BURGLARY AND MURDER.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXV, Issue 10, 8 January 1913, Page 2

BURGLARY AND MURDER.

MAX SHOT IX THE PRESENCE OF HIS WIFE. Melbourne, January 7.Two burglars'entex-ed the bedroom of Mr. Trotter, chief collector at MacRobort and Sons’ confectioners’ store. They shot Trotter in the presence of his wife, and secured £2OO. A CALLOUS CRIME. Mrs. Trotter tells a sensational story. She says that her husband, she, and a five-year-old child were awakened at two in the morning by the flash of an electric light. Two masked men were covering them with revolvers and demanding money. Trotter declared that ho had none. The room, replied that they knew--he had, and threatened to shoot him, tolling his wife that she would not be hurt, and that they only wanted money. She thought it was only a joke .and tola her husband that the men were playing a game. Trotter reiterated that the only money he had belonged to his employers. He then jumped out of bed and struck and struggled with one of the robbers. The second robber placed a revolver at Trotter’s head and fired. He went and turned up the mattress where the money was usually kept, and took a bag containing £BB in cash and £llß in cheques, Ix'ottej’s takings on the previous day. The x-obbers entered by forcing a window, and propped open the doors to make their outlet easy. They escaped and the police are without a clue.'' The robbers were apparently well acquainted with Trotter’s habits, and chose a day when thes takings were unusually heavy. They knew where he kept his money and the position of the electric light. Trotter had a frightful wound in the forelm"' l -- 1 4ied in three hours. A DESPERATE STRUGGLE. “DON’T SHOOT DADDY.” The Trotters lived in a villa at Fitzroy. Trotter had just returned from a holiday and stayed downstairs late at night counting his money. He was apparently watched. His wife attempted to reach a window and give the alarm, hut was debarred by a pointed revolver. She appealed to her husband to give up the money and save his life, hut he firmly refused. She then appealed to the robbers not to shoot her child, who also asked them not to shoot “Daddy.” Trotter was a strong 'man, in the prime of life, and was getting the better of the robbers when he was shot. Finger prints have been secured.