Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1883-05-16
Execution of Ward McConkey.

Ward McConkey, convicted of the murder of
George A. Mcclure, Of McKeesport, in August,
1881, was hanged in the yard of the Pittsburgh
Jail, last Thursday noon. The gallows upon
which he was hung had already been used six
times and McConkey was the 7th man who
died upon it. In the Jail at Pittsburgh at
present there are four more condemned muir
derers-W Weinberger, McSteen, Jones and Car.
ter.
The crime for which Ward McConkey suf-
fered the extreme penalty of the law was COM
mitted at Dead Mans Hollow, q ravine close
by Elrod station, on the Baltimore and Ohio
road, about three miles from NICK eesport A
ing at this time. On Sunday night, July 81,
1881, the grocery and hardware store Of Nc
Clure 4 Henderson, at McKeesport, was enter
ed by thieves and robbed of $500 worth of goods,
mostly hardware. On Monday evening Mr..
George A. Mcclure, one of the proprietors,
heard that some parties had been seen unload.
ing goods from a freight car at Elrod station,
McKeesport. These goods he believed were
the same which had been stolen fiom his store.
Intent on regaining his property, he started for
Elrod on Tuesday, August 2, to investigate the
matter, taking with him a neighbor named
Joseph Lynch. While looking around they
met GeOIBe + lcmiuSy WuO vOluutccIcu u SHOW
them around Dead Mans Hollow rayine
close by, which was calculated for a good hid
ing place for stolen goods. After supper the
party went out, and after agreeing to meet at
certain cedar tree separated to search for the
stolen goods. Fleming found fresh trail, and
returned to the tree to get Mcclure and Lynch
to accompany him in tracing it up. Mcclure
told Lynch to 60 with fleming, and he would
remain at the tree and wait for the police from
McKeesport, who were expected to come up
every moment.
THE MURDER OF GEORGE A. MCCLURE.
Lynch and Fleming started of. and had fol.
lowed the trail about twenty minutes. when
they heard talking in the direction where they
had left Mcclure. Thinking the police had
arrived they turned back land saw Mcclure sur
rounded by seven men,, As soon as the men
volvers and began firing at Mcclure. The lat
fell, pierced by several balls. Fleming was
wounded in the leg by shot, but escaped fur
ther injury by rolling down an enbankment.
Lynch took to his heels and escaped without
injury.
When the news of the murder reached Nc
Keesport the excitement was iAtense. Crowds
of men at once set out for the scene of the MUIR
der, and there found the body of Mcclure.
The murderers had robbed him of the contents
of his pocket book, and had also taken two re-
volvers which he had on his person. Fleming
recognized several of the men among the muir.
derers as having been lettering around McKees-
port for some time. Among them was "Shor-
ty" OConnor, "Reddy" Baskins, Mig" Lee
and Ward McConkey. Search was immediate
| ly made for them, and for few days reports of
men having been arrested as the murderers
came from all quarters The detectives scour-
ed the country, but every clue proved false,
and the case was about to be given up as a
| mystery that would never be revealed. But
early in January of last year word was receiyed
from Sheriff Little, Of Cattaraugus county,
New York, that he had arrested a man there
whom he believed to be Ward McConkey.
County Detective Dressler started at once for
Little Valley, where McConkey was confined,
brought him to Pittsburgh. He made no re-
sistance, and did not demand requisition.
He is the only one of the murderers who has
| ever been found.
THE TRIAL, CONVICTION AND SENTENCE.
| The trial of McConkey began on February
8, 1882, and lasted five days. George Fleming
was one of the witnesses for the prosecution
and he positively identified McConkey as one
of the men present at the shooting. w. D.
1 IN ~sol L~co l. r.