The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1914-04-17
Bullet Knocks Out Nearly AL
of His Teeth.
TRIES TO FIRE ANOTHER SHOT
But Is Overpowered and Dis.
armed by Chauffeur.
Refuses to Give Name OF
Cause of His Act.


fired at Mayor Mitchell. just outside
the city hall. this afternoon. The bull
let went wide but struck Corporation
Counsel Polk who accompanied him.
in the jaw. Mr.. Polk was seriously in
jured. Nearly all of his teeth were
knocked out. The bullet narrowly
commissioner.
were entering an automobile. An old
man, whose name was at first not as
certained, did the shooting. He edged
apparently attempting to assassinate
the police commissioner.
The assassin was almost instantly
seized by q policeman and was taken
| to the police station in the basement
Of the city hall. He was shabbily
dressed and apparently about SIS years
old. Mayor Mitchell questioned the man
but he would say nothing concerning
the shooting. mumbling II have MOTH
ing to say
He would not give his name. A mark
inside his clothing read: David Rose.
Search Of his pockets disclosed two let
ters addressed to the mayor.
Frank Polk, the wounded corporation
| counsel. was taken inside the city hall
l anu puySlclau8 were nuTTloQlY sum.
| moned- He was bleeding profusely.
but did not lose consciousness.
The mayor assisted Mr.. Polk into the
building and an ambulance was sum-
moned. Only the quick work Of De-
tective George Neun, acting as chauf-
the man under arrest from firing an
| other shot. Neun overpowered him
and took from him a six-shot .3S cali
| bre revolver.
XD-Jv -
the bullet was undoubtedly intended
Tor me-" was the mayors comment.
| Had Called Several Times.
Attaches at the city hall said Rose
had called to see the mayor several
timeS lately, but because Of his -Qtfeer
actions had not been permitted to see
him. While an ambulance was dress
Ing Mr: Folks wound Rose was ques-
toned by the mayor and q score Of
detectives. He refused to answer any
questions about himself. Two letters
1 addressed to Mayor Mitchell were
found in his clothing. The shooting
took place at the Park Row entrance
to the city hall plaza shortly after
O'Clock. At that time of the day Park
4 Row is congested with hundreds of
men and women on their way to and
from luncheon
! Mayor Mitchell. Police Commissioner
Arthur Woods and Mr.. Polk had just
Il ACAl tA0 LldyOI . O11lC6 lH the CITY n8ll
Il to go to a downtown restaurant for
| luncheon. The three crossed the
plaza toward Park Row where stood
| the mayors automobile. driven by De-
tective George Neun. The mayor got
in first, Mr.. Polk and Commissioner
/ Woods following in the order named.
AS the mayor sat down Rose lodged
through the crowd on Park Row and
walking up to a point opposite the
1 chauffeur, took quick aim at Mr.
| Mitchell and fired.
Neun leaped from the car upon the
shoulders of the man and bore him to
the sidewalk. This prevented him
4 from pulling the trigger second time.
i While the detective and Rose were
i struggling, the former trying to get
possession of the revolver, Mr.. Polk
i staggered and was saved by the mayor
i from sinking to the sidewalk. Blood
! was squirting from the mouth of the
corporation counsel and he was half
! carried to the police station in the
basement of the city hall, where po-
i licemen attended him as best they
could with first aid material. pending
/ arrival of surgeons.
/ Refuses to Talk.
! The assassin was taken into the city
hall basement where he was Ques-
toned in a room adjoining that where
Mr.. Polk was being treated. Mayor
Mitchell came in and stood by the
prisoner.
Rose was trembling with fright and
his hands shook why did you shoot
at me?' the mayor asked.
Rose only mumbled. Il won't say
anything" he finally shouted. After
detectives had put questions after
question at him, he said his name was
SolOschen.
4 When his clothing was removed.
however. it was found his collar and
trousers both bore the name David
Rose The man was poorly dressed.
Vxyp 1H< H.. 10
had no home. The questioning was
still in progress when Mr.. Polk was re-
moved to the New York hospital His
face. chin and neck were bandaged and
blood was still pouring from his mouth
when he entered the, ambulance. A
surgeon said nearly all his lower teeth
had been knocked out and that the
jaw bone had been pierced in two
iplaces.
In the prisoners pockets were two
or three letters and a newspaper clip
ping relating to the Goethals police
bills. One Of the letters was brief, in
i, an envelope stamped and addressed
to Mayor Armstrong. Pittsburg, Pa
It was dated April II. and read:
"Armstrong:-You have done your
part and you soon viii pay. We viii
: do our part and you will see what
part it will be-" The letter was un-
: signed.
II Polk VIII Recover.
A long. rambling letter on the gen.
eral subject of Mayor Mitchers rec.
ord on the police question began:
II Mitchell: You never lost some ol
Il your old tricks and you never WILL
Two thousand persons surrounded
the city hall while MI. Polk and Ross
!, were inside. Several Of the morbidly
| curious picked up teeth that beer
/ knocked from Mr.. Pollk's mouth and
= had fallen on the running board O.
J the machine
At the New York hospital. after