The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-10-26

did not attend the wedding of the Van
Royens, and did not know that they
were married until several weeks after
ward.
II am absolutely innocent of this
crime,'' he said, land l do not under
stand why it was committed I can not
conceive of a motive, unless 1t was
that of robbery, or that Van Royen had
some enemy that we knew nothing
about"
Asked why he or his brother had not
begun an immediate search for Van
Royen after the bodies of the women
were discovered, he said that he, like
all the rest, had concluded that Van
Royen had done the deed and had es-
capped.
Asked why. n the event that he did
think that Van Royen had committed
the murder, prior to the discovery OF
the latter's bod y, he did not institute Il
search for the man or at least notify
the police or the sheriff, he said that he
was too nervous to use the telephone.
He did not use the telephone on the
afternoon that the bodies were discov-
cred. he said, and he did nothing else
this by saying that he was too over
come by the shock.
Mcmahon admits that he was not on
friendly terms with either his murdered
sister or her husband, but he asserts
that the latter quit speaking to him
first, and he says he doesn't know why
The real quarrel between Patrick Nc
Mahon and the Van Royens began
when the latter were living in the Nc
Mahon home. 1t began at the break
fast table and while peace was made
apparently, Patrick and his sister were
ever afterward Indifferent to each 9TH
err. He says he never visited the home
of the Van Royens, solely because he
thought he was not welcome.
Even after the incident of the quarrel
at the breakfast table, Mcmahon says
that he and Van Royen were still on
good terms.
In his statement Mcmahon admits
that he was opposed to the Van Royens
living at the Mcmahon home because
he thought they would influence his
mother in the disposition of the Nc
Mahon property"
Mcmahon is a graduate of the Kan
sas City high school and Kansas City
school Of law. He practiced law some
time in Kansas City.
Found Revolver in Road.
A heavy set man who refused to
give his name was displaying a revolt
yer last night near the farm on Reidy
Road in Wyandotte county. where
Alonzo Van .Royen. his wife and his
sister-in-law, Rosa Mcmahon, were
murdered last Tuesday afternoon. He
said that he had found IT under the
little bridge on the Reidy Road east
of the farm. It was a .38-caliber Colt,
and contained six cartridges which
had been fired.
my brother and I met the man and
he showed us the rev diver" Charles
Williams. who lives about mile east
of the Van Royen farm. said. HE
sa1d that he had found i'll under the
bridge and was going to take it to the
city and turn it over to the chief of
detectives
At a late hour last night the man
had not visited the sheriff's office or
police headquarters. The bullets
found in the bodies of the murdered
persons are in THE pr asession of DIR.
]. A. Davis, coroner. He said that he
could not tell w:,ar. make of revolver
they were fired from. but they are 38-
ealiher bullets.
Patrick Lamb. who is employed on
the Mcmahon farm. was questioned
for three hours 1ass night by Albert
Becker, sheriff Of Wyandotte county,
and Joseph Brady, under sheriff
Lamb was at the farm the day of the
murder. At the close of the question
| ing the sheriff said that he had secur-
ed considerable information which
bore out, James McMahon's state
ments concerning the last time he
saw tile women alive.
| The little boy who had stuck his head
out of the car window to address a ques-
| ton to the man on the station platform
drew it In again. Mamma he said,
Issthat man out there says this place is
wydopen. Isn't that "a funny name for