Weekly independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 1887-1914, 1908-01-03
Life Terner Dying

fenced from Virginia City twenty-five
years ago to serve a life term for the
murder Of his wife. While drinking
Mahoney returned to his home one
night and seizing an ak literally chop
ped lis wife to pices. lie was SEN
fenced to serve a life term. At the time
Of the crime he was 81 years Of age and
now he Ii on the verge Of four core.
II is likely the board Of partnDs wonld
have Released the prisoner ~"v"tnl Year,
ago but he had no home e. - t., hui
children refusing To take him in.-Car'
con News.
The above calls to min Il thrilling
incident in the life of tbs writer, 'or II
was he who carried the news ~ the
murder OF Mrs. NJ honey to the officers
at Virginia City. AT the time Of the
murder, the writer was principal OF the
Sutro school. Mahoney and his wife
lived 0t Shaft No. > OF tie Sutn tunnel,
where he was employed rs watchman.
Ii is a lonely place, situated in II deep
mountain canyon.
1t was tie custom OF the writer to
leave Sutro every Friday afternoon at
the close OF school md walk over the
mountains to Virginia City o.; 90
through the Sutro tunuel NJ far rs the
T.. & &. shaft station, LEO feet under
ground, and then be hoisted to the sur
face by the men at the mine. On this
ofknrpNnp no nu1lnI nt,nr Hba -rnln
when near the summit OF the mountains
from the Sutro side, Hn amusing
incident occurred that occupied his
thoughts rs he passed over tho summit
and down the trail past Shaft No. . and
the Mahoney residence and although III
plain view OF both of them for fully
l 200 yards he WIS compelled to swear
during Muhoney's tril that he did not
hal he, he would have seen Mrs.
Mahonoy's corpse lying in the road in
front Of the house.
With mind %engrossed by the amusing
incident, the writer plodded on toward
Virginia City and had just passed SHIFT
No ! nf the tunnei when bis attention
was attracted by the sound Of Il mules
hoofs on the hard mountain DAD and
the Cry OF murder" behind him. He
turned his head and seeing nothing
walked on. The sound Oi hoofs came
nearer and the cry 'wRs more distinct.
Turning around again he saw Mahoney
Oh a bare bncked mule coming around u
sharp bend in the road. Each caught
sight OF the other ut the same instant
and Mahoney threw up his hands and
@Booher, STOP" The writer stood
still and waited for him to ride up. As
stopped his mule, he said: "Booher,
my house is robbed and my old woma
Is killed" 1t was then just dusk and
the reader anuot Imagine the feeling
the writer experienced. 4 cold chill
ran up and down his backbone M the
thoughts OF the fix he was in II nybody
should charge him with. the crime, ms
he had passed the house no; over
twenty minutes before. As soon rs he
gained control OF himself, u hurried con-
versatiop followed and Mahoney was
told Ia get of the mule aud assist the
writer on so that he could notify the
sheriff at Virginia City as soon as
possible. He did so and the writer ran
the mule us fast as he would &c, over the
mountain road and through the streets
OF Virginia City to Mooney's livery
stable on b street. Leaving the mule,
the writer ran into the sheriif's office
and told George Brown, The sheriff, and
Lee McGowun. his deputy, OF
Mahoney's story. As coon us they could
get horses and the mule saddlcd, they
and the writer started for Shaft No. 9,
the scene Of the reported crime. No
grass grew under the feet Of those stceds
that Dight ~ they made tho run from
MONEYS stable to Shaft no. 2.
When they reached tho end OF their
journey, they tound Mahoney kue cling
by the side Of his wiie's corpse, moaning
as il his heart would break and q and
then cursing the writer because he had
brought a physician along TO, attend
his wife, whom he claimed was still
alive. A hurried examination by
Sheriff Brown and his deputy convinced
then that Mrs. Mahoney had been dead
for several hours. Then startcd n
search through the house Tor evidences
OF n robbeoy. Evidences Of d tight tint
ended III Mrs. Mnhoncy's death were
toupd but none Of Il robbery. After the
search had COMO on u few minute.,
Sheriff. Brown quietly told the writer
thai Mahouey had murdered his wife.
This the writer coul 4, not believe. Dur
ing the search, Mahoucy would iuru ON
the winter md curse him Tor not bring
ing a doctor aud claiming his wife
still alive. This finally became unbear-
able and the writer, with the sheriff.
assistance, mounted the mulu anl Won,
to Nirginin City after ID. Cont , who
was then Tie coroner Of Sorcy county.
The memory VI ,uni ride .bn, Diyht on
that lonely mountain road will never DO
cfIHccd. Tho mule wud1d .uiI n while