The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1918-07-07
MITCHELL 5 Career
at Untimely End
In Airplane Accident In
Louisiana.
HODY TO LIE IN STATE IN
CITY HALL UNTIL Fi'NtRNi
Rise Was Typically American an"
Me4eorfc Carccr--Was Particularly
Active In Fighting lenu'f'o''
Gamblers and Vice,

Nav York. July s--The body 81
Major John Purroy Mitchell former
mavor of New York, who was kl'ieo
today in an aviation accident at SeFs,-
ner f,eld, near Lake Charles La " 1t'
probabiy lie in state In the CITY N'lt't
after which public funeral Fe'Nl .
rytll he held The body IL now ON me
way North, accompanied oy
Mitchell. who was at the AVIATION beI"
when her husband was kihed' nUl WIZ
was spared seeing his death.
Mayor Hyland said today when ne
received word Of his predecessor >
death:
"The news OF the death Of John
purroy Mitchell is a great persona i
shock to me. My sincere sympth5
goes out TO Mrs, Mitchell I'D lhls MI ne,
great bereavement. Fropcg steps VIII
he taken by the officials Of the city
and the public generally TO pay every
respect to the late mayor
Holm purroY Mitchels rise WAS
tvpically American in It's meteoTle
character. He was born July IT, ie'F.
at Fordham, y. Y. and was sun IN
der forty when checked by death IA
mia-career. Educated az Forananl
university and Columbia La" S'ho"t T.
he early made a name as fislN SPEAK
er and debater. At the age OF t"eht
three has was admitted 10 the mar
and four years later, after SERVING a.
specfal counsel To the city for seN-
eraI months, he became c"r'it''SSi'''
ar of accounts
Mevor George r. Mcclellan directed
Mr.. Mitchell to investigate the admin
tstration Of Borough president Johh
+. Ahearn, of Manhattan, against
whom Mayor Mcclellan had been wag-
ing a fight which had lanEuishea
through the non production OF cyl
dence. Mr.. Mitchell dove into the
melee with characteristic viSor. As
n result. within week he lntfoapce4
evidence which acted as P"l'c3'
bomb. his revelations causing a pro
found sensation t.q
Tell Murphy 10 20 TO ~-- $40 t
Michel when friends of Aheafn to4a
him they would induce Charles 4.
Murphy. Tammany leader, TO give hlTh
a supreme court nomination u ne
would lei IN on Ahearn. The h&ht
was continued and Ahearn waa re
rnova6 The removal OF Borough
presiden, Lewis Hahen, Of the Bronx
and later the resignation or hofous II
president Joseph Kernel, OF Queens
were also attributed TO Mitohei heI9
attacks upon their conduct IN Once.
Mr.. Mitchell was the central fkuI
In a sensational investigation grow
ing out Of a report that rotten nose
was being furnished the city ire ae.
partment, g.. ,,r,e
after Mayor Gaynor was shot hy al
assassin During that PERIOD IN 0el,
ten.ber. 1910, he inaugurated a hFel\
war on the tenderioIn gamblers ahe
-,aapaa mn rpOeV Island.
Mr.. Mitchell succeeded Mayor Say
nor as chief executive Of the metro
polls and was defeated last Noveiii
her by Judge John +. Hylan. the Dem
ocratic nominee. Prior to- his electlot
- mayor. President Wilson appoint
"A Mr.. Mitchell collector of the per
Of New York, June I, 1913. lie wa
then thirty-three years old, the young
est collector ever appointed.
Mr.. Mitchell was married in Aprh
1aoa Ia Miss Olive Child, daughter @
FRANKLIN D. Child, Of Boston.