The Wichita daily eagle., 1897-04-03
JOE M'MAHAA SHOT
TEXAS OFFICER SENDS a BULLET
THROUGH HIS IETEsTINEs.
HE CANNOT SURVIVE
some TALK OF LYNOHING HIS
ASsAILANT INDUCED IN.
THE LATTER is SAFE IN JAIL
he MAKES A STATEMENT TO A
REPORTER FOR THE EAGLE.
McMahan Also Made Statement Immedi-
ateIy After He Was Shot, Which is
HE CANNOT SURVIVE
some TALK OF LYNOHTNG HIS
ASSAILANT INDUCED IN.
THE LATTER is SAFE IN JAIL
He MAKES A STATEMENT TO A
REPORTER FOR THE EAGLE.
McMahan Also Made a Statement Immedi-
ateIy After He Was Shot, Which is
Also Published.

AT $50 yesterday afternoon Joseph B
Mcmahon was shot and probably fatally
wounded in the Manhattan hotel in this
city by ]. V. Cunningham, deputy sher-
if Of Taylor county, Texas.
If Joe McMahon dies, one of the mos:
generous hearted fellows that ever struck
Wichita will go off the scene of action
mourned by host of friends. including
this community generally.
Mr. Cunningham, the man who shot
him. has been representing the majesty
of the law OF Texas, which offers not
only protection to life, but security to
property. He was here for man who
is charged with burning a hotel building
in the town of Abeline, in that state.
These remarks are preliminary to the
statement that some hot heads were talk
ing very foolshly last night about the
propriety OF breaking down the Jail and
lynching Mr.. Cunningham. Such re-
marks were altogether out of place. es-
pecially as il was very hard to get at
the facts in the case. Mr.. Cunningham
IS in the hands of the law of Kansas and
If he is guilty Of offense against that law
there is no reason to feel alarmed about
his punishment, especially in a ccmmu-
nifty like this where Mr.. McManon has so
many friends.
The officers Of Wichita, because it is in
law respecting Kansas, will give Mr..
Cunningham ample protection.
l.
is 10 be regretted especially. and that is
that if Mr.. McMahon dies he will have
lost his life over some worthless fellow
wilo may have burned the hotel at Alb
cline. 1t is certainly too bad that the
lives of good men should be jeopardiZed
TO save the liberty of such fellows. but
Joe Mcmahon took many such chances,
as he was always sticking up for and pro
tecting the fellows he had around him,
not because he wanted to shield them
from the consequences of any crime they
may have committed, but because they
were mis- men, and after hearing a well
put up talk from them he generally stood
by them.
The whole evidence in the case must be
heard before anybody can tell the extent
the shooting. 1t is probably case that
ought to be left to the courts altogether
ana the less the people say about it, that
is merely rumor, the better the cause Of
justice will be served. 1t is hoped that
justice, for the sake of justice. will be
done 70 Mr.. Cunningham. If he COM
mitted murder he should go 10 the peni-
ientiary for life; if he committed no
crime within the meaning of the law,
he should be released and permitted TO
go back to Texas, even though he in
f1icted a mortal wound on a man popu-
lar with all classes in Wichita. The
proper method TO determine this is by an
appeal to the proper courts.
After Mr.. McMahon was shot he was
conveyed to one of the rooms on the sec
doctors summoned They found that one
bullet had entered the side. penetrated
the intestines and lodged against the YER
zebra. They very soon located the bull
let and knowing the condition of ne
wound proceeded to place the patient IN
der opiates and proceedd 10 do all that
medical skill could suggest to save his
life. Before being placed under the in
fuence of opiates, however, he dictated
a statement of the occurrence and, it is
understood, made his Will He dictated
the statement TO T. A. Sullivan. a notary
and also stenographer in the office OF
Amidon & Comfy.
NTMAHON'S STATEMENT
Il had an argument with a man NAM |
ed Cunningham with reference 10 Purdv. |
I told him he was a liar and he pulled |
gun and shot me three times. I had a |
gun but had no time to draw il until |
was shot. No threats were made by /
either ore. He first pulled the gun out |
and whacksd away. After I fell he /
reached over and fired again al me. |
lad no hard feeling al the man and no |
threats had been made on either side /
In the argument I made no threat |
against him. l made no motion to pull I.
my gun before he shot me. l carry a |
gun because live out in a lonely locali /
" and so home late at night and carry /
large sums of money on my person.
j. Is. MMAHON."
Mrs. McNIahon was at the bedside of
her husband soon after the occurrence
and remained With him all night. She
showed remarkable courage under such
} trying ordeal.
There are several different stories told
about The affray.
7. z BONES STATEMENT.
Mr.. T. p. Bone Of this city said: "T
vas sitting in a-chair here" he said in
iicating the recess of the east front Win
low of the Manhattan hotel. when I
heard what thought 10 be an explosion
,c dynamite, and I ran out the door. AZ