Daily Republican., 1882-08-23
THIRD EDITION.
HBhOc1kdnG OPy OF Triple murder
In llI1mO1S.

A ,sDecial despatch Un Chicago
SAYS: The most intense eeAcltement was
caused in Chestnut, L gan county,
about -four miles southwest OF Kenney,
ON Sunday afternoon, by the discovery
that Charles McMahop, one Of the
Wealthiest farmers in Logan county,
had been murdered, together with his
two hired men, John OaTlotk and ROD
,ert Matheny, whose heads were nearly
cut from their bodies by the use OF
some keen edged instrument McMa,
hon was a highly respected citizen, and
for several months had been living at
the place where the crime was commit
ted, with his hired men, 1t ts suppos-
O. cd the crime was committed Friday
night, as the men were se, on Friday
stacking grain in the fields. 1t was An
easy matter for the murderers to effect
an entrance into their house, as they
never looked 1t at night and were ex-
posed to the attacks of any one who
might soc fit to rob or murder them.
The two men who lived aith Mcmahon
were found in slough, two hundrou
yards from the house, where they had
been dragged from their beds. From
all appearances they had just retired
for the night, as they had on only a
portion of their clothes when found.
John Carlock was a citizen OF Ealrnelu'
Ill, and Robert Matheny was from
Hazel Dell, Crawford county, Wlsoon'
sin.
The neighbors and prople in the
vicinity are in state OF trenzleo
excitement over the matter, and are
doing all they can to discover the per
petrators of the dastardly crime. The
Tnurderers are supposed to have entered
the house while tne three men were
asleep. as there is no evidence of a
struggle having taken place, and cnC
their throats, then tied their legs and car
ried them to the slough for purpose of hi
ding them until their escape was made
After doing this they are supposed to
have ransacked the house of its valua
bles and taken what money Mcmahon
had on Sis person and fled. The
presumption is that before they could
carry McMahon's body to the slough
they became frightened at something
and dropped 1t in the corner where 1t
was found by farmer named Long,
who suspected that there was something
wrong at the house on Sunday and
went to see about it. A discharged
farmland is suspected ofthe crime. The
clue consists of some tracks which were
followed for two miles and lost.
The Tribune special from Lincoln, ILL.,,
says suspicion was not aroused until
Sunday afternoon, when two neighbors
David Long and Alfred Ayres-called
ut McMahon's to return horse that
had broken out from McMahon's field
into their premises. They found the
house deserted and the stack of grain
and wagons just as they were left on
Friday night. They found Carlock's s
body 300 yards from the house in some
tall grass, his mouth stopped with a
gag, his eyes blindfolded, his hands
and feet securely bound, and his throat
cut from ear to ear. Matheny's body
was found about 20 feet distant, and
McMahon's about 100 yards away, both
bound, gagged, bIindtolded, and their
throats cut. Mcmahon had some mon
ey and a good gold watch in the house.
and all are missing. The manner in
which their legs we're tied would en-
able them to take short steps, and it is
thought before being killed they were
marched from the house to the spot
where the bodies we're found. The
tracks leading from the house indi-
cate that two men were engaged In
the crime, but at present there is no
clue whatever to lead to their pursuit
and capture. 1t is hoped some evidence
may be unearthed in time to present at
the Coroner's inquest tomorrow.