The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-04-05
CASE OF M'NhIL.
RECEIVER OF THE o. r. & N. IN
THE HOSPITAL,
Statement Concerning the Attack
Alleged to Have Been Made Upon
Him by Toughs Very Rambling.

New York, April "A Sun special
from Rochester. N. Y, says: Edwin
Mcneil. receiver of the Oregon Railway
& Navigation company. was attacked
by robbers in a Central avenue saloon
Saturday night, rendered unconscious
| by a blow from an axe or ice pick, and
supposed to have been robbed of a con-
siderable sum of money. He was taken
to st. Mary's hospital in this city, and
/ is still in such d dazed condition that
attendants are unable to obtain state
ment from him.
Yesterday morning Superintendent of
Police Cleary received his first intima-
ton of the affair, when he read the re-
ports submitted TO him by Officer Sulli-
van, who said in his report that a man
giving his name as ..E. Mcneil fell
down near the Kremin house on North
st. Paul street and cut his head. He
was taken into the Kremlin House
and later removed to DR.. Turnmore'
office. The ambulance of st. Mary's
hospital was summoned, and he was
taken to that institution. Sullivan's
theory was that it was merely an ac-
cident
Superintendent Cleary detailed De-
tectives Swanton and Mcdonald to in
vestigate the case, and they went to
St Mary's hospital and tried to talk
to Mcneil yesterday The latter was in
no mood TO say anything. He finally
said that he was on a Central Hudson
train on Saturday night and when the
train stopped at Rochester he left his
satchel in the seat and got off to buy a
drink. He had TO go back further than
he expected to obtain. the drink and
when he got back TO the station he
found that the train had gone. taking
his satchel with: it. He wandered
around for long time, and fell in with
some tough characters who wanted to
whip him. There was a fight, and Nc
Neil got the worst of it. He wandered
out of the saloon into the street, and
nnally STAGGERED into the Kremlin
House, where he was taken care of.
The story told by Mcneil was so ram
bling that the detectives did not place
much credence in it. He still seemed
to be daZed, and related several differ
ent stories to account for his cuts and
bruises. He said nothing yesterday
about being robbed. In his first state
ment, told Saturday night, he said that
his satchel was taken away from him
by the robbers, and that it contained
considerable money and some valuable
papers.
superintendent OLeary does not be-
lieVe that Mcneil was robbed. He said
IHal no ropDer would leave two Vaiu- ]
able diamond rings on the mans fin
gers, and a fine gold watch in his
rocket if he was really bent on rob-
berry. This theory does not take into |
that the thief might have been |
compelled TO flee to escape detection. |
The superintendent says that there is
no doubt that Mcneil was villanouslv |
assaulted. and that the officers will get /
at the facts in the case as rapidly as |
possible. AT late hour last night no |
arrests had been made.
At midnight Mcneil was still in a |
cazed condition, and it is feared that |
his skull is fractured. In any event, /
he will not be able to leave the hospital |
for several days. 1t is learned that his |
private car is awaiting him at Chicago. !
His latest version of the affair is that
he was struck on the head with an
ice pick