1843-1918
New York state politician and prominent doctor Conrad Diehl was born on this day in Buffalo, New York. Diehl graduated from medical school in 1866. From 1870 to 1878 he was a major surgeon at Buffalo General Hospital and a member of the New York National Guard. In 1897, he was elected mayor of Buffalo; he served through 1901. During his tenure the first transmission of electricity from Niagara to Buffalo took place. Also under his time as governor Buffalo hosted the Pan-American Exposition, and it is the opening of this event that has him included here on this blog. The Edison Company, filmed a newsreel of the event--which occurred in 1901--, in which he appeared. The short is entitled Opening of the Pan-American Exposition Showing Vice President Roosevelt Leading the Procession (1901). The film depicts happier times that would be shattered, when President McKinley, who was visiting the exposition in hopes to make speeches to kick-start a run for a second term, was shot by an anarchist on the 6th of September; Diehl was standing right next to the President when he was shot. McKinley died on the 14th of September from infected wounds. Diehl had no wish to continue in politics after the incident and did not seek re-election; opting instead to return to his medical practice. Diehl died on the 20th of February 1918 in Buffalo at the age of 74. His burial location is unknown.
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