Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1909-04-21
STORY OF THEMURDER
DESCRIPTION OF THE BRUTAL
KILLING OF THOMAS. f.
HALLORAN.
The Details of the Awful Crime i'm
California by Which Well
known DeCOrahian was
Killed by Fiend.

~ a. - ANhu'
The last issue of Public Opinion
gave TO the people of the county the
news of the murder in cold blood of
Thos. F. Halloran, son of Mr.. and
Mrs. Maurice Halloran of this city,
at Vargo, Mariposa county, Cali
fornia, where he had been filling the
position of section foreman on the
Yosemite Valley railroad. Space did
not permit at that time a complete
description of the awful tragedy.
The victim was so we'll known here,
having lived here all his life until
four years ago, that we believe a
detailed description of the affair will
be of interest. We therefore reprint
the following from the MERGED, Cal
Evening Sun:
Standing in the shadow of the
cabin in which it is charged he COM
mitted a murder, and almost within
the presence of the dead, S. Sheha-
dy, the Pleasant Valley merchant
saloon keeper and boarding house
man, yesterday afternoon heard the
coroner's jury bring in a verdict to
the effect that he was responsible
for the death of Thomas F. Hal
loran, the Yosemite Valley section
foreman who was shot and killed
Monday evening about 500 o'clock.
AS the eyes of the crowd fell upon
Shehady slight tremble came over
his frame, a pink spot on his cheek
deepened to red and spread over his
entire face. For moment his eyes
met those of the crowd and the next
second they fell, betraying the guilt
that lies upon his soul.
With a slight voice, hardly audi
BILE, Shehady declared he knew moth
ing of the crime of which he is &C
cused. AS Under Sheriff Robert
Payne of Mariposa county placed his
hand upon the Armenian's shoulder
and indicated for him to enter the
Yosemite Valley motor car to be
taken to MERGED, Shehady glanced
toward his home and saw his two
little girls standing upon the bank
oyerhanging the railroad, their
bright eyes shining and curly hair
glistening in the sunlight For
just the trifle of moment he falter-
ed, and then looked in the opposite
direction, his small, weasel-like
eyes staring into space, his fingers
twitching nervously at the stub of
a cigar he had been smoking.
AS the motor car moved away from
the little station of Pleasant Valley,
Shehady did not look back to catch
a farewell from the woman who has
been his life companion, or from
their children. With set face and
staring eyes the prisoner sat beside
the sturdy form of Under Sheriff
Robert Paine, answering such ques-
tions as were put to him in a nerv-
Gus manner, apparently wanting
nothing more than to be left alone
with his thoughts. Shehady, during
the trip to MERGED, betrayed no par
ticular interest in any of the con-
verSations INDUCED in by his fellow
passengers, although his quick and
active movements at times indicated
that he was ever on the alert to hear
anything that might be addressed to
him. At the Yosemite Valley depot
in this city he passed so close to the
brother of the man he is charged
with having killed, that their hands
almost touched, although Shehady
knew it not.
The story of the murder as learn
ed from persons residing at Pleasant
Valley is to the effect that on Mon
day evening, Thomas F. Halloran,
section foreman for the Yosemite
Valley railroad, went to his cabin,
which stands perhaps fifty or sixty
yards from the store kept by S. She
hady at that station, and retired to
his bed about 7:45 or o'clock
About $40 o'clock Halloran was
awakened by knock on his door
He inquired what was wanted and a
voice on the outside said: 1T is Cy;
let me in" At that moment the
visitor attempted to open the door.
but found it locked. Halloran got
W from his bed, opened the door
and as he did so saw a shotgun
pointing at his body. Just as he
stepped back the gun was discharg-
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