New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-04-18
THREATSLED MAYOR
TO CARRY A GUN
Gayn9g'S Experience and
era T. Letters Caused
Him TO Go Armed.
CALLS ASSAlLANT
DODDERING OLD FOOL
Does Not Believe Shooting Was
Result Of Conspiracy TO
Take His Life.

MANOR Mitchell was not entirely unpre-
T.re1 for the attempt Co. assasslnate him
etcr,iey. Just whom 80 would bc made
r rnacr what circumstances ne had. 81
course. uo irtimatcn
m thc neht hand pocket OF his over
yoal however. as hc stepped into tho
automobile in which Do was seating him-
500 when hls voHld-bc assassius bullet
m..eei his head was revolver. After
fhe shot was fred the Mayor was on his
eet n an instant ne drew the KUN from
bis pocket and looked abort Co sec SC
other revolvcrs verc lcvc,lcd in hls dircc-
uon.
lt there was 90 be any more shooting
DONE ho said Tn his otrce in tho city
nam late 'u the afternoon. ~ intended 60
do t 0rst"
Threatening letters from cranks which
have poured INTO bis office since he began
Dis duties ON Che first OF Che year led him
to take thc urccaut.ou or carryiug a re-
Vo.Vcr Tho experience 90 Mayor Gaynor
also ,aueht him "a lesson. De solid.
The Mayor had just returned from the
New York Hospital where be had accom-
panied Air Polk He stood in a corner
o. his private Office ana recounted the
episode of the shooting with little show
OF concern or nervousness.
Navor Mitchell said that the type Of pen
uanship OF the rambling letters found in
Nahoney's pockets when searched was
similar 20 that Of countless letters from
cranks he received daily
when the shot was fred" said the
Mayor Swing a detailed description OF
the affair. 'I did not realize what IL was.
Z thought something had happened 20 the
automobile. I folk a slight stinging SEN
saton on my right ear. but hardly more
than noticed &C. Then 7 realized that some
one had been shot. and 7 stood up, saying.
HAS any one been hurt|
'. IL have AIr. Polk said. He got me.
have been shot in the mouth
u Immediately reached for my reyol-
Yer IL caueht in my pocket When
rrsuv ara get IL out I kept it concealed
an nv hand. then put it away. for there
was no need Tor g. Commissioner woods
my chauffeur and one or two others had
overpowcred the man.
.T want 20 say that Polk showed splen-
a. did nerve anc grit. When he informed me
he had been shot ne was cool and uneX-
cited. He acted gritty all the way
through
AS far as I can figure II out the old
man aimed az the back OF my head said
tba Navor. II was seated In the automo-
bile az the right. Frank must have
leaned forward and got the bullet intend
Cd Tor me IL may be that we owe lot
10 the mans bad aim. I learned at the
rospital that my eft ear had been struck
bv powder or some packing in the cart
fridge Commissioner Mullan was burned
q bit on the cheek by powder too
Yesterday morning a young man called
ct the Office Of the Mayor and endeavored
=, have him take out life insurance pol
icy.
we had considerable difficulty getting
rid OF him." the Mayor said, johngly'
..but guess IL viii be a long time before
he comes around again
Mayor NIitchels first words when he re-
turned 10 the City Hall after taking POLK
10 the hospital were expressive OF MS
tbarkfllness that the Corporation Counsel
had not been seriously injured.
prank is doing fine" he said. He viii
10 ont ~ the hospital in a day OF two and
rrobeblv back 10 work in couple OF
weeks.
.Tbe bullet passed through his lower lip
sr5 shattered the jawbone. The surgeon
tells me that the bone viii live and that
an operation will not be necessary
Now that the attempt on my life is
over" he added, "I hope the administra-
tior will be allowed TO 90 on.
The fact that Detective John J. Phe-
Ian. the Mayors bodyguard, was not WIN
LODI nod
him in the automobile was explained ~
the Mayor. ,,
.T let Phelan or" he said. because
r,,.-,r,issioner Woods was going with US
and there was not room for him in the
car" ...
The Mayor denied that trouble into
which Phelan got the night before "hen
he was attacked by the husband OF
woman upon when he was calling was
responsible for the detective not Dei1ls oi'
hand when the shooting happened