Robert McLane

Robert Milligan McLane (November 30, 1867 – May 30, 1904) was the 34th Mayor of Baltimore, serving from May 19, 1903, to his death on May 30, 1904. He is known for his role in the Great Baltimore Fire, and for his sudden death in office.

Early life Robert McLane was born in Baltimore, the son of James Latimer and Fanny (King) McLane. He was the nephew of Robert Milligan McLane. He graduated from Johns Hopkins University in 1886, and subsequently attended the University of Maryland School of Law. She had been previously married to Dr. John Pierre Van Bibber, a Baltimore physician who had died in 1892.

Political career In 1903, McLane was elected Mayor of Baltimore; he was 35, and the city's youngest mayor. His actions in office included the appointment of William Cabell Bruce to the position of city solicitor, and, far more controversially, the management of the Great Baltimore Fire in February 1904: during the fire, McLane "stood in the streets (...) cheering on the firefighters", which historian and professor of management Pete Petersen has described as "the macho thing to do", but "not the smartest", since it meant that McLane was incommunicado, and could not accept offers of aid from other cities.

Death On May 30, 1904, McLane was found in his home, dying of a gunshot wound to the head. He had been in office 385 days.

McLane's death was ruled suicide.