The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1869-02-13
HORRIBLE CRIME.
Murder OF Hon. Murray Mcconnell in
his Office in Jacksonville.


The whole state was startled on Tuesday by
the announcement by telegraph from Jackson
vile that the Hon. Murray Mcconnell, of that
city, had been brutally murdered in his own
office, in broad day light, between and 10
o'clock that morning. About o'clock his
son had brought from the post Office his morn
ing's mail, laying the letters, papers, &C., on
the table before his father and immediately
going out. The old gentleman had opened
the letters and read them, and had apparently
taken up morning paper and was engaged in
reading it, when he received five blows on his
head, dealt from behind, any one of which
would have been fatal There were in the
house at the time but two other persons Mrs.
Mcconnell and the servant girl. The latter
was up stairs and hearing something like q
fall in Mr.. McConnell's office, and remember
ing that a few weeks ago he had been threat
ened with paralytic stroke, she ran hastily
to the office, and seeing him PROSTATE on the
floor, supposed he had been stricken by para
lysis, and called loudly for Mrs. McC. The
son also came in moment later, but on rails
ing Mr.. Mcconnell up, great pools of blood
were found under him, and 1t was Mt once
seen that he had been brutally murdered. A
surgeon was at once called, but he was dead
before the surgeon arrived.
What is most singular is, that the outside
door of the Office was locked, and no one
could have gone into or out of the office of
Mr.. Mcconnell that morning without going
through the hall, and it seems impossible that
any person could have passed through either
the front or back hall door, and into the office
without having been seen Or heard.
There is a closet in the Office, in which, from
its disordered condition, it is evident the
murderer was concealed during part Of his
unexpectedly when the servant girl first
fastened into the Office, and from this closet it
is probable the murderer escaped while she
ran out to alarm the family, for when she re-
turned the key to the outside door from the
office had been turned. But at no time all
day on Tuesday or Wednesday could any one
be found who had either seen any other person
than members OF the familypass into or out of
the office or house, although the house is locat-
ed on one ofthe most frequented streets in the
city where people were passing and repassing
almost constantly that morning Later, how
ever, two persons appeared before the coroer's
jury and testified that they had seen, about
the time Of the murder, man 60 into the
house, and this man was afterwards identified
by the witnesses as grocer in Jacksonville
named VIM. A. Robinson. 1t is known that
Mr.. Mcconnell held note for a pretty large
sum against Robinson, which was over due,
and this note is missing. An interest book
was also found lying on Mr.. McConnell,s table,
open at the column of figures corresponding
with the amount of the note, with lead pencil
marks, showing that Mr.. Nee. had been cast.
ing the interest on the note. Robinson has
been arrested.
All in all, it is well characterized as the
most horrible crime that has been committed
in Illinois since the murder Of Col. Davenport,
at Rock Island, in the early and semi-barbar-
ouS COnultlOn Oh the state.
Gen. Mcconnell was an old man--in his I'D
ycar-and had been resident of Jacksonville
for nearly 40 years. He was native of the
state of New York. While still young man.
he emigrated to Missouri, where he. spent
few years, coming thence to Illinois at about
the time tie state was admitted into the union.
He early assumed..a leading position before the
public, and, among such associates as Shields.
Carlin, Lincoln, Douglas, NcDougal, Baker,
was always prominent figure. BY his death
almost the last Of that collection Of talented
men, who honored the early councils Of the
state, is taken away. During the last forty
years Mr. Mcconnell has been identified with
the history Of Illinois, and that in various dc.
partments. Az a politician, he has frequently
held office, having been member OF the last
convention to revise the constitution; having
held almost every office within the gift of his
town; having been member Of the last state
senate; and fifth auditor Of the treasury under
Mr.. Buchanan's administration. He was an
especial friend and patron of Senator Douglas,
who had throughout the state no more un-
tlinching advocate. AS a lawyer he had one
of the best legal minds in the state. Of late
years he had paid much attention to the agri.
cultural interests of Illinois, and, for four sue
cessive years, was president of tie State Agri-
cultural Society During the late war he gave