The Lancaster news. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1905-current, 1913-09-12
MAYOR GAYNOR DIES
SUDDENLY ON STEAMER
Expires on Board the Baltic as
Result of Heart Failure.
ALL FLAGS AT HALF MAST.
Completely Overturns Political Situa-
tion i'm New York and Removes
Anti-Tammany Candidate.

New York, Sept. 11.-Mayor Cay
nor died on the steamer Baltic in
midocean at O'Clock Wednesday
afternoon, according to a cablegram
received here today from Rufus w. !
Gaynor, his son.
News of his death was received
here in a message sent by wireless
and cable to Robert Adamson his
secretary, by Rufus w Gaynor. his
son, who sailed with him.
The message read as follows
Father died Wednesday at !
O'Clock of heart failure. Notify
mother"
Mayor Gaynor sailed away from
New York on the morning of Sep
tember on the Baltic. An hour be-
fore he sailed but one man, his sec
retary, knew OF his plans, outside of
members Of his immediate family.
The mayors announced purpose was
a brief vacation on the ocean. He
fel. that the tonic effect of the salt
air would restore him in some meas
ure to health. The Baltic was due
at Queenstown today.
The mayor died as he was nearing
the other side. The news OF his
death was sent by wireless to Cux-
haven by Rufus w Gaynor and re-
layed from CuXhaven to New Yorl:
by cable. Mayor Gaynoh left New
York at a time when the city was
seething in one Of the strangest mum
icipal political campaigns in its his
tory
! The day before his departure he
u-n II. l..
representatives of independent poIiti-
cal conditions that they had chosen
him as their standard-bearer in the
ID mayorality campaign. A throng that
crowded city hall park assembled to
hear him accept. He had prepared a
speech of acceptance, but was so
weak that he was unable to deliver
1t and his secretary read it for him,
the mayor standing beside him.
Before the mayor sailed his secre-
tary issued a statement denying re-
ports of the mayors serious illness.
The recurrence OF the old throat trou-
BILE due to the wound inflicted on Au-
gust 8, 1910, by James j. Gallagher,
just as he was about TO leave this city
for brief vacation i'm Europe. had
entirely disappeared, accor ing to
Mr.. Adamson, and the mayor expect
ed to return and enter the campaign
with his old-time vigor. The mayor
himself, just before leaving, spoke
of his condition as follows:
81 have been nearly four years
mayor and have not had any vaca-
tion. / suppose almost everybody
will concede that / may have one
now. / have been laid up a few days
with one of the sharp attacks l oc-
casionally have from my mishap of
n or h1tf Il
1t and hope l never shall have an
other"
He was expected to attack Tam
many Hall sharply, politically, as
soon as he returned to the CITY. Be
fore his departure he issued a char
acteristic statement, levelled at Tam
many Hall leaders and other political
opponents, in which he referred to
them as miserable scamps," and as
serted that they were seeking his
moral assassination"
y The bullet that lodged in his
throat three years ago had never
been removed. 1t was the mayors
plan to remain abroad less than a
week. He expected to sail for New
York from Liverpool on September
Is and to reach this city a week
later.
Mayor Gaynor's sudden death com
pletely overturns the municipal poll
tical situation. 1t removes from the
field candidate for mayor who was
expected to cut heavily into the vote
of the fusion nominee, John Purrov
Mitchell, and leaves only the tickets
nominated by the Democrats and the
fusionists. The former is headed bv
Edward f.. Mccall, former chairman
of the public service commission of
this district.
The mayors denomination was
brought about by no particular politi-
cal faction or party, but represented
only his personal popularity. Politi-
clans who discussed his death today
expected that his followers would
make no attempt to nominate a can
didate in his place. No other places
on the Gaynor ticket have yet been
filed.
Mayor Gaynor was placed at the
head of the independent ticket after
Tammany Hall had refused him a re-
nomination. He was to lead those
who opposed the regular Democratic
organization and yet were unwilling
to join the fusion of Republicans and
Progressives. His standard was the
shovel, reminding voters of his efforts
to hasten the building of the new
subways. The mayor also said il was
emblematic OF his intention to "clean
the grafters out"
The passing of Mayor Gaynor re-
called the sudden death of Henry
George, of single tax fame and a
third party candidate almost nm tho