The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1889-10-24
First Murder in Kenosha County

The murderous transaction in the
town of Bristol, in this county, on
Thursday last, reminds old settlers
that the first murder committed in
this county was in this city on the
23d of July, 1850, now nearly forty
years ago. The murderer was John
McCafery, and the victim was his
wife. We are enabled to state the
circumstances attending this first
murder with considerable minute
ness. The house in which McCaf-
fiery resided is still standing; it is a
small brick building on the west side
of the railroad, a short distance
north of where the old Match Fac
tory stood. The evening on which
the crime was committed was bright,
moonlight and delightfully."- pleasant.
McCaffery and his wife, as well as
their neighbors, spent the early part
of the evening sitting out in front of
their dwelling. Later when all had
retired indoors for the night, Nc
Gallery and wife remained, but en-
gagged in lively conversation, the
wife being heard to indulge in loud
laughter. At eleven o'clock terri
BILE shrieking was heard; neighbors
as soon as possible went out to learn
the cause. There was a shallow
we'll of water never used for drinking
purposes, which had become stag
nant and unfit for domestic use.
From this we'll MCCafferty was seen
to emerge, his clothes dripping with
water and muddy. The thought
was at once suggested that Mccall
ferty had been dealing foully with
his wife. The woman was found
dead in the we'll, and apparently
thrown in head-foremost and trodden
upon until strangled to death. Pc
liceman Philip Carey was soon at the
scene; he notified the Mayor, only a
few blocks away. McCafferty, who
in the meantime changed his clothes,
putting on a pair of white linen
pants, was found sitting by the side
Of his wife, whose body had been
laid on the floor. McCafferty was
asked for an explanation: he per-
sisted in repeating, he knew nothing
about it, that it was all a mystery
He was taken to the Council room,
building then standing on Market
Square, and was the next day com
mitted to jail.
McCafferty was tried in the Ke-
nosha County Circuit Court, Judge
Edward V. Wilton presiding, and
found guilty of murder in the first
degree, capital punishment then be-
ing in force in this state. His gal
lows was erected on the then open
prairie in that part of the town
where the brass works are now To-
Gated. n. R. Allen was at that time
Sheriff of Kenosha County. Capt.
Ouigley with his uniformed military
company was present as a matter of
form, not necessity, for no one
dreamed of disorder. The doomed
man had no sympathizers, although
there were then citizens opposed to
capital punishment who petitioned
the Governor for his Communication to
Imprisonment for life. His exeCu-
ton occurred on a pleasant day, free
to all who chose to witness 1t. The
crowd of spectators was not as large
as might have been expected. Nc
Cafferty continued stolid and appar-
emily Indifferent to the last. He was
advised to employ counsel for trial
and had the legal services of E. W.
Evans, lawyer of ability, and as he
had no heirs for his property, he
gave lawyer Evans deed of his
house and lot for his services. The
time for hearing the concluding
speech of Mr.. Evans being an
nounced, the Court House was
crowded to hear what could be said
in defence of man who had none.
Evans entertained the people for
an hour under all the disadvantages,
with a speech of moving eloquence.
As an appendix to the account Of
this revolving murder, the stories of the
haunted McCafery house may be brief
" noticed. The house in which Nc
Gallery and wife had resided was for
rent. There is a strange hallucination,
which has more or less prevailed, that
houses which have been the scene Of
murder, are haunted So it was with
the McCafery house. Different ten
ants occupied the house after the muir
der, but vacated, alleging that the dis
turbing noises nights, were such they
could not sleep. The story of the
haunted McCafery house, became SO
uoised abroad, that curious people came
TO stop in it over night. Some OF
these with vivid imaginations, thought
they heard some strange things, which
those of we'll balanced minds failed to
hear
Mr.. E. P. Lovejoy, large dealer in gen.
eral merchandise at Wabuska, Nevada, says:
81 have tried St Patrick's Pills and can