Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1901-08-30
A FOUL :MuRD|'E.Rl. il J |:
John McGrath Of Rush City Robbed
and Killed. : -
AssAss'Ns STILL At LARGE

Deed Done Near Oarliao---$600 Re-
ward Offered.
John McGrath Of Rush City, .!::inn..
aged about % years, was robbed
and then murdered, about 2 O'Clock
last Saturday morning, ina cattle
car ON a swiftly moving train near
Darling, by persons still unknown
and not yet apprehended. Paul Nc.
Grath, who vas with his brother,
narrowly escaped death, but was
robbed, as was also Patrick Couni-
ham.
The McGrath brothers left Rush
City Friday noon bound for the
harvest fields of North Dakota and
were joined here by Conniham.
Arriving at Little Falls Friday even.
ing they got into a cattle car loaded
with steel rails. When the train was
about three miles out of town three
men got into the car from an end
window. Conniham had sore foot
and lighting a match to look, at It,
saw the three strangers. On this
momentary view, for a few moments,
by, the Pickering light, rests the hope
of Identifying the assailants. A man
named Sharp was aleo in the car.
Not far this side of Darling, one of
the strangers, who were in thu oppo-
site end of the car from the Rush
City crowd, asked Conniham where
he came from. Connlham replied
that he was from Iowa. The fellow
Immediately pulled pistol and said
he wanted some Iowa money.
Another .robber advanced to John
McGeath, demanded his money and
fired at him. He must have heen in
stantly killed. Paul McGra:h es-
capped a bullet, aud rushed for the
rear, getting out of the window. al
most falling down, and. climbed on
top of the car. In the meantime the
robbers held up sharp and Conniham,
tbs leader saying that there was
lone guy already stiff in the car, and
there would BE- more if they didn't
shell out" This would show that
the robbers knew McGrath was dead.
They got but 25 cents from Conni-
ham, and not much from Sharp,
Paul, up on the car, was not left
alone long. Two Of the villains ap-
peared, made him give up all the
money he had, about $13, and then,
with cold-blooded brutality, gave
him a push off the rear end of the
car, evidently not caring whether
another crime was added to the list.
Paul fortunately caught hold OF a
brake rod, held on and began climb
ing back through the window into
the car where his dead brother lay.
The robbers outside kicked and
pushed him through the window,
and were then Joined by their COM
panion, and after warning the vic
tims to be quiet, jumped off the
train. Paul McGrath took his
brothers head in his lap, and tried
to detect signs of life. The others
shouted as loud as they could, but
in the rumble and roar of the NOV
ing train, it is not strange that they
were not heard for some time.
a. Lincoln the train men heard
the yells, and Investigated. huding
the dead man and three very much
frightened men. Toe car was de.
tached and the authorities notified
at once Coroner Dumont went up
and brought the body down Satur.
day morning. Az inquest was held,
and verdict rendered that the de.
ceased had come to his death at the
! hands OF persons unknown. The
murdered man was shot through the
/ lungs: He Wore cork leg. = =
The relatives were notified, and ,tbe
body shipped to Rush City, accom-.
panied by Paul AIc(irath, who Ger.
| tainly will never forget his fearful
ride, nth the ha:ad Of his dead
brother III his Tap. The funeral toos
place. al Ruah City Monday morning
from she church OF: the Sacred Heart
Tie deceased was b single man man
and belonged to- q family n wel
known u eastern lNinnssota AMI
!. Wisconsin. His. brother, J amets sdc
a. IL