The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-10-27

Fs-f I.-
he small one-roomed cabin of the Van
Royens. where were his sisters, Mrs.
Van Royen and Rosa McMahon.
The former he said. was sitting at a
table writing letter. Rosa, he said
was washing out a pair of socks. When
covered. evidence showed that they had
been doing just as ne detailed
After entering the cabin James said
he quarreled with his sisters. This, like
the quarrel with the brother-in-law in
the. woods. ended in death for both. He
said he shot the married sister first.
). Could Not Keep Silent.
James appeared ~ to have no
hesitancy in telling of the shooting of
Van RoYen and the latter's wife. but
when it came to telling of the cold
blooded murder of his innocent sister,
no quarrel with her. he hesitated 1t
took some persuasion on the part of
Prosecutor Taggart to get him to con-
fess to the killing of Rosa.
The first definite information. Mr..
Taggart said, came to him yesterday
morning by telephone from a farmer
named J. w. Elkins, living near the
Mcmahon farm. Elkins told how
James Mcmahon had taken him to a
shock of corn fodder near the Nc
Mahon home the previous day and
had shown him hidden therein So
and box containing a diamond ring,
a wedding ring and other jewelry
taken from the Van Royen home and
from the dead body of Mrs. Van
Royen.
Elkins said James had cautioned
him to say nothing about it. He
seemed in such a state, Elkins said,
that he just had to tell somebody.
Another valuable piece of in
formation was gained early yester-
Il Dot -{,Ix I,o
McMahon's farm hand, after Lamb
had been "sweated'', all night long
After the long siege he. confessed that
he had told an untruth when he said
that he had seen, the two women alive
at the cabin at $40 p. m, on the
James Mcmahon had. induced him to
say that. James hirAseIf said, on the
day the bodies were found, that he
had seen his two sisters alive at
$40 p. m, and he referred to Lamb
to prove his statement
The statement that the women
were alive and well at $3.50 was the
first thing that looked queer to the
officials. 1t had been clearly estab-
lished, from numbers who heard the
and located the spot, that it was about
2:3O o. m. Then in something over
an hour the series of shots which
killed the women was heard overto-
ward the Van Royen CABIN. 49,
Jewelry in Corn Shock.
About II O'Clock yesterday morn
ing Sheriff Becker. accompa lieds by
EIkins and . deputies from the for
mer's office drove to the Mcmahon
farm Elkins led the sheriff to the
corn shock Beneath which was found
grain sack containing the follow
ing:
Mrc Van TOVen
Diamond stud, belonging to Van
Royen.
Gold cuff links, belonging to Van
Royen.
Royen.
Silk handkerchief.
Revolver, 32-caliber on Al frame.
Box containing &c SS-caliber shells
Elkins told how James Mcmahon had
called him to the farm by telephone
that James went to several shocks of
corn and gathered up the loot which
had been taken from the house and the
dead body. of his married sister also
getting the revolver. w. Elkins said
he held the grain sacks while James
placed in the stuff and hid it all be-
meath the shocks where it was found.
Exonerates His Brother.
Following the finding Of this valuable
evidence, James Mcmahon was arrest
ed at his house. In fact, County At
torney Taggart already had ordered
his arrest on evidence. he had gained
from Lamb James was driven at once
to the county Jail, where he later made
his confession, Later in the afternoon
Patrick Mcmahon, the other brother,
was arrested at the home and locked
in the jail.st7'
did this thing alone" James said sew
eral times, land that Pat had nothing
whatever to do with it"
James said he had been planning the
killing of; Van Royen and his married
sister for about three months. The
pened to be there on the day of the
killing caused him to kill her. too. He
said, he had had no previous thought of
killing Rosa.
Brothers in Penitentiary.
Leavenworth, Kan, Oct. 7.-James
Mcmahon, Patrick Mcmahon and Pat
rick Lamb were brought to the state
penitentiary at Lansing at O'Clock
last night in automobiles to escape pos
sible mob violence in Kansas City
: Only James Mcmahon. the confessed
murderer of Alonzo Van Royen, Mrs.
Alonzo Van Royen and Miss Rosa Nc
Mahon, is under warrant. Patrick Nc
Mahon and Patrick Lamb, a hand en-
ployed on the Mcmahon farm near
Kansas City. Kansas, were given shell
ter within the prison walls at their
own request, inspired by fear of mob
violence.
While his two companions made lit
tie effort to conceal their alarm, James
Mcmahon was Indifferent and particu-
lar about his personal appearance. re-
questing that he be allowed to comb his
hair before his photograph was taken
by the record clerk.
James Mcmahon reiterated his con-
fession at the prison and in it he ex-
cused his brother Patrick from guilt.
The men ate hearty suppers before be :
ing locked in their cells.
The three men were put in separate