fatal and that the bullet had
lodged in the neck.
Enormous crowds of excited people
thronged around the bulletin boards in
Herald Square and Times Square uptown
reading the bulletins and expressing re-
greet
The mayor has grown wonderfully in
popularity in recent months. his course
in Office appealing to the masses and the
plain citizens. OF course. only deepest
regret and concern were expressed on
every hand and every bit Of Information
concerning his condition was eagerly de-
voured. The crowds of people around the
newspaper Offices in Herald and Times
squares were SO great as to impede traf-
f1c on Broadway and the police reserves
had to be called out to make way for
street cars and vehicles.
Described by Eyewitness.
"A dCCouHt u Tic dtldCh OIl tHS
mayor is given by H. c. McMillen. a re-
porter for the Evening Mail. who wit
messed the assault and helped to disarm
the assailant This reporter says:
THE mayor was standing chatting with
President Montt of Chile, an intending
passenger on the steamer. The shooting
took place on the deck of the steamer
forward of the bridge and on a level with
the pier. He was shot back Of the right
ear. The assassin appeared to be about
sixty years old and portly. with curly
gray hair and a sandy mustache turning
gray.
Mayor Gaynor and President Montt
were in a group that included Chandler
Hale, third assistant secretary OF the
Watson, Water Commissioner Tomkins.
Street Cleaning Commissioner Edwards.
Robert Adamson. the mayors private
secretary. and a group Of reporters
The scene was one of widest excite
ment, with scores Of officers and sailors
wildly trying to preserve order and cap
ture the shooters, at the same time Selling
passengers and driving them back from
the spot of the shooting. The photog-
raphers had finished with President Montt
and his wife, and the mayor and the presi-
dent who knew each other. were chatting
together, the president learning for the
first time that the mayor was going on
the same steamer. Just then the as
sailant moved from the port rail. where
he had been lounging, so that he was
directly behind the mayor. The sharp
bark Of the pistol shot followed.
Thought Shooter Was Celebrating.
"The first idea that occurred to onlook-
ers was that some one was celebrating
previously the mayors departure. A sec
ond glance told the Evening Mail
reporter. who was watching the scene,
that the mayor had been shot right
back Of his right ear and that his
assailant was still pulling the trigger
of his revolver. but for the three
waited that the bullets went harmlessly In
the air above the crowd.
THE mayor staggered back. his black
derby hat falling from his head Big Bill
Edwards. who was the first to compre-
bend what was happening and whose bulk
would have proved an excellent target.
ignored his won danger, sprang upon the
assailant and bore him backward a dis
tance of eight or ten feet. until the man
stumbled and lay fiat on his back.
1.-The mans pistol hand was still waving
the gun in the air, and Corporation Coun-
sci Watson. a slender man, was instantly
on top of Big Bill Edwards bulk
snatching the rev>>ver There was a
d
the Evening Mail reporter. H. c. McMil-
len, wrenched the gun out Of the fingers
OF the ASA ssin. Behind them they could
hear the wild cries Of the crowd.
Panic Among Passengers.
"Pandemonium reigned on deck Men
were yelling: Where is the ships doc
tor?' Women were crying. Police. and
the ships officers were struggling franti-
cally to get control Of the situation. only
adding to the disorder. A dozen pier
policemen rushed up and grabbed Cor
poration Counsel Watson, the mayors
secretary, and others, suspecting they
were participants in the shooting.
1.-The mayor was carried to a state
room on the ship. His asSailant was
choked into half Inconsistencies by Big
Bill Edwards and then taken ashore to
Hoboken police headquarters
n. o. NJ.