The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1913-09-16

the heavy vote piled up in Kane's dls'
trict and after the election prosecuted
that leader for election frauds. Kane
was sent up the river for seven years
At the call of his party, Mr.. Gaynor
in 1909 resigned as justice OF the su-
preme court. though his term would
not have run out until 1921, and con-
sented to head the Democratic forces
in their mayoralty fight against VIII
liam Randolph Hearst, the lndepen'
dent candidate, and Otto T. Barnard
the candidate of the Republican ma
chine.
The ensuing campaign resulted in
personal victory for the former jus
tice. He was elected by majority OF
100000. while the rest of his party
went down to defeat.
Mir. Gaynor's administration was
marked from the first by conspicuous
and striking vigor, independence and
initiative. He set to work at once
upon the task of Tenovating and vital
izing the important branches of the
city government, devoting especial at
tention to the police department
Shot Down by Gallagher.
He was at the height Of his ener-
getic and fearless innovations when
the lamentable attack was made upon
his life by James j. Gallagher, dis
charged dock department watchman,
on Aug 8, 1910. This deed aroused
the sympathy of the whole nation and
the weeks spent at deaths door were
marked with tokens of the high es-
TEEN his long career of public useful
ness and personal rectitude had en-
gendered.
Gaynor's return to his desk an
nounced a metamorphosis in the atti
tude of his fellow politicians While
he was believed to be in danger of
death they had sung his encomiums;
but he had scarcely returned from the
I valley of the shadow when he was at
| tackled from every side by those upon
whom he depended for help in admin
istering the affairs of the city.
Gaynor increased in popularity AM
was still bitterly opposed by the graft
ers and bosses and in the preliminary
campaign for the nomination for may
or he was turned down and was en-
tered in the race as an independent
candidate, and was taking an ocean
voyage preparatory to entering on the
campaign, when he died on the liner
Baltic.
During his campaign for the mayor
atty it was said by Gaynor's opponents
that he was cold, unresponsive per
son, with little of the human in his
manner, but the correspondents who
visited him at his city home and at his
farm painted a far different picture OF
his personality. One of them wrote
You are Immediately at ease with
him, not because Of any effort on his
part to put you so. but rather the CON
trary--rather because he receives you
in so matter OF fact a fashion that 1t
seems like the resumption Of con-
versation ended an hour or so ago.
AS Seen by Correspondent.
"He is neither demonstratiye nor
impolite. He hears what you have to
say, considers it with that contempla-
tive look and either refuses in an un.
emotional manner to do what you
want or tells you to wait until he has
| got rid of the visitor in the next room.
| Then he goes into the next room and.
despite the closed door, you can tell by
| the sounds that proceed from it that
he is doing all the talking. While his
voice is not piercing, 1t has certain
resonant tang to It that makes its way
| through doors, and there Is no mistak
| ing that slow, dispassionate, deliberate
delivery for that of any other man on
| earth. If Mr., Gaynor had to call any
body liar to his face 1t is very doubt
| full If his tone of voice or his freight
car delivery would change an iota.
Immediately after Mr. Gaynor sue
ceeded George b. Mcclellan as mayor
of New York in January, 1910, the gen
eral public began to sit up and take
notice that an interesting individualist
was in the executive chair. AS jurist
and citizen he had criticised most
caustically the police system of the
city, and he soon began to get after
this systemi in strenuous fashion. Plain
clothes men were sent back to pound
sidewalks in uniform. District anC
precinct commanders were transferred
and the police we're given to under
stand that they We're the city's serv
ants, not its masters. The mayor
, "snooped around" considerably, see
ing with his own eyes how the patrol
men and their superior officers were
executing their duties or assuming au
thority which the law did not allow
, them He visited the night courts aat
, took notes. as result of which ht
published letter declaring that inost
, of the arrests OF persons brought intc
these courts were wholly uncalled fol
and that the policemen making the ar
, rests were utterly ignorant Of theil
a duties, This utterance Of the mayor
!. was in line with his well known atti
. tude as to the government of men. HI
. was for the least possible government