The sun., 1878-08-09
TRAGIC ROBBERY IN BOSTON.
A MERCHANT FOUND INSENsTBLE by
THE SIDE or ms SIZE


Its Contents-No Clue 10 the Perpetrator.
BosToN, Aug. ga heavy robbery, accom-
panied by deadly assault which may prove q
murder. was committed at the Highlands at an
early hour this morning. The victim ls Mr..
Frank L. Mclean. a meat and provision dealer.
who was married on Monday morning last to
Miss Ella Coombs OF Canton. He lives Mt the
corner OF Winthrop and Warren streets. one Of
the most public places in the city. lie Is a mem
Der Of the firm OF Mclean & Webster doing bust
ness at 105 Warren street. in Kenncdy's block.
At $50 A. VI. Mr. Mclean left his house and went
to the store. which is almost directly opposite
Officer Gregg Of Station 0 was passing up War
rem street at the time. and saw Mr. Mclean
crossing the street in the direction OF his store
He paid no further attention to him. but he is
quite positive that no one else was In the vicin-
ity. few moments after the officer had passed
a milkman, named Rowell. drove up to the
corner Of Winthrop street and passed up the
street to serve some customers. Hardly had
he done 30 than o. u. Baker. another milk
man. who supplies Mclean 4 Webster
with milk. drove up TO the store on his usual
round. This was nj 5:Os A. VI. Mr.. Baker has
a key that unlocks the store door, but on alight-
ing from the wagon he noticed that the door
was about third Of the way open. On entering
he was shocked to discover Mr. Mclean lying
nsensihle in front Of his safe. The safe door
was partly open. and various papers wcro
strcwn about on the floor. Mr.. Baker called
his assistant TO help him. and Mr. Me
Lean was placed In more comfortable
position. Leaving him in charge =, OF
his assistant, Mr. Baker ran down 20 Dudley
street. and there found Onrcr Perkins Of sta
ton Q. and together they returned To- the store.
Meanwhile officer Gregg had been notified. and
| fastened To the spot. Tho officers assisted 10y
two or three civilians. carried the unconscious
! ID home. being a.
! moved he muttered words like these. sixty,
vnas nEsshbtyt bS kent GgTs nn S that l.
| for long time after his arrival at the house.
This would indicate that no was counting his
! money when he received the blow. DIR. Elson
was called. and did all in his power TO make the
That Mr. Mclean was counting his money
| when attacked is very probable as he told his
wife last evening that he owed a number Of bills
down town. and as he had the money he e,hought
| he would 70 down street" and settle them
early in the morn ng. and that the bills amount
! ed 10 between 5000 and $500 He arose at about
iiauldate The bills. He entered the store. which
! Is Of medium size On thu right is n long coun-
ter, al the end ~ which stands the safe. About
! the safe. is door leading To- the cellar. The
safe has n combination lock which requires Just
three minutes to unlock. When Mr.. Mclean
was found he was lying on his back in front Of
his safe. His hat had fallen OIL and was partly
under his head. BY his side lay the weapon
| with which the blow was undoubtedly
given IL II an ordinary spruce table leg. such
Hs is used IN markets. thirty three in hes long
| two and lhree-quarter inches in thickness one
way. and three and three-luarier inches tn,
! other. Papers and blank books We're lying N
disorder ON III. noor. anu the ;,rnic was robbed
| OF all it, valuable contents The amount al
| money taken is not definitely known. but II was
between $500 and 5000. as Mr.. Mclean was
evening. on examination Mr.. Mclean showed
a long black hruisc extending perpendicularlN
struck. and by either the fiat side or the sharI
edge OF the table leg. A rear door of the store
WAS found locked 10y those who first Appeared
| on the scene and none Of the windows had ap-
! larcntly been disturbed.
There seems to be but two plausible theorie.
ted one j. that Mr.. Mclean. after entering
the store. unlocked his safe and was on hi-
| knees or i'm some sort oi n knecling attitude
| opens toward the street and suWosiug Mr Nc
Lean - have been in the position, named; th'
| safe door would come between his face nul III,
street This would enable any one to uass mt,
the store hy the street door unp"rceiNrd by Mr.
i1.ai"nn On Of the Wound shows that this c6ui,
have been done. Another theory Is this: Tn,
the safe can be locked by common key; hu
whether It was locked last night or not. no one
about the premises seems 20 know; SuIposln
II 10 have bcen unlocked, II would be an cas-
matter for one acquainted With the place. an,
cognizant Of tho fact that Mr.. NJ Lean had Z
large sum Of money which he was I,
dispose Of in the morning land. 10y the way
all tho circumstances indicate concluslNell
that the perpeirator Of the deed was thoroughl
familiar with this fact and with the premises
t. conceal himself over night at the top Of the
cellar stairs, whore there is q large landinl
partly filed with barrels. &c. With the celnl
door slightly aiar. be could obtain an unob
sructel view Of Mr.. Mclean AS he was open
iug tho safe. while the latter could not see HIM
Watching his opportunity when his victim wa
in n helpless attitude. with his head almo~
within arms length. for the robber to throw
open the door and inilict q terrible blow wOult
b. but the work Of an instant.
To show how speedily the work was done /
has only to be remembered that Mr.. McIcar
loit his homo at 50. 1t took him three min
u,es to Unlock the safe. and he was found bl
Mr.. Bakerat j;Os This would indicate that III,
crime was committed very near the hour OF
o'clock. Mr. Newcomh. n starter employed by
the Highland Railroad Company. .wh'
lives on the opposite corner OF Win
throp street from Mr. Mclean arose n
4:4O, and looked across the street to see whethc
Mr.. McLean's or any other place was open. ~
he thought 81 having steak for break fast ii
saw no store open. and lac proceeded TO dres
himself At just o'clock he finished dressing
and went down stairs into his cellar, As h
reached that place he heard noise, apparentl
across the street. which he cannot describe. bu
he paid no particular attention TO II.
At Z .45 this morning Mr.. Mclean showed in
dications Of returning consciousness, and a
1880. when DR.. Edison called, lie replied
Good morning, Doctor" to a sulutatlon. Ii
the afternoon he was more comfortable. and til
hope Of his recovery had strengthened.