The Republican journal., 1875-06-24
Burglary and Assassination,

NEW DIRK. June y. The details OF the
shocking tragedy in Brooklyn early yes
terday morning. in which Mr.. Aaron Shute
Il prominent and respected citizen, was IA
tally shot in his bedchamber by a burglar
are of thrilling interest Mr. Shute's res
dence is a broWn-stone front, situated on
one OF the most trequented streets of the
city The burglar appears to have en-
tered the house soon after midnight
through one Of the kitchen windows, the
catch of which he forced aside with Il
putty knife He carried a dark lantern,
one of the ordinary Hat tin arrangements,
which conveniently fit in u coat pocket
After getting into the kitchen he seems to
have turned on his light and thus guarded
his footsteps up to the second and into the
rear room where Mr.. and Mrs. Shute We're
asleep. The Gas was burning dimly over
the dressing table, and the burglar turned
if out. Then he saw Mr.. Shutes gold
watch hanging over the mantelplece and
stepped over to seize it. The window
blinds were partially open. and faint
glimmer of light came through them and
reflected itself upon the looking glass ut
the foot of the bed. Mr.. Shute awoke
and saw that the gas was out, and almost
Immediately eau ght the shadow of the
burglar ir the glass The te!ioW was
Just reaching out to grasp the watch
Without IL moments reflection Mr.. Shute
sprang from his couch and grappled the
thief, and they clenched in deadly con-
tlict The burglar had the advantage OF
being wide awake and fully armed. As
he fell into the grasp Of the aroused gen
tleman the burglar struck him stunning
blow in the face with the lantern and it
was extinguished at once. They fought
around the room in the dark and finally
fell upon the bed, and their struggle
awoke Mrs. Shute She was terribly
alarmed, sprang up and tried to light the
GAS. but, in her extreme agitation, could
not succeed.
The burglar and Nlr. Shute were now
upon the floor, the burglar underneath
and his LETT hand clutching the others
throat MI Shute was the heaviest, and
the burglar became desperate. He had a
revolver in his right hand, and, while they
were in this position upon the floor, he
thrust it against his antagonists neck and
fired twice The first shot entered the
right side Of Mr.. Shutes neck, passed
clean through and upward, went through
the wainscoting of the door, struck the
ceiling in the hall and dropped upon the
first story stairs. The second Shot struck
Mr.. Shute in the left side Of the head, over
the temple, and lodged. His blood squirt
ed out in torrents and covered the face
and hands of the burglar, who now made
desperate efforts to escape But the
wounded man still clung TO him, and
they rolled around the room in close
embrace, the one fighting to escape, the
other to detain him. Mrs. Shute again
essayed to 90 to her husbands assistance,
but the burglar threw her of and threat
ened to shoot her if she made an outcry.
She ran to the window looking into the
garden, threw It open and began to
scream '.murner!n Mr.. Shute bled pro-
fusely and finally sank into a pool OF blood
near the door, and then the burglar start
ed to get out of the house.
A lady who occupied Il room overhead
heard the noise. and coming down met
the burglar outside the bedroom door.
He quickly pushed her aside and contn-
ued his hasty retreat. He CROPPED about
seeking for an exit, and the marks of his
blood stained hands are all over the wall
and door panels in ghastly characters
Finally he managed to get again into the
hall, and then down stairs to the base
ment, leaving his bloody marks all around
him on the side walls and woodwork.
The cries of the alarmed wife of MIR,
Shute and the answering shouts and calls
of the night Waterman and police were
ringing in his ears as he reached the yard !.
and urged him on When the police ar
rived and saw the burg glars desperate
work, they began a search for him, but
he had got beyond their reach. They
lifted Mr.. Shute from the floor and laid
him on his bed and then summoned a
physician, who pronounced the wounds
of i, fatal nature The blood was pouring
in torrents from two great holes-one on
either side Of his neck. His face and
ght-clothing were covered with the
blood, and round him on the carpet it
had formed into pools The bed-clothing
and the furniture were smeared with the
same crimson fluid The detectives are
now securing the neighborhood. seeking
traces of the desperate, whom they have
very little hope Of securing. lie is de-
scribed rs having been short, thick set
man, and had a smooth face. Mr.. Shute
was connected with the mercantile agency
of Messrs, Bradstreet Il Sons, and is well
known to the merchants of New York.
His age was about So years.
wag of a gourmand who had made himself