The Montgomery advertiser., 1906-03-11
BROKE UP MOLLE MAGURES;
 NOW ON TRAIL OF DYNAMITERS
Deeds James Mcfarland More Thrilling Than Any of Sherlock Hoe Imaginary FeasAer Thirty Years of Retirement Emeges Hunt
 Down Murderers in the Western Miners Federation.

town across the ridge" were assign ed to do the work.
 few of the murders that aroused the most interest were those of George Major, burgess of Mahanoy City, mur- dereti in 1874; T. w. Langdon. John R. Jones, George K. Smith, and Morgan Powell, all mining superintendents or foremen; Alexander Rae, who was Kill ed in 1868, and whose murderers were never brought to justice until 1876 when they were convicted through the work of McKenna, and Conner James, young miner, who by many people was sus- pected of being a Moliie. ~
 The openness. with which they dis cussed their work among themselves and the pride that they took In per forming crimes was we'll shown in the murder of c 1mer James.
 Killed Brother 0f Mollie.
 He was murdered because he had killed the brother of prominent Nellie in a quarrel He was regularly tried and was acquitted on the ground that he killed the man in self-defense. The Mollies, however, overruled the decis- ion of the regular court, and passed on him the death sentence, which was car lied out at miners picnic
 A dispute arose as to whether Thomas Hurley or another prominent Mollle had shot James, and to determine to whom belonged the honor, the matter was referred to McTSenna. who by that time had become ono of the leaders in the order. After hearing the evidence he decided that Hurley was entitled to the credit for the murder. decision that brougat much pleasure to Hurley and dlscomfiture to the man against whom the decision was made.
 Hurley was one of the few murder CTS of the Q: ter against whom McKenan secured strong testimony who escaped punishment. Whom the arrests began as a result of MoEenna's work. Hurley fled to Colorado. where he remained in hiding until his death flow years ago. It Is strange coincidence that when McKenna sought retirement to escape the vengeance of .he Mollies who wanted to kill him after they learned his real character, he also went to Colorado. where he remained In sec1us- ion for many years.
 Helped in Plotting Murders.
 McKenna soon began to help the Mollfes plot their murders or other crimes and he was supposed by them to bA one of their most bloodthirsty members. while to the general public or the section he was considered to b. ons of the most worthless, drunken skallawags in the mining district Whenever he learned of a murder plot, particularly when he had a hand in
 
 getting warning through the detective agency with which he kept in close touch. so that the crime was frustrat- ed.
 Although he knew that the murder of Policeman Yost was planned, and he once prevented it. he was unable later to prevent the consummation of the crime.
 At one tlme McKenha, with two oth- dr members of his lodge. was de1egat- ed to go over the mountain" to kill a man with whom none of the three twas acquitted, their only knowledge of their intended victim being that he had been condemned by the MolIies of the town in which the man lived. Before they reached the place Me- Kama succeeded in getting his accom- plices into several saloons. where he piled them with liquor until they be- came too badly in. )xicated to help per- form their task. Whom they returned home it was the other two instead of MeKen m, who were blamed by their co npanions because of the failure of the crime.
 WhI key Undermined Health.
 McKenna's ability to drink an enor- nous amount of liquof without becom- ing intoxicated stood him in good stead Nevertheless. he undermined his health by the bad whisky that he drank while engaged in this work, so that when the writer met an acquaintance of the dc teotiye in ths West q few years ago. he was toll that McParlan stilI suffer- ed from the effects of the whiskey that he drank as a Mollie Mcguire.
 The reckless daring of NcKenna was probably best shown In connection with the labor riot at West Shenandoah on June 3, 1875. Labor troubles and strikes existed throughout the mining region that year, the Mollies taking a prominent part 'n he riots. On the day in question twenty-foar Pinherton men, armed with repeating rifles, were sent to qrell a mob of about 300 men, who were marching over the mountain, bent on burning the West Shenandoah