The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-09-26
ONE DAYS MURDER LIST
Three 0Ctogenarians Are Among
Those Killed.
SOME OF THE VICTIMS VERY YOUNG.
Various Motives for the Crimes,
Robbery the Chief.

Yard In Hartford Early In tho Evsainr-
Those Inside the House at the Time Tell
Conflicting Storios-No Clue to tho Mar
der or Aged Farmer Righuey and His
Wife In Their Farmhouse at Newtowp,
PA Woman Shot Down In Her
Home In an Attempt to Rescue Her
from Attnck-A hoy Husband Kills His
VITO and Himself In Atlanta - Several
Murders In West virRinia-A Public
School Superintendent Killed In His Bea.
HARTFORD. Sept 25.-James MoKeown. q fee
BILE old man Of 80 years, who lives at 70 Howard
street in an old two-story- and a. half wooden
building. was found bleeding and unconscious
on the stone walk at the side Of his house at 10
o'clock last night and died this morning. His
death was the result Of blows on the head that
fractured his skull. Four arrests have been
made. and it Is beloved that tho murderer 10
among them
James McKeown was born in the north Of
ireland. Of Scotch parents. and came to this
country and to Hartford In 1853. For twenty
six years he worked as porter In Seymour's
hardware store on State street. and by miserly
habits he slowly acquired q fortune. He owned
three houses on Howard street. adjoining the
one in which he lived, and had a considerable
amount Of money In the bank. McKeown had
always lived in this little old house and was
well-known In the neighborhood. A few
years ago he got housekeeper. Mary
Mccoy, a middle-aged woman. whose son
Samuel lived with them and made up the
household. Tho murdered man had one
brother. William McKeown. ten years younger
than himself. who lived with his wife and ono
son at POS Woodland street. After Mrs. Mo.
Coy went to live at his brothers. William and
his wife refused to visit James. John Fee. Q
barber. had a shop in the front part Of the
McKeown house. Fee has been friendly with
Mrs. Mccoy.
On Sunday evening the side door Of the
house WAS left unlocked by Mrs. Mccoy so
that hsr son might come In late. About $50
o'clock two men were seen about the premises.
Tho back yard abuts on the railroad. and one
Of the men climbed up a telegraph pole from the
railroad tracks He dropped over the picket
fence into the yard. He was seen by Patrick
McDermott and Patrick Sullivan. next door
neighbors but they attached no Importance to
It. believing he was merely making short cut
into Howard street Tho man went back and
called to his companion, but he refused to
come up.
Neither Houlhan nor Mod ermott recognized
the man. and he disappeared down the pas.
sageway leading to the street. It was only
short time after this that John Fec says he
found Mr.. McKeown lying unconscious on tho
fIagstone walk leading from the side door to
the street.
Fees story Is that he paid McKeown So for ,
rent about IL o'clock yesterday forenoon. aud
did not see him again during the day. Some
time after o'clock in tho evening he heard .
disturbance In the yard. and called out is
that you. Sammy" Tho response no says he
got was: 1T amt Sammy" Fee then started
out Of doors and ran down tho walk. and SEQ
N ms rupDinU rtal n nurauff-
He soon stumbled over the body OF McKeown.
Mrs. McCoy's stories are conflicting. The
story she told the reporters was that shortly
after she had retired she heard the outside
door open. and supposng 1t was her son.
called to him. There was no response. and In
q moment more some one rushed into her
room. and. jumping on the Led. began choking
her. She cried for help and the stranger ran
into tho kitchen. where Mckeown was. having
from his bedroom.
The intruder grnppled with McKeown and
on ont the 10 back Of the head caused him to drop
man then ran away. Mrs. Mccoy said this
took only a minute or two. and although she
10 one Of the police officers Mrs. Mccoy said
otter the man ch2ked her he ran y cut Of tho
peas She saw him standing in the door Of
his room. He told her TO go buck to bed which
Sho Qlu. ana supposed tnaL ne nuu tno
same. She did not seq him again until she
saw him lying unconscious on the flag walk.
The physician that was called said there was
no chance for the old mans recovery. Tho
front OF the skull was crushed. The wound
was MS il 1t had been made with a heavy club
like a baseball bat, and was three or four
inches in diameter. The victim died this
without having recovered conscious:
ness. The police arrested Mrs. Mccoy. samuel
Mccoy, her son: John Fee. barber and Frank
Munsill. McCoy's friend.
Young Mccoy said at first that he had been
calling at the house OF his uncle, Mt ltetreat
avenue. Whom the uncle was seen he said that
young Mccoy bad not been there at all, Mctqy
also said he had been out walking on Main
street with Munsill. This story was confirmed
by Munsll. who says he and Mccoy were to-
gether till about 10 o'clock.
From the beginning 1t was evident that MrI
Mccoy knew more than she would tell. In
the first place. there were absolutely no marks
Of violence on her body. Had she been chOIed
~ she declares she was. there wo uld have been
some evidence OF 1t on her throat,
Mrs Mccoy admitted. on being closely Ques-
.ioned. that Fee. the barber. was in her room
or twenty minutes before the murder. Tho
police think she will reveal something yet
lore definite about tho murder.
1t Is not known how much the old man was
worth.