Evening journal., 1914-04-18
NEN NOW
GUARD mitchell
against ATTACK
Mahoney, Who Shot Polk
Instead of New York
Mayor, Is Held
WOULD BE ASSASSIN
IS said TO Be insane
By Tho United Press.

NEW YORK, April 1S.--After visit
ing the New York hospital, where
Corporation Counsel Frank i. Polk
is confined, Mayor John Purroy
Mitchell went about his work as
usual today, following the attempt on
his life, but he was guarded by eight
men picked from the detective force
by Police Commissioner Wood.
Hereafter the mayor is to be guard
ed day and night by this force Of
special detectives. They were select
ed by the police commissioner for
their regulations for daring and
knowledge of the cranks and others
who might attempt Mitcheps life.
Physicians at the New York hospi
tai reported the condition of Mr..
Polk unchanged early today. The
wound in his chin is painful, but not
serious. and the wounded corporation
counsel slept during a portion Of the
night The old man who attempted
10 kill Mayor Mitchell and shot Polk,
after hours of evasion, finally admit
ted last night that he was Michael P.
Mahoney and that his home was New
port. Ky.
Arraigned before Magistrate Simms
today on charge of attempted
murder. Mahoney was held in $4,000
bail for action by the grand jury.
When Assistant District Attorney
Wider asked that this bail be set,
Mahoney smiled in derision and
said:
why don't you make It a little bit
mgher?"
Mayor Mitchell today declared that
contrary to his first opinion, he now
believes the attempt to assassinate
him was merely the result Of a dis
ordered mind The mayor at first
expressed the belief that two other
men were involved and that the
shooting was probably due to a de-
liherate plot 70 take his like.
"a rum-soalSed hobo. soddeR and
amhittered and probably insane" was
tho description of Mahoney by Dis
trict Attorney Whitman today.
Except for HIS advanced years. 4"
said Whitman. "he is a characteristic
product of the lodging-houses and
cheap whisky bars. He might be
sent to jail for twenty years, which
would mean life for him. believe a
better plan, however, would be 20
send him 20 an asylum. The shoot
ing was probably due to the weaken
ing of Mahoncy's mind under the
heavy drinking he seems to have in
1ulged in. / am satisfied there was
no conspiracy"
AIahoney refused to sleep last night.
He sat on his cot with his face
buried in his hands or paced his cell,
mumbIing TO himself. He would not
try TO sleep on a cot, he said, because
he was accustomed to sleeping on a
mattress and with his head raised
high on a pillow.
Under continual questioning Ma
honey said he not only had planned
to shoot Mitchell last Wednesday, but
once before went to the city hall ex-
pecting to murder him. Then the
mayor came out between two women.
Il couldn't shoot a man in the
presence Of ladies'" said Mahoney.
Wednesday, it was raining and dark
and Mahoney said the bad weather
kind OF took the mad out Of me-"
Mayor Mitchell not only carries a
revolver. but a talisman, and the
mayor gives a small gold frog which
he has on his watch-chain part OF
the credit for his escape from death.
"The talisman did it, he said, be-
fore the Press Club last night.
The wife OF a prominent citizen ot
Costa Rica gave the mayor the gold
frog last fall She said it was from
the burial mound Of a prehistoric
race and was certain protection
AGAINST death by violence. Mitchell
said he had expected such an attack
some time and that it was one of the
hazards he assumed in taking Of
fee.