Watertown leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1909-1911, 1910-07-22
BURGLAR STAYS
RAIL PRESIDENT
Ira G. RaWn of the MonOn Muir
dered.
TRAGEDY IN SUMMER HOME
Magnate Found Dead In Hallway Fol-
lowing an Exchange OF Shots
With Robber In Resi-
dence at Winnetka.

Chicago.-Ira G. Rawn, president OF
the Monon railroad, was shot and
killed early Wednesday morning IN
his summer home in Pleasant court,
Winnetka Members of the family de-
clare that Mr.. Rawn was shot down
by a robber after he had fired one
shot at the intruder. One bullet from
Rawn's own gun had been fired. No
trace of the bullet could be found any
where and the family believe that it
struck the robber, wounding him. The
man was not seen by any one, how
ever
According to members of the family,
Mr. and Mrs. Rawn were sleeping in
a rear room on the second floor when
they were awakened at 1870 a. m. by
noise in the front hall downstairs.
Rawn spoke to his wife and said he
believed that, he heard burglars. He
grabbed his revolver and hurried to
the stairway.
No sooner had he reached it than
two shots were fired in quick success
sion
Mrs Rawn and r. E. Coburn, SON.
in-law, who was in the house, rushed
to the stairs. They say they heard
Rawn's body thump down the stairs.
He landed in a heap at the bottom.
When Coburn reached his side Rawn
was gasping for breath. A moment
later he was dead, without having ut
tered a word.
Coburn rushed to the front door
and looked out The door was wide
open, but no one was in sight.
The police and Pinkerton detectives
were at once called by telephone and
Chicago police were notified to watch
for the fugitives.
The neighborhood was searched but
not the slightest trace OF robber
could be found. Search then was be-
gun in Skokie swamp, Just west of
Winnetka, where it was believed the
burglar might be hiding. The search
ing party was in charge of Charles H.
Bruens of the Pinkerton force.
Watch, also was kept of the trains
leaving on the Northwestern railroad
Of q burglar was seem For this rea-
son the police believed that if the
crime was committed by burglar,
the man must be in the neighbOrhood
still. jt# ~ 3 $500
j. T. Ross of the Monon railroad no.
titled the Chicago central police short
iy after the shooting. Assistant Chief
Schuettler was at once reached at his
home and he issued orders that drag
net be thrown out all over, the city
and that suspicious characters be ar
rested.
Two negroes were arrested by the
North Halsted street police, but were
released after being questioned and
establishing their innocence.
Ross told the police that, according
to the information he had secured,
Rawn was aroused from bed about
1870 in the morning and with revol-
yer in his hand made his way to the
hallway. There he was shot down be-
fore he had a chance to see the as
sassin. .'t
the night because Of the hot weather
and only a screen door was fastened.
There were marks on this door as
though made by burglars Jimmy"
The family believes the intruder
forced the lock on the screen door
and was just going up the stairs when
he was surprised by Rawn, who fired
L. IL 49,
fired back, shooting Rawn just under
the heart, killing him almost Instantly
Dr. Frank w Blatchford was called,
but Rawn was dead long before help
arrived
DR.. Blatchford made the following
statement to the police:
1.-The bullet entered the body just
below the heart and death was in
stantaneous Mr.. Rawn was clad in a
night gown at the time of the shoot
ing The talk that he possibly COM
mitted suicide is ridiculous, as he was
in good health and had nothing to
worry him. There were no marks of
powder on his body, proving that the
shot must have been fired some dis
lance away"
Rawn was chosen head of the Mo-
non system in November, 1909. He
had been up to that time vice-presi-
dent of the Illinois Central railroad
Mr. Rawn lacked one month of be-
ing fifty-five years old, having been
born August 20, 1855, at Delaware, @.
He entered the railway service in
1870, beginning as telegraph opera
Tor for the @ q @ e railway