The Leavenworth weekly times. [volume] (Leavenworth, Kan.) 1870-1880, 1875-04-22
HORRIBLE ASSASSINATION.

John OShea Murdered Near Troy Kansas
The Murderer Escapes and is Last Heard
of in St. Observation-Disclosures Of the Muir
derer and Reward For His Apprehen-
sion.
One OF the most cold-blooded and brutal
murders ever committed in Kansas was per-
petrated Monday night, near East Norway,
Wolf River township about five miles west
of Troy-the victim being John O'shea,
weIl-known Irishman, who had been resi-
dent OF Doniphan county for many years.
From the Troy Chief We gather the fol-
lowing particulars: John OShea was an
Irishman OF good education and well in
vice-drunkenness Latterly he had be-
come unusually disagreeable and noisy, and
had difficulty in his family. He claimed
that the difficulty came mainly through
the intermeddling Of John Morrissey
his wife's brother. who took an
active part in the business, while
Moru.sey asserted that he had no further
feeling in the matter except TO see that his
sister and her children did not suffer. Sew
eral weeks ago they engaged in fight in
one of the stores in this place. Mrs. O'Shea
had commenced proceedings for divorce, but
as she was TO late too get the matter legally
before the District Court at its recent term,
she had applied for an order giving her the
custody OF the children, and for alimony.
On hearing OF this case, two daughters OF
OShea one aged some sixteen or seventeen,
and the other not over ten or twelve, testi-
fed that their father had frequently, ex-
tending through period OF several years,
attempted TO violate their persons. O'Shea
on the other hand insisted that the whole
thing was made up story, concocted by
Morrsssey. The Judge ordered that the
children should be given into the custody
of the mother, but should not stay at the
home of either Of her brothers; and that
she should also have a COW, some bedding
and come other articles. The sheriff was
commanded 10 carry this order into effect
Monday.
On Monday, in consequence OF the Coun-
ty Board meeting, and it being the closing
day of the District Court, Sheriff Wander
slice found it impossible to 60 to the coun-
try. lie met Morrissey in town, and told
him he could 90 the next day TO attend to
the business. Morrissey replied that O'Shea
had taken the children away from home,
and he did not know where they were
and he also made some suggestions TO the
sheriff, to induce that officer TO pick out
the best COW, which was not the one to
which she made personal claim. The same
day the sheriff met OShea, who said he
would be home that night, and early the
next morning would have the children at
home, and the property ready to turn over
to him. He left town towards night, on
his way home.
Tuesday morning, Sheriff Vanderslice,
engaging Mr.. Pugh with his hack, and TAX
ing Ed Bowen along to assist, started for
O'Shea's. Some distance before reaching
there, he was met by John Kilkenny, Roger
Morley and Frank Dickson, who Informed
him that in passing OShea's place they had
seen a mas lying in the wagon path lead
ing from the gate TO the house, and sup
posed il was OShea drunk, but they went
in and found him dead. The Sheriff and
his men proceeded to the place, and found
il as they had stated O'Shea lay dead in
the road, his face bloody and horribly dis
Sgured. Leaving Ed. Bowen to guard the
body, the Sheriff returned to town, and took
out Esquire Hampson and men for a jury
to hold an inquest. The examination was
had, and the body then brought to town to
complete the testimony. The following
facts were disclosed by the examination;
O'Shea's house stood at one side of his
farm, little over half way through it from
the public road. The body OF OShea lay
across the wagon track leading from his
gate to the house. Almost half way be-
when the two points. He lay on his
back, with his face turned to one side, and
some distance from him lay his hat. \
bullet hole was in his forehead, evidently
the first shot he received, the bullet coming
out at the back of his head. Another bull
let passed through his head, entering at the
butt of the ear, where the flesh was blister
ed and powder-burned. This shot had evil
IDENTIFY been fired after he fell, the muzzle
Of the pistol being held against or close to
his head His face and head were cut and
gashed, as if beaten with revolver, and
he presented ghastly spectacle.
The line between O'Shea and the adjoin-
ing farm is hedge. Along this hedge
runs the path from O'Shea's gate to the
house. An examination revealed the
movements of the assassin as clearly as if
there had been witness of them. He
entered the adjoining field from the road,
and Law in wait for his victim behind the
hedge When O'Sbea entered his own
premises, on the opposite side, the tracks
showed that the assassin walked along the
hedge, keeping on line with him, when
he came TO am opening in the hedge. sup
eplied by pannel of fence Here he attract
ed O'Sbea's attention. and when he looked
around, fired, shooting him through the
head Then cIimbine over This niece Of
fence he finished the work Inv another shot
tbrongb the head and bea,inp him, over
the head and face with his revolver There
il also buJIet hole tbrongb the left wrist
ann,ren,Iv received in ende,vor;ng IN ward
oa Iow or sbo,. and tho fnre,;roar 81
,h. s,ms hand i brn;saJ and broLan NJ
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