The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-04-18
Corporation Counsel
Gets Bullet Intended
for Executive.
FIRES AT PARTY
IN AUTOMOBILE
Elderly Man, Apparently IRE
sponsible, Overcome by Detec-
tive Before He Can Shoot
Second Time -Jostling
Crowd Cries Lynch
Him"

TO take the life of MAYOR John Purroy
Mitchell today, Michael g. Mahoncy,
an apparently irresponsible, elderly
man, who later said he was a. black
smith out Of work, fred into group
tonobil. a; the east side OF City Hall
l'ark. The hulle: entered tho Jaw of
Frank l.. Polk. corporation counsel,
who was sitting next TO the Mayor.
with blood squirting from his mouth.
Mr. Folk was taken into the City Hall.
ard aftcrward 70 a hospital. where. Il
was said, the wound would not prove
fatal.
Mahoney shot a; the Mayor he de-
ciared to-nigh; because he felt ag-
Er!evcd at tho city executives "cx-
iravaeant expenditures" and because
he was inc"nsed AZ being refused an
audience with the Mayor on two cc-
casions this Week. when ne came 10
apply for municipal job.
MahoncH fred only one shot. Before
lie could fire a second he vas overcome
10y Detcctiv" George Neun who in the
capacity OF chauffeur. was adjusting
robes about the men in the automobile.
The Mayor sat in the middle of the
back seat. with Mr.. Polk on his right
and Gcor-a :. Mullan. the Mayors
former law partner, on his left stand
ing witi'!n d few feet of Mahoney was
Police Commissioned Arthur II. Woods,
who was waiting for the chauffeur to
get into the car. intending 10 sit be-
side the driver
Police Reserves Called Ont.
TO bystandors. the sound Of tho re-
NolNec shot and the sight OF the aged
man who did the shooting sprawlca on
Sths pavement as he was borne down
by Detective Neun. ssemed almost
simultaneous. The sight OF Mayor
Mitchell stcadyirg tho stagger!nr Tgur.
OF Mr.. Polk then detached itself from
tin picture.
Within thirty seconds. the C'ity Han
plaza and Park Row were flooded with
"crc. called out.
AZ soon AS he had seen that aIr. POLK
r.cciVcd medical attention. Mayor
MileMei went 10 the police station ana
=. Nh!. did YOU shoot at me-" he asked
lht prisoners answer was incoherent
crs, he seemed hardly TO know what
he had done. lie wore II ragged fringe
of White beard, and was clad IN am i'll
hitting suit.
While the police were trying TO learn
IN. man : name. which he prrsistcntly
ed IN. plaza.
Where's the assassin? Lynch him.
some OF them cried.
the prisoner underwent Il searching
examination at police headquarters be-
tor" Police Commissioner Woods. Dis
Uict Attorne% Whi,man and others.
.NS n" WAS led out of the trs. fiic police
station into the ambulance tina, took
him 10 police hcaduua the crowd
iunGed toward him. but the police drove
them back.
Fires a, Party in Auto.
The automobile which waited on Park
Row, was to take the Mayors party to
nave started, ~ that time Mahoney.
Who had been standing on the fringe
of Il crowd attending a noon meeting of
Workers of the World. saw that Mayor
Mitchell was within a few feet OF him
As the Mayor took his seat Mahoncy
and fired
according to his own story. Mahoncy
had tried TO see the Mayor last Monday
but had not been able to get an inter
View His idea. he said. was to criticize
Mayor Mitchell for the "cXtravagant
expenditures" Of his administration, and
incidentally to ask FOR Il lob.
His repulse emhittercd linn and when
he came back on Wcdnesdav it was
with the Intention of killing the Mavor.
He thought better Of his purpose. how
ever. and deferred the attempt To-
day he determined to act
In the several examinations given
man Of weak mentality. Two letters
taken from his pockets, one addressed
TO Mayer Mitchell and the other ad-
resscd 10 Mayor Armstrong OF Pitts
burgh., Pa. for the most part we're
unintelliCible. but it was evident that
The writer was trying to voice a pro
urged by Mavor Mitchell at Albany. and
other lnrricipal activities.
.tffnrk ON GOethnis.
In these letters Mahonev aDpeared
t" be aEitated by the attempt to get
George ". Goethals TO take the police
ccm,niSSionerShip
10 L. L..
as much as Il boy of twelve or four
teen" was one OF the disjoint"d state
ments in ihG letters. referring to Col
knows lots OF engineering as twelve
or fourteen years old boy
The letter then launched into a gen
cral attack OF Colonel GOathnls
Among other things Mahoney told
the police he was born In Ireland;
that III one time he had been worth
more rhan 51000o0. and that he had
zone .IraNily into real estate spccula-
tiCG. lie lad spent II number OF wears
IN rittsburgh, he added. and had lived
years he had lived in New York. Once
he said lie was sorry he attempted 10
shoot the Mayor.
Mahoncy will he arraigned to-mor.
During one of his outbursts Of speech
at police headquarters, Mahoney alluded
James J.. Gallagher in 1910 Mahoney
said Gallagher had Il Just grievance
against the late Mayor. because Of his
conduct of the city government Ma
honey likencd his own case to that OF
Gallagher.
Mahoney's trunk. opened tonight at
which showed that Mahoney was scv-
cntytwo years old on March IL last
and was born in Newport. Ky. which
according to his writing, is his present
home. He has a wife and daughter
living there. the diary stated. Ma
CONTINUED on Third pnReN