The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-11-21
MAY YET BE LYNCHEO,
A Son Accused of the Muir
der of Father and
Mother.
INTENSE EXCITEMENT.
Hundreds of Neighbors Attend
the Hearing at the Coro-
ner'S Inquest.
CHASTITY BULLET HOLES.
The Three Murdered Persons Had
Been Shot and One Was
Mutilated.
INTENSE EXCITEMENT.
CHASTITY BULLET HOLES.

BROWNSVILLE, Or, Nov. 20.-Lloyd
Montgomery. IS years of age, was arrested
bv Sheriff McFerron of Lynn County this
afternoon Tor the murder of his father,
John MONTGOMERY, his mother and D. B.
McKercher a Touring merchant of Craw-
fordsviIIe. at Templeton Homestead, three
miles from here.
Young Montgomery was brought to
Brownsville this evening and placed in
Jail under guard. 1t is feared that public
indignation may break over the bounds
Yesterday afternoons fearful tragedy.
Coroner Jayne impaneled a jury shortly
before noon to-day at the Templeton farm
house and heard the evidence OF the
Montgomery children, Edward Gilkey ana
members of the family of the murdered
mans brother.
The evidence at the inquest was listened
TO by an immense crowd OF people who
gathered at the scene of the shooting.
Excitement in the neighborhood is in
tense. The dead bodies of Mrs. Mont
gomery, Mr.. Montgomery and McKercher
were viewed at the farmhouse by hun
dreds Of people. The Coroner's jury,
after hearing all the circumstances of the
crime, returned verdict to the effect that
Lloyd Montgomery, the murdered mans
son, is the assassin OF his parents and
Mckercher.
Young Montgomery says he is innocent.
His preliminary examination will be held
tomorrow, probably. 1t is stated that he
was not on the best of terms with his
father, and that the motive Of the hor-
rible murder Of his parents and the inno-
cent caller at the house seems to have
been fendish desire for revenge.
The circumstances of the shooting of the
Montgomerys and McKercher are most
extraordinary. The shooting took place
at about 4 o'clock, in broad daylight.
John Montgomery's brother lives IN a
house about 500 yards away. This family
is the nearest neighbor to the murdered
mans family. John Montgomery family
consists Of himself and his wife and five
children. -Four of the younger children,
who attend school, returned some minutes
after O'Clock and discovered the mutt
lated body Of the father and husband near
the picket fence in front. McKercher' s
BODY was in the sitting-room and Mrs.
Montgomery body was just inside the
door in the dining-room. All had CHASTITY
bullet-holes through their heads, and the
mother was shot through the heart.
D. B. McKercher went to the Templeton
farm yesterday afternoon about $3.50
o'clock He rode horse, and upon stop
ping hitched his horse at the front of the
house and went in. McKercher is the
owner of q fourmiIl at Charlottesville,
eight miles from Brownsville. He was a
single man, about 35 years of age, was
highly respected and well known all over
the country. He had been there but a few
moments when the murderer began his
fearful work. Young Montgomery had
been at home yesterday afternoon. About
$50 P. N. he went to the pasture after q
horse at the request OF his father. Fifteen
minutes afterward he heard, as he said, g
volley OF shots. This comedies with the
story OF the traveller on the road who
heard the shots and scream at the same
time.
The man who heard the shooting on the
road is Edward Gilkey OF Portland. Gikey.
who is hop-buying agent for CAPITA in Pope
before the shooting. When he heard the
FOlleV OF SnOIS lie HcIS
shooting and did not turn back to investi.
gate. Members of the family of the brother
of the murdered man say they heard five
or six shots in quick succession.
The assassin had taken his victims by
surprise evidently, as the bodies indicated
that they had been in the act OF fleeing for
safety. The victims were shot with rife
belonging to Montgomery. The rife with
which the shooting had been done was
found lying across McKercher's legs where
it had apparently been placed by the MUIR
derer, the object being TO give an impress
sion that McKercher had done the killing
and then killed himself.
The theory of suicide and murder was
not borne out by the circum stances and
the Coroner's jury decided that young
Montgomery story did not tally with the
circumstances. He is the only person
known to have been on the premises at the
time of the killing. Young Montgomery
said he had been gone fifteen minutes when
he heard shots fred. He did not return to
the house until the younger children had
returned from school. The motive of the
crime seems to have been revenge. The
situation looks dark for young Montgom-
cry, because he had been quarreling with
his father. He is regarded as wild and
reckless young man. Public opinion is
equally divided as to his guilt.