The weekly Butte record., 1858-11-20
keenan, Convicted.

The Jury III the case OF the people VS.. X ee-
nan, indicted for the murder of Wakeman
Burr, brought in verdict on Wednesday
evening, of Guilty of murder in the first de-
gree" The evidence in this case was entirely
circumstantial, but Of so conclusiee nature
as to justify the foregoing verdict of the jury.
The evidence for the prosecution was, in sub
stance as follows:
Burr and Keenan, were conducting business
in partnership having their principal store in
Mooreville and branch trading post at
Browns Diggings, some ten miles from Moore
vile, on the Middle Fork of Feather river,-
In August last, Burr and Keenan, concluded
to close out their branch at Browns Diggings,
and on Saturday in that month, they both
went to that locality to carry out their nten-
ton. The effects at the trading post were
disposed of the next day Sunday and on
Monday they packed what was remaining of
the stock on mule, and started for Mooreyille
in company. Some two miles out from
Browns is way station, kept by Mexican
named Juaro, on arriving at which, Burr and
Keenan, stopped, and, at the suggestion of the
latter, Burr obtained saddle mule from the
Mexican and rode on ahead Keenan,, after a
delay of some twelve or fifteen minutes, fol-
lowed Burr with the pack animal, About
10 o'clock in the evening, Keenan, arrived in
Mooreville, and upon being questioned by Mrs.
Burr cor corning her husbands whereabouts,
told her that he was "baek with the things
thus inducing the conclusion that he had pass
ed him on the road. and came on ahead.
About eight O'Clock on the following morn
ing, Keenan, told some Of the people Of Moore
vile the fact of his leaving Browns Diggings
with Burr, and suggested to them as the rca-
son of his non-arrival, that he had probably
been robbed and murdered, saying at the same
time that the old man (meaniog Burr) had
large sum of money with him when they left
Juaros. A company of some five or six men
Immediately armed themselves, and together
with Keenan, started on.a hunt for the missing
man. After short search in the neighbor-
hood of aspring. which flows from the noun
tain side about midway the distance between
Mooreville and Browns, they discovered the
body of Burr, with mortal knife wound in
the breast and several horrible contusions on
the head Keenan, led them directly to the
spot where the body lay.
After taking the corpse to Mooreville, and
the investigation of the Coroner, suspicion be-
ing awakened against Keenan,, be was arrested
examined and held by the magistrate to an
swer
The evidence of Juarro, showing that the
prisoner followed Immediately after the de-
ceased the fact that Burr had a considerable
sum of money with him; (somc $4,000, the
mis-statement made by Keenan, to Mrs. Burr /;
the delay made by him in giving the alarm to
the people of Mooreville the readiness with
which he discovered the dead body; his fail
ure to explain how and why he conld pass the
scene of the murder while SO short a distance
behind the deceased, without hearing or wit
Messing any part of the struggle between him
and his assassins the fact tha. he and Burr
were the only persons known TO have passed
over the trail on the afternoon Of the murder
corresponding shape Of the wound in Burr's
breast with knife known to be in Keenan's
possession, and other incidental and connect.
ing circumstances, forming parts of the chain
of evidence, make, when skilfully handled and
so completely '.dovetailed' together as they
were by the District Attorney, very strong
case against the defendant
The Court appointed Saturday today a
the time for sentence Keenan's attorney gayt
notice of a motion for a lew trial.