The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-04-28
FACTS
 ABOUT BURGLARY
Question is Whether Burglars or Bookkeeper Made Attempt,
SAFE IS TEMPERED WITH
Bookkeeper R. H. Mcdonald Is Under Arrest and Gives Out a State ment-MatheMs & LIvely's
 Safe-Shots Fired.

R. II. Mcdonald a young white man 9 years old and bookkeeper for Mathews & Lively, the furniture dealers at Avenue and South Twentieth street. has been arrested by Policemen Waldrop and Rich ardson on a charge of attempting to com nit larceny. Back of the arrest Is an interesting story. Mcdonald denies the charge.
 About o'clock Tuesday night Police man Waldrop heard three shots on South Twentieth street. He attempted to lo- cate them, but was unable to do so. An old man told him that they were fired in Mathews & Livelys storess The police man went to the front door, found 1t locked. He then went to the rear door and found it also locked. He tried both doors. He then went back to the front door and found that 1t was slightly cracked open, and went in the store. He found the bookkeeper lying in the corner groaning and complaining that burglars had attempted to rob the safe of $300 which 1t contained, and that they had thrown in to the corner, ehoked him and beaten him badly, as well as stamped him with their feet
 Outer Safe Door Open.
 The outer door of the safe was open, and there was a cold chisel and a ham, mer lying on the floor. The inner door of the safe was still locked but showed signs of having been tempered with Some one. 1t appeared, had been attempt ing to open it with the chsel.
 While Policeman Waldrop was attempt ing to get in the front door some one went to the rear dor and opened 1t from the inside. A man standing few feet away saw It opened slightly then closed again without any one coming out Policeman waldrop went to the back door after he got in the store and found it opened. No one left the store after the shots were fired, and both doors were locked when the shooting occurred.
 The story told the police by Mcdonald was that he was at work on the books and three men, two white one negro,, came In the store. One jumped on him, knocked him down and commenced beat ing him. As he got up off the floor he got a gun out of the drawer and fired once. The men dragged him. he said. to the rear of the store and he fired twice more at them. They then beat him Into inconsistencies In the meantime one of the men attempted to open the safe with the chisel. He claimed to be un- conscious while this was going and that he did not know anything until the policeman shook him and woke him up.
 pr. Hogan Called In.
 pr. Hogan was called in and examined the man. but found no bruises or marks of violence on him. Policeman Waldrop examined the store but found no one in it. An examination showed that two of the bullets has struck the wall near the ceiling, and that the other struck the ceiling. Mcdonald claimed he fired at the men as they were dragging him to- wards the back door.
 Yesterday morning a further investiga- ton of the case was made, and 1t led to the arrest of Mcdonald on the theory that he made the attempt to rob the safe, but was unable to do so and fired the shots to throw suspicion on some one else.
 It seems that Tuesday night the outer doors of the safe were left open in order that he might slip the books, on which he was working, in between them and the inner doors which were locked.
 McDonaId's Statement.
 At the jail yesterday Mcdonald gave the following account of himself and the trouble:
 'I am 23 years old and have been with the company as bookkeeper about seven months. I have a wife. She is in Rock mart, Ga, and will come in on the train tonight I telegraphed for her. Last night I told the members of the firm that if they would leave the books out I would work on them. I was expecting a negro to come by and purchase some furniture, and while I was waiting I worked on the books. I finished and went up to Lanes store to see where the negro was. I then went back to the store and left the front door open when l went In. 1 was in the office when a negro giving his rame as John Morris, came by and want ed to pay something on a bill. I started to take the money when two white men came in and asked to use the telephone. I showed them the Peoples, but they want ed the Bell, and one of them came into the office to use it. He picked up the sales book from the desk and threw it at me, knocking me down. He then Jumped on me and heat me badly. l struggled to my feet and pulled the pistol from the drawer and fired once. He showed the pis- toi away and I don't know where the bullet struck. We grabbed each other and he pulled me to the rear of the store, where I shot at him twice more. He beat me and kicked me. and I became uncon- scious. In the meantime the other white man tried to open the safe with the chisel. I did not regain consciousness un- til the policeman shook me"
 The statements that the front door was opened are contradicted by the police nan who found 1t locked when he tried 1t the first time. No men were seen to en- ter or leave the store last night, and the police department is inclined to think that no men entered or left