Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1898-12-23
WHO SHOT HINT
Burglar Found Dead in Quincy Houss-no
One Heard the Shot.

Quincy, Mass, Dec. 22.---The most pecu-
liar shooting affair which has ever been
brought TO the attention OF the police ~
this city, occurred. early this mor mn &
at the corner Of Elm and Washington
streets. The robber, who had plundered
the house, lost his iife. The whole AFFAIR
is very mysterious, as the occupants q
Mr. Shaw's house declare that they heard
no shot fred and did not know that their
home had been entered until the dead
body, Of the ro .,tso wag found when Eng
The body was found BY Mrs George
Pfaffman, domestic She was the flrsi
to arise and as she car'e down stairs,
noticed that a window In the front sitting
room was open. In crossing the. room TO
close the window, she stumbled oyer
something; when upon upon examinasa,llo eI,
body was directly in front of a bay win
dow. which was open.
Mrs Pfaffman's shrieks aroused the
other occupants g me n notisaa a n
took charge Of the body until the arriyai
e the medical S npsr a The hat 9i ana
shoes had been left onskhe piazza, just
outside the window which Mrs Pfaffman
had found open. The body was dressed
which a gold watch, diamond pin and two
pairs of eyeglasses belonging tosmembers
OF the Shaw family were found. Besides
fneEe
jaek-knife, 10 ss-caiibre cartridges, 81 IL
money, ticket from Waitham 10 Bos-
ton, and piece OF paper marked James
Emerson, Green street. Jamaica PAN.
The man was probably 30 years OF age,
of short build. short brown hair and
sandy moustache- On the face was about
d weeks growth Of beard The body
when found, was lying on the left side
and the man when shot had been ~
shirtseeves. his coat having been left
outside. The bullet entered BY inches
| nd tfxx.L
ward course. Ii IL thought internal hem-
orrhages were caused by the shot, as not
the slightest sign OF blood was found
about the clothing or the body and 1t was
not until the medical examiner had made
an examination that II became Known
the man had been shot.
The police are greatly puzzled over tho
affair Mr. Shaw and all the members OF
his family stoutiy declare that they
heard no shot fired, though one membes
OF the family heard noise as Of some
thing falling heavily. about O'Clock IN
Al trst the police were inclined 70 be
licve that the shot WAS fir~> by SOM
member OF Mr.. Shaw's family. but sine.
the latter have denied any knowledge O.
the shooting. they are working on the
Theory that the robber was shot by
pal who was watching outside and who
thought. he was firing at the owner of tins
house Just as his companion game toward
the window.
Neighbors living nearby and night
wof,kmen in d bakery in the vicinity o:
the house. declare they heard pistoi
shot about o'clock. this morning. 1t IS
fairly certain that the man was shot
WHALE. making ready 10 leave the house.
as his body was found directly beneath
the window At which he had entered Tn
body was taken TO Halls undertaking.;
rooms SO await identification.
The police are very much chagrined
over She fact that "A suspicious character,
who was found at o'clock, this morning,
not far from the scene Of the shooting
and who was taken into custody. was al
lowed to go an hour or TWO before the
body of the dead man was found In Mr..
Shaw 5 house. Ii Is understood that the
unknown man must have either commit
ted the deed. or been cognlZant of il.
After searching all day for some kind
OF a clue. with the assistance of Boston
officers. the local authorities started into
Boston, late this evening, 10 interview
man named Walsh on the Cunard steam
er Catalonia, on the theory that the dead
man looked like a stoker and learning
thy Smith was missing, Walsh being mis-
personal friend. might know something
of him.
To conflict with this theory was the
fact that on ghe mans body was found a
receipt for the payment for a suit OF
! clothes. dated Dec. u, while the steamer
did not arrive until Dec. l9. While III
some respects the description of the dead
man ta!!ies with that of Smith from the
steamer, i is said that the latter was
| considerably taller than the party who
was shot The Catalonia was to have
sailed voday, but the fog prevented her
( departure. and the Quincy officers tele-
/ phone.1 Capt. stephens to hold Walsh I'M
/ iii they could look him over.