Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1874-11-20
TIE MONTROSE MURDElsS.
\ DOUBLE EXECUTION.
Hanging orG'Mar:, and Irving.

The peculiarly atrOcIous nature OF the
crime. and the relation o! the parties, make
the occasion one Of unusual interest Ijauiel
O'Nara is about thirty years Of agc, five
feet SIX inches high, weight one hundred
aud fifty pounds, and rather pleasant look
ing. Irving is thirty-fOur years old, five
feet eight inches h gh, weight one hundred
and seventy-tivc pounds, low forehead,
with somewhat repulsive features, and
halfsavage, halfidiotic expression.
The crime for which they were executed
was committed on the morning of Sepiem-
Der p, 1873, at O'Mara's home, about two
miles from Montrosc Station, on the line
Of the Delaware, I.ackawanna and Western
railroad.
Daniel O'Mara was required to support
his mother and sister during their lives,
after which he would inherit the small
farm upon which they lived, valued
at two thousand dollars. Daniel was
not satisfied with this arrangement,
50 he determined to get rid Of them and Sc
cure the property at once. Patrick Irving
was O'Mara's hired man. 1t was said he
wished to marry Mary O'Mara, but she
did not favor his suit.
The bodies Of Mrs. Mara ard daughter
were discovered early on the morning of
the day above mentioned, lying on the right
hand side Of the southern bound track, 4
short distance south of the MOntrose depot.
The hand and lover part Of the arm was
severed from tina body. and lay about
eleven feet above and on the other side of
the rail. No blood was found near the
bodies, either upon the track or rail- The
intention Of the murderers was evidently
to make it appear that their victims were
killed by being run over OF the railroad.
a wagon road crosses the track about two
rods below where the bodies lay, and upon
this spots Of blood were discovered which
aroused suspicion Of foul play. 1t had
rained heavily the night previous, nOtwith-
standing which line of blood was easily
traced from this point to O'Mara's house.
y bunch Of human hair. 4 piece OF blood
stained rope and some shreds of cloth
were also found on the way. One mile
from the house Il wagon Was found, the
tires Of which corrcsponded with newly
made tracks Oh the road. Large blood
stains were seen i'll this wagon. At the
house it was found an attempt had been
made to wash the sitting room floor, which
was not yet day. Blood stains were still
distinctly visible on the floor, and splat-
ters of blood were seen upOn door leading
to the kitchen. In the next room. where
O'Mara ami daughter slept, some Of the
bed clothes were missing. and blood was
found upon the bedstead. An OK team
was discovered near the house with blood
stains on yoke and oxen, showing that the
bodies wrre carried some distance upon
the oxen and then placed upon the wagon.
The physicians who examined the body
gave it as their opinion that the women
were killed with some blunt instrument,
probably a bark -pud, which WAS subsc-
qucntly found covered with blood. O'Mara
and Irving We're arrested on suspicion and
taken TO Montrosc Jail to await trial. On
January -, they were brought into court,
where they pleaded mot guilty. The
trial lasted until January %, wheRs the
jury returned 4 verdict of murder in the
first degrees. On January %, the court
refused the motion for a new trial, and the
prisoners received their death sentences.
The Pardoning Board, which met Octo-
Der Sth, heard an argument in favor Of par
don or commutation of sentence, but re-
fused to interfere in the case. Their death
warrants were accordingly issued, and
Thursday, November 18th. was fixed for
their execution On October 10th Sheriff
Beach Helme read the death warrants to
them. O'Mara evinced a spirit of resent
meut, but finally shed tears. Irving was
not particularly stirred by the announce
ment. Their behavior since has been good.
O'Mara's wife has not seen him since SEN
fenced. He spent most of yesterday and
last evening with his spiritual advisor.
He had an affecting interview with his SIS
ter, who arrived from Scranton AZ noon.
l interviewed Irving at noon. He still
protested his innocence, but in an incoheI-
ent manner said if he must die he was
ready.
All preparations for the execution were
completed last evening. Much excitement
prevailed because of rumor that n secret
society, known as the Molly Maguires, y
had arranged TO make as assault on the pri-
son during the night, for the purpose of
li5erating the prisoners, but they did not
make their appearance. At this 4. ".
Father Murphy, of Auburn, Pa, and
Father Slatterly, Of Susquehanna, spent
some time with the prisoners, who seemed
to have given up all hope Of earth and were
directing all their thoughts towards eterni-
ty. They seemed somewhat resigned and
hopeful of the future.
Having received the last rite. of the
church, At l0:l5 they were led out by the
Sheriff to the place of execution in the
court yard of the Jail, accompanied BY their
spiritual advisors. At10:20 they ascended
the platform of the scaffo!d. Both men
held their heads down, and spoke no word
Irving made a slight bow to the spectators,
the Sheriff adjusted their caps, and at pre-
cisely half-past ten he sprung the trap,
which raised :hem four feet in the air,
where they hung suspended for fifteen min
utes, when life being pronounced extinct
by the attending physicians, the bodies
were cut down, placed in pine collins and
delivered TO their friends.
O'Mara left written confession in the
hands Of Sheriff lIelme, in which ne states
he entered the house and found his mother
and sister and Irving quarrcling, and, in a
fit Of passion, took up stick of wood and
struck his mother on the head, breaking
her neck and killing her instantly. He
then fled from the house, but returned
shortly and found that Irving had murder
ed his sister. That Trying suggested burn
iutr thp hOdipS but he tbnurht :. bost 70