The sun., 1873-11-17
THAT BosroN MYSTERY.
rbo Deadly Assault on Devonshirc street
Broker-A New Theory OF TIE cause Tor
the Deed-The Victims Condition.

Nom a, Bosion Giot,. NOrit
Mr q A. Brittan, the broker, who was
sssamited aud robbed in his ohlce in Devonshite
street last Friday, s!ill continues in very er,t.
attack he seemed to be slowly recovering but
on Wednesday he was exposSd to no little ex. &
Effects OF which his physician has been unable
70 restore him. Mr.. Britain IL a very nervou;
person, and was feared by his friends and
physicans he has not been able 20 keen his mind
Tree from the consijeration ~ the trouble that
surrounds him and OF the best way OF extricat-
Ing himself from 1t.
From a gentleman who possesses In great de-
gree Mr. Brittan's confidence, reporter was IN
formed last evening that the account OF the as
sault, the statement Of the assassins motives,
and the r. ason of withholding the name, as given
In tho Globe, was, undoubtedly. correct. The
young man did expect to obtain large sum or
money and did medta.e murder What other
motives actuated him, what aRcrnvaton he had;
and what pallsting circumstances there were, !
am" said the gentleman, unwilling 70 state.
ssoertained that the assault was committed
within few minutes of2P VI. The statements
Co the eject that at that hour he was attacked
without warning and relied to the 1oor by
blow from the pitcher that then the assallant
locked the door, and covered the keyhole with
n piece Of paper, after which he pounded Mr..
Britain with the bottle and rined his pockets.
Since hen the statement has been made by a
gentleman occupying an Ofnce In the buildlng,
that at l:40, some twenty minutes before the as
tault, he motto ed that Mr. lIrittan's door was
closed and paper placed over the Key hole
also. that at 2 % clock "a man entered the hal,
tried Mr. Br1ttaas uoor, anu nnuing u lotheu'
went down stairs, crossed Devonshire street,
and looked up at the windows to see " any one
were In the room, and saw that the curtains
were drawn down. This was before the assault.
when tho policeman who had been sent for en-
tered the room after the assault, followed by me
occupants Of the building, Mr. Brittan was stand
Ing nearly erect, with his back to the table, MS
face. neck, aud clothing streaming with blood;
which he had app trently tired To wipe on one "i
the curtains, which was torn down but the
coolest and most collected man Of tle party;
The policeman asked, VINO did itf' wait
amoment,' was MIR. Brittans reply. do you
know who did II = asked Mr.. Dearborn; VINO
came next. Yes " the calm reply. q" What
did he do II furf" &" because would not give
him more money. said Mr.. Brttan; adding In a
moment lie took so from me-" Mr.. Porter,
q friend OF the victim and director oi the EN-
pire State Company, next asked, IN whisper :
"what's the matter, lirittan; who did this
and the reply he received was IL would tell
You II we were alone. when see you again III
tell you all
The pitcher with which the first blow was
struck was lying broken on the n, or, the bottle
with which the subsequent wounds we're in
ficted had been smashed So that little remained
beside the neck. the whiskey which II had con-
taincd being aplashed over the door paper, ana
floor, and the fragments being scattered about
the room. Upon the table stood tumhler'
partly filled with whiskev. .
From these facts the authorities form the the
ory that Mr.. Britain and his assailant had been
closeted In the room Tor some hhlf hour NJ the
least before the assault ; that whatever might
have been the nature Of the business transacted
secrecy was desired and secured 10y placing a
paper over the keyhole aud drawing down the
curtains that the would-he assassin was hc'
quainted with the rooms. as shown by his pass
ing out through the antc-room; and that what
ever may have been tie nature Of the business
the unwilingncss OF Sir. Britain to give the
name Of his assiilant