Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-03-12
BODY BROUGHT HERE
Remains of Mrs. Lang Inferred
in Local Cemetery.
MURDER NEAR WHEATON, ND.
Sons of the Man Accused Allege Men
tai Disorder.
KNOWS NOTHING OF THE CRIME
Greenbacks, Gold and Bonds Found in
Bed Occupied by Deceased
Good Reputation.
MURDER NEAR WHEATON, ND.
KNOWS NOTHING OF THE CRIME

/ Special Dispatch to The Star.
| ROCKVILLE, Md, March 12-Funeral
services over the remains of Mrs. Mary
! Lang. the aged woman who was murdered
| last Saturday night at the home of her SON.
| in-law, William H Mckay about a mile
| from Wheaton, were held at 10 o'clock this
! morning in St. Johns Catholic Church,
| Forest Glen. The pastor of the church.
| Rev. Charles o. Rosensteel, conducted the
| services. The remains were taken to Wash
| ington for interment.
| Benjamin B. Mckay and John Mckay.
both of Washington, sons of William H.
| Mckay, who Is charged with the murder
of Mrs. Lang, spent the greater portion of
| yesterday in Rockville in connection with
| the case. They stated that they were too
| overcome with grief to discuss the case at
any length. The young men expressed the
| belief, however that the deed had been
| committed by their father but said that
there was no doubt that he was mentally
unbalanced at the time. Within the past
| few years, they explained, their father had
| had several severe spells Of grip and
| each time he was left in a state of great
| mental depression. When in that condi-
| tion they added, he would drink quite
heavily and that always aggravated his
| mental disorder. Such was his condition,
| they say, the day of the tragedy and for a
week or more prior thereto.
Knows Nothing of the Murder.
Mckay still maintains that he knows
nothing Of the murder Of his mother-in-law
| The only remark that could be construed
| into possible admission on his part that
he had anything to do with the affair was
| when some one asked him why he had
killed the old lady. In reply he inquired:
Did kill her?' seeming not quite sure
whether he had done so or not The pris-
oner was visited yesterday by his chief
counsel. Edward c. Peter. Mckay is in an
extremely nervous condition and phys cian
! visited him yesterday and prescribed for
him.
The evening following the discovery of
the murder about $500 in greenbacks, about
S145 in gold and bonds of the value of
about 1000 We're found secreted in the
old lady's bed Her grandsons say they
were not aware that she possessed the
property in question.
Workmen were engaged last evening in
papering certain rooms in the Mckay home
and late last night Mrs Mckay and her
children, who, it is stated, a day or two
before the tragedy fled to Washington
through fear of violence at the hands of
Mckay, returned to her home All the
members of the family attended the fu-
neral this morning.
Trial of the Case.
McKay's case will undoubtedly be called
for trial at the term of the circuit court for
this county which is scheduled to begin
here next Monday. The criminal docket
will not be taken up until Thursday March
2S, and the case will probably be tried soon
after that date. There is believed to be no
doubt that the defense will be insanity.
A citizen of Wheaton district, in discuss
tod hot bo
garded by his friends and neghbors as one
OF the most inoffensive old gentlemen in
that section of the county. 1t was added
that the people of the section in question
respected him and the general opinion
seems to be that he was insane at the
time he committed the brutal murder.
Task Not Pleasant One.
|. When Undertaken Humphrey reached the
house and took charge of the body he real
lied that his task was anything but a
pleasant one He found there was only one
garment upon the body the absence Of
other garments and the nature of the
wounds causing him to believe that there
had probably been a struggle and that the
elderly woman had made a fight for her
life. 1t did not necessarily follow the I'M
dertaker reasoned that there had been no
struggle because the body of the victim lay
upon the bed. There was so much blood
about the room that it was impossible to
tell just how it got there The blood it is
realized, may have been spilled during
struggle, or it may have been smeared by
the slayer of the woman after the deadly
work had been completed. Money was
found in all parts of the room. some of the
gold being in the bed beneath the body
The gold as was the case with everything
else in the room, was smeared with blood
The same is true of one of the government
bonds.
Twenty-one distinct cuts were found
about the head Of the victim. There was
one terrible wound in the front and another
in the back Of the skull, but it was impos-
sible to tell whether the wounds were the
result Of one or two blows. Undertaken
Humphrey found that probe inserted in
one wound found an exit on the opposite
side Of the head. The numerous cuts were
sutured in order to have the face and head
of the corpse present as good an appear
ance as possible for the funeral
William H. Mckay was well known
in this city when he was in the dairy
business here his home being near Sher-
man avenue and Lamont street. He was
reputed to be a man Of considerable
wealth when he resided here, and. 1t
is stated, he owned what was known as
Pixton's woods. his property including
the site of the Mt. Pleasant Congrega-
tional Church. Mckay owned a great
many cows, and the animals were kept
on the pasture east of l4th street, IN
Guiding the property that Is now occu-
pied by Mai. Sylvester on Euclid street
Long before that section was improved
the boys residing in the northern sec
ton of the city had habit Of playing
upon the Mckay property. and many of
them recall that old Man me, Mckay tS.a as
It is said by persons who were well
acquainted with the prisoner that Nc.
he moved from this city. some of his
friends declaring that at such times he
displayed symptoms of mental disorder.
About six years ago, it is stated. the
family moved to farm near Hyatts-
Vile, afterward going to the place where
the crime was committed. Mr.. and Mrs.
Mckay have six sons and three daugh-
tiers.
Sons Employed Here.
One son, Colin c. Mckay. is a men,
Der of truck F company Of the local fire
department. and resides at 1872 Morton
street. Another son, John Mckay, re-
sides at $50 Park road, and is employed
by the Capital Traction Company. His
mother and the younger children came
to his house to remain when they feared
violence at the hands of the husband
and father. The other sons are Benja-