River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1875-06-18
A Resident OF Brooklyn, N. W, Dam
gerously Wounded by a Burglar.


A burglar entered Mr.. Aaron Shute's
residence at 400 Tompkins avenue,
Brooklyn, opposite the Presbyterian
Church, yesterday morning, by pushing
aside the latch Of rear kitchen window
with putty knife, and by the aid of a
dark lantern he found his way into the
bedroom Of the second floor Of the dwell
ling, where Mr.. Shute and his wife were
sleeping. The gas was burning low over
the dressing table, on which were Mr..
Shute's gold watch and chain. The bur-
glar turned off the gas, picked up the
watch and chain, and started to cross
the room. Mr.. Shute heard him, and saw
his form reflected in the mirror, which
was opposite his bed. He jumped out of
bed and started to seize him,
and the burglar struck him on
the side Of the head with the dark Ian.
tern, and almost knocked him down.
The lantern fell to the floor and was ex-
tinguished. Mr.. Shute sprang at the bur-
glar again, threw his arms about him, and
pushed him on the bed. Then he reached
a match and started to light the gas, and
the burglar grasped his arm and they
elutched again and fell to the floor. Mrs.
Shute funded out Of bed and tried to
light the gas, but in her fright could not.
Mr.. Shute was on top Of the burglar, hold.
ing him down by the throat, and while he
was in this position the burglar put re.
yolver which he had in his right hand
against Mr.. Shute's neck and fired twice.
The blood spirited into the burglars face,
and filled his shirt bosom. Mrs. Shute
took hold Of the burglar by the left arm,
and he told her to let 60 or he would
shoot her. Mr.. Shute was too weak from
loss of blood to hold the burglar longer
and as he relaxed his grip on his throat
the burglar slipped out Of the room into
the hall.
Mrs. Toby, who lived on the third
floor, came down stairs just as the bur.
glar passed into the hall. He warned her
10 keep away, and then ran down the
steps and,tried to get out of the front
door. The guard chain held it tight, and
he turned to look for the basement stairs
and left his bloody finger prints on the
door of the back parlor, into which he
went. Then he CROPPED back, staining
the furniture and carpet with blood, and
at length went down stairs and out into
the yard as he entered. Mrs
Toby and Mrs. Shute scream.
ed Murder" and "Help''
from the window, and some of the neigh.
bors entered. Mr.. Shute was able to 90
to the washstand and stand over it while
the wound from his I.eck bled. The first
ball had passed clean through his neck
from the left to the right side, and the
second shot mad entered the neck and
passed out Of the right eye. Blood was
also flowing from cut over his left eye
which the blow from the dark Lantern
had made. He was put to bed and DR.
Pierson sent for. The wound in the neck
the doctor thought must prove fatal.
The burglar was tracked by blood
marks through neighboring premises and
where he went over fence these marks
as ma lie by his pants, showed that he
wore check pants. His face was too much
filled with blood for those who saw him tC
distinguish whether or not he had whis
kers, but all agreed that he was short anC
stout and about thirty years old. A blu,
glass sleeve button, set in brass, which
was torn from the burglar in his strug
gle with Mr.. Shute furnishes the only
other clue.
Mr.. Shute was employed by Bradstreet''
mercantile Agency in New York, as re
porter for the Mercantile Journal. Ii,
was fifty years old, and was very highly
respected by all who knew him. lii,
ante norton statement Of the affair coulC
not be taken, because he could not artic
ulate distinctly. The physicians we're di
vided in their predictions as to his recov
cry.