The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1915-11-25
PROSPECTIVE Groom
ROBBED Of EARNINGS
Thomas H.. McLAnc Dragged and
Robbed and Body Left in Alley
Near frances Homo.

Lured into a taxtcab at Sixteenth
and Marshall Streets Monday night
attacked. drugged and robbed OF ST.
1891. which he had on his person.
Is what happened to Thomas II. Nc
Lane, of 1904 North Twenty eighth
Street. on the eve Of his marriage to
Miss Elizabeth Ellis Lee. OF TOO North
Twenty eighth Street. Yesterday af-
ternoon in the home OF the brides
parents Mr.. McLAne ana Miss Lee
we're married. The Rev. G. r. Ryland
pastor Of East End Baptist Church,
officiated. Tho wedding journey, which
was to have been a trip to visit and
uncle OF the bride living In Phila-
delphia, was postponed temporarily.
The wedding was to have taken place
in East End Baptist Church.
The story told by McLAne IL thrill
ing. He was returning to his home
Monday night when he was attacked
He did not regain consciousness until
Tuesday meening 1t s o'clock. after
having been found two hours previous
in an unconscious condition at the
back gate Of the homo OF his fiancee,
Miss Elizabeth Ellis Lee.
Mr.. McI.ane was found Tuesday
morning about $50 o'clock by Greer
Nichols. an uncle Of Miss Lee. Mr.
Nichols had gone to the backyard to
get some wood for the kitchen fire
when he heard groans issuing from
on the back fence he peered over and
was startled to see human body re-
Ginning against the fence. He at once
recognized McLane and seeing that he
was unconscious went into the house
to summon aid.
Rcgains Consciousness.
Mfr. McIane was taken into the
house and DR.. George Gay, at Twenty
eighth and Broad streets, summoned.
physician and other treatme 1t given
him. but he did not regain conscious
ness until nearly two hours afterwaro.
There was no mark OF violence
about the body nor was there
anything to indicate how the man
had been rendered unconscious and
DR.. Gay. when later told by McI.ane
that he had lost consciousness after
cloth had been thrown over his
mouth and nose by his assailants, said
he was puzzled to know what kind Of
an anaesthetic had been employed,
there being no evidence that either
chloroform Or ether had been used.
DR.. Gay asked McLane il he had
noted any odor like that of chloroform
or ether when the cloth was put over
his face. He said he had not--that
iC WaS eohSA SAtiGiN Ny bQt tSc anu
that the whole affair had consumed
so little time that he did not have
time to figure out any details
DR.. Gay gave It as his opinion that
the body had not remained long in
the alley. since the mans clothing
was not damp. which would have been
the case had the body been outside
a sufIicient time to permit the morning
dew to permeate the clothing. When
the clothing OF McIane was examined
his notebook was found in his pocket.
! On the first page was scrawled In
! pencil the following letters: We have
got his money. We haven't hurt him
WE simply put him to sleep"
Mr. McIane left his horne. 1904
North Twenty eighth Street. Monday
night at 7:s0 o'clock. saying that he
was going downtown to attend to some
business. That was this last seen OF
him until he was found In the alley.
Hailed ny TAxicab.
Mr. McIane told wiord story yes
terday. He WAS taking short cut
around Sixteenth and Aarshall, and
Just - he reached Marshall 0troet ~
noticed j taxicah s4apline q tha ears