The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1914-04-22
POLICE FIND NO
PLOT EVIDENCE
Certain That Mayor MitCheTs
ASSaiIant Was Crank
MAHONEY is SORRY HE SHOT
Bullet Intended For Mayor Pows Into
Jaw Of Corporation Counsel Polk,
Man Not Dangerously Injured,


Man Not Dangerously Injured,
That Michael p. Mahoney, the man
who tried to kill Mayor Mitchell OF
New York, was a crank with a
grievance against the mayor because
of the latter's policy and administra
tiOn, is the positive opinion of the
police after questioning the prisoner
and going over a diary among Ma
honeys effects.
The whole story affords little
ground for the rumor that he was in
with others in plot to assassinate
the mayor Mahoney was subjected
to a severe grilling by the police.
Last Morday, he said, he went tc
the city hall to see the mayor and
when told that he could not see Mr.
Mitchell without a ticket the refusal
made him nearly crazy" Again on
Wednesday he went to the city hall
and this time, he told the police and
Mr.. Whitman, he carried a revolver
81 saw the mayor and Mr.. Bruere.
his secretary said Mahoney, come
out at noon, but my thoughts against
Mitchell softened and | didn't shoot
him then"
Early Friday afternoon, according
to his story, he visited a saloon in
Park row, drank some whisky and
then attended an anarchistic meeting
under the statue of Benjamin Frank
lin in Park row. He was leaving the
meeting when he saw the mayor and
his party. He Immediately determined
it was a good time to kill the mayor
Mahoney said he was sorry he fired.
81 would never do such a thing
again" he said. 81 am very sorry fol-
Mr.. Polk. | hope he will recover"
Mayor Mitchell, Police Commission
er Arthur Woods and Corporation
Counsel Frank Polk had left the
mayors Office and were on the point
of starting off in an automobile when
Mahoney advanced and fired on the
mayor. pix moved forward in the
car at the same time and the bullet
crashed through Mr.. Polk's jaw
knocking out two of his front teeth
and inficting serious though not
necessarily fatal wound. He was re
moved to a hospital.
Mayor Mitchell gave this version Of
the shooting:
"The man shot for the back Of my
head. Frank was leaning forward
at least he told me he was. You know
the seat is narrow and there is hardly
room for three. did not see the man
who did the shooting, nor did | see
the other two fellows who ran away
| am told by a man who claims 10
have seen them that he heard one OF
them say, All right, go ahead II
there were two other fellows wish to
God | could have caught sight of at
least one of them running away.
would have liked to have taken shot
at him."
Did you draw a gum" was asked,
81 had one in my pocket and took
it OUT the mayor replied.
"What did you do with it them"
81 put it back Mr.. Mitchell laughed.
Asked if he carried revolver regu.
larly, the mayor said: Certainly, |
have carried one for the last three
months. The experience of the last
administration teaches us that there
are always few crazy people in every
community and no one can foretell
what they will do. The mayor is
always receiving threatening letters"
"Erratic tendencies" Mr. Mitchell
continued, usually manifest them.
selves at the beginning of an admin.
istration. So I've been a little bit on
my guard, that's all. Now that this Is
over | presume it is over for the ad-
Winistration and we can go ahead"
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 a brief
one in an envelope stamped and ad.
dressed to Mayor Armstrong, Pitts.
burg, Pa 1t was dated April IA and
read:
Armstrong: You have done your
part and you soon will pay. We will
do our part and you will see what
part it will be-"
A long, rambling letter on the gen
eral subject Of Mayor Mitchels record
on the police question began:
mitchell: You never lost some OF
your old tricks and you never will"
In the prisoners pockets the police
found two bottles containing liquids
supposed TO be some sort of drugs. a
man who said he saw the shooting de
clared that as the man fired two men
who had been with him ran off in op.
posite directions. This led to the
belief that there had been a plot to
assassinate the mayor.
The last previous attempt to assassi.
nate mayor OF New York was made
by James j. Gallagher, who shot
Mayor William j. Gaynor on Aug. q.
1910, as Gaynor was about to sail for
Europe Gallagher's bullet found its
mark and remained in the mayors
throat. Many believed that the wound
hastened Gaynor's death. Gallagher
was declared insane and was sent TO
an asylum at Trenton N. j., where he
died of paresis on Feb. 6, 1912.