Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1904-06-01
Robert M. McLane of Baltimore,
Md, Sends a Bullet Into
His Brain.
MARRIED ONLYTWO WEEKS
The Tragedy Is Due to Mental Collapse
Over the Rebuilding of the
Burned City.
ELoPED WITH WIDOW RECENTLY.

Baltimore, Md, May 31.-Mayor Rob
ert NJ. McLane committed suicide by
shooting himself in the head at his home,
20 West Preston street. The tragedy is
due, it is generally believed, to mental
collapse over the rebuilding Of burned
Baltimore.
The mayor entered his residence about
1926 p. m. He seemed in CHEEKY spirits.
He went to a third story back room, and
while standing in front Of a mirror
placed a revolver to his right temple and
fired. Mrs. McLane ran upstairs, to find
her husband lying in a pool Of blood.
He never regained consciousness and
died at sos p. N.
Mayor McIane had worked day and
might both during and after the fire,
going into danger to superintend the dy-
namiting of buildings, and sitting up all
night to aid in the tangled mass of spe~
cial legislation due to the cOnfia grafton.
His labors would have exhausted the
most robust man. The mayor felt keenly
the defeat of his pet project to widen
Baltimore streets, and his appointments
on the burned district commission We're
subject to much criticism.
Recent Marriage Opposed.
His elopement with Mrs. Mary Van
Bibber May IA, met with opposition
from both families.
These are the troubles that have COM
bined to wreck his health mentally. His
apparent decline in health has been the
subject Of much comment.
Coroner Hayden said:
las much as | regret it, [ am obliged
to give my official opinion that Mayor
.McLane committed suicide by shooting.
Powder marks on his head show that he
pressed the revolved close to his head
and pulled the trigger"
Edrar A lion Poe city cOlici-
tor, probably the mayors closest per-
sonal friend said he would never believe
the mayor killed himself. at is in
CREDIBLE he said. ''There were no cir
cumstances in his private life to lead up
to such a tragedy. He was at no time
Of morbid disposition. and usually kept
himself under firm control"
Married This Month.
On the 18th of this month the mayor
startled all Baltimore by going to Wash
ington with Mrs. Mary Van Bibber, the
beautiful widow of DR.. John Van Bib
Der, and getting married.
Friends and acquaintance Of the
mayor were aware for several years that
he was attentive to Mrs. Van Bibber.
There were rumors of an engagement.
Whenever questioned on the subject the
mayor would decline to commit himself
on the ground that it was his personal
affair.
1t was the purpose of the mayor and
his bride to pass the summer months just
outside Baltimore, in Baltimore county
The couple made no wedding trip, as the
mayor was anxious to remain at his post
of official duty until after the conditions
resulting from the fire had improved.
Mrs Van Bibber was considered one of
the handsomest as we'll as one Of the
most intellectual and delightful women in
Baltimore.
Mayor McLane was a son of James L.
McLane, president of the National Bank
of Baltimore, and a nephew of the late
Robert NJ. McLane, former governor Of
Maryland, and former United States am
bassadOr to France. He was but SO
years old, the youngest mayor Baltimore
ever had.
Mayor McLane's death will make E.
Clay Timanus, Republican, president Of
the second branch Of the city council,
MAYOR.