The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1898-12-05

Still at Large.
Michael T.. Corcoran. proprietor OF
the Anthracite hotel at Duryea, Lu-
zerne county, was shot and almost in
stantly killed by masked burglars at
23O Saturday morning. The burglars
secured about $3.50 by blowing open a.
small safe in Mr.. Corcoran's bedroom
and rif1ing the cash register.
Daring men planned and executed
the burglary for they hesitated not an
instant to take Mr.. Corcoran's life
when they saw he stood between them
and the plunder they sought.
Duryea is close to the Lackawanna
county line and recently has won much
notoriety on account of the crimes Of
what is known there as tine Dynamite
Gang" composed of a remnant of the
Terrible Pete" band. Mr.. Corcoran
was one of the most prominent men
Of the town. lie was an ex-postmae-
ter, proprietor of its largest hotel and
a moving spirit in everything of pub
lie nature. He took an active part in
trying to bring the Dynamite Gang"
to justice and it was at first feared
that desire for revenge had induced
these lawless mer to Kill him. That
report proved to be untrue. The kill
ing was done by professional burglars
who did their work so thoroughly as
to leave scarcely a clue.
Mr.. Corcoran on Friday night closed
his hotel about midnight and retired
for the night. He is a single man and
slept in the rear of the bar room on
the first floor of the building. The
only other occupants of the building
were Mrs. Mary Monaghan, the house,
keeper, and Miss Nellie Murphy. a SER
want, who occupied separate rooms on
the second foor.
THE BURGLARS ENTER.
Soon after o'clock Saturday morn
ing the burglars entered the building.
They forced open a window on the
south side of the building and through
this one of the burglars entered the
house. They seem to have been well
acquainted with the manner in which
it is laid out. The man who entered
the building found himself in a small
sitting room, in which the body was
laid out Saturday, and from this he
to the hallway, from which q door
leads to the yard in the rear of the
hotel.
1t was an easy matter to open this
door from the inside and the other
three burglars were admitted to the
building. In the kitchen they remoy-
ed their shoes, arranged handkerchiefs
over their faces in the form of masks
ard then proceeded to the room of Mr..
Corcoran which was on the other side
of the hallway and about fifteen feet
nearer the front Of the building
When Mr.. Corcoran retired he locked
the door from the inside and left the
key in the lock. This was quickly and
noiselessly ascertained and then a
small sedgehammer was brought into
play. Several blows were struck with
the hammer over the lock and the
piece of iron on the inside of the door
frame which received the lock was
forced off.
The first blow from the sledge awak-
ened Mr.. Corcoran and he jumped from
the bed just as the door began to swing
inward. a lighted lamp turned down
low was standing on the WashStand
near the foot of the bed and midway
between the head of the bed and the
door was a stand on which Mr.. Cor
coran's revolver lay. Against the wall
near the door was the safe which is
about four feet in height and three
feet wide.
COLD-BLOODED MURDER.
Mr.. Corcoran was Il man of magnif-
cent physique and probably relying on
his giant strength he neglected to pick
up his revolver as he jumped for the
door. He got his shoulder against it
and forced it shut for an instant but
the combined weight of the four men
was too much for him and the door
was gradually forced inward again.
The room is a narrow one and the door
when opened, was almost against the
wall.
The struggle between the man with
in and those without continued until
Mr.. Corcoran was forced back against
the wall. Just what happened after
that will probably never be known.
one of the burglars and Corcoran
probably grappled and another rammed
revolver against his neck and fired.
The bullet took a downward course
and death followed almost instantly.
The flesh was burned and blackenod
by the powder.
Evidently the burglars We're unaware
Of that for they bound his legs and
arms with a rope and threw MIN on
the bed.
About the time the door was forced
open Mrs. Monaghan who had been
awakened by the noise came down
stairs clad only in her night robe.
When she saw the masked men in the
hallway she screamed and started to-
ward the foot of the stairs again. One
OF the men, known as "Bill' by his