, 1875-04-17
Horrible Murder.

account Of a horrible murder That EaS
created great excitement III Southern
Oregon. An examination had been
/ had at jacksonville, when the follow,
/ ing facts were developed:
, McMahon, the murdered man, was
a single man, living alone on bis sheep
ranch Oh Butte Creek, some sixteen
miles northeast Of Jacksonville. lie
came there in 1860 from French
. Prairie, in Marion county, with a
small ilock Of sheep, which increased
7 by purchase as well IL by natural IN
crease, until the time oI his death.
when they numbered about 1888 head.
i mountain trail runs from the
I South UmGgua, 10y way Of Elk Creek,
crossing Rogue River Al Bybee'S Fer,
~. about ten miles above Rock Point
10 McM4hon'S ranch. Barden seems
to have been acquainted with McMa-
non for some limr, and has been IN Tie
habi, Of passing over tie tai! 10 and
from his ranch for years. Two OF
three Times, before The murder, he
went over there Tor the os'easiJ.c pur.
pose oftry;uL 10 Iuy hi, sheep. On one
these Of nirs, Caley, bis vvcsmp.icy
IN the murder, was wi;h him, and al
Bybec'> Ferry Barden first PToposc,!
to him that they should Kill McAIahon
and take the sheep. Carey at first
declined, bat was finally hired by Bar
den to accompany him and lake part
in the murder.
Two days before the murder, they
came 10 McAahon'~ house, staId all
night wiki him, returned TO Bybec'>
Ferry whore they spent The night, aud
the next day returned to A!cNahon'S
for the purpose Of committing the
murder. They did not find an oppor-
tunily 10 carry out their design uutii
the afternoon, when they eu;icei Nc
MahOu cut 10 look at the sheep. They
all went Up 4 @ulch about a mile from
Ihe mouse, "",N'nS IN Jta", Ntc-sLa, ,
hon ahead, followed by bdrden, and
Carey in the rear. BarIeu drew Il
revolver and shot McAlIhon iwia" IN
'he 1@cN Part oi me h'ad' Just ABOVE
ana OeNiAd 'ae IiSh. ear, tearing on
most me "n2'e si"e q 'Ee N'au'
lie fell dead without even grcan or
a struggle. lhey then carried him a
lew steps I" spot where the creek
mad washed o"t The earth irom the
70 is Of a tree. leaving barely room
Tor ihe body. irey lEcn Threw IL the
b D'dy 50 aS 10 lie Iii lie !cit s.Gr, COY
cred II ar with brush AMI 'tayc5, a"d
then went bacN 10 the AoaS2, whore
tleE gathered Hp the sheep, sler, iAat
night III the murdered mans bed, aEd
the next day drove the sheep oil the
range ON the way to tie So"ih I'm. .
q"a, where they Kept them antl.-tAcir
arrest.
MtAahon was indebted to I. ).
Ryan, oi jacksonville, about FIVE hun
drcd dollars, aud RYAN, becoming uu-
easy, telegraphed to Blrticn to know
whether the purchase money for lie
sheep was ali paid. lie answered d:
" Payments ali made; 4icMaAon gone
10 Albany 10 buy Sheep y shUr;
time thereafter he went to Canyon
vile, and in LeYin'S store forged 4
letter from Mc&ahon to CAas. Griffin,
telling hlm to take the things from
the house and keep them unJiI his rc-
turn, and iucIosed in it the key 20
McMahan's house. He sisucd the
letter, - Mack mahon.'
Dis, anu o'n5r circumstances Ie'
Tba r. ~ dav afler fb@;r arriyaI % " >, ,,c5 .ia,i,
sonvi!le. Carey. under promise from
the District Attorney that his life
.I,I,lI b, srara1 ,paIa 81 F,lI ..rf,..
Son ~ ,La r,nrl.r .nl Io..r;L,,I ,I,,
locality IN which the hoJv ,.ouIf ha
f,uud lie made . .ksicb cf tho
Urcuul. from which no difficulty WAS