Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1909-10-27
James Mcmahon in ConfeSsing
Crime Declares He Carefully
Planned All Its Details for
Three Months,
REMARKABLE STATEMENT
By TRIPLE MURDERER
Hate and Desire for Revenge,
He Says Robbed Him of
Reason and Drove Him to
Slaughter Sisters.


Kansas City. Oct. 2G.--James Nc
Mahon confessed today that he MUIR
dered his sisters, Miss Rose Mcmahon
and Mrs. Alonzo Van Royen and the
latters husband. Alonzo Van Royen.
on farm near Kansas City, Kan.
last Tuesday. A long standing family
quarrel caused the tragedy McMahon
killed Van Royen in "A wood and later
went to the Van Royen home and
shot his sisters.
Fearing mob violence the authors
ties rushed the murderer and his
brother, Patrick Mcmahon, and Pat
rick Lamb, farm hand. who are held
as witnesses in the case to the Kan
sas state penitentiary at Lansing to-
night in autom obiles.
Mcmahon took sole responsibility
for the crime. He especially exoner-
ated his brother. County Attorney
Taggart said tonight a charge might
be placed against Patrick Mcmahon
also, Mcmahon told friend today
where he had hidden the revolver
with which he did the killing and sew
eral articles he took ont of the Van
Bcyen y n.se The sheriff went 20 he
designated place and found the arti-
cles.
Sheriff Becker then decided to ar
rest James Mcmahon. AS he was pre-
pairing to go after the man. McMahon
walked into his office and announced
he was ready to help work on the
case, as he has been doing each day
since the tragedy.
Becker Immediately arrested him,
and without telling of the evidence he
had took Mcmahon TO his home.
where he also arrested Patrick Nc
Mahon and Lamb
Prosecutor Taggart and Sheriff
Becker sweated James Mcmahon for
two hours. Then Mcmahon collapsed
and confessed all
Tho Murdercr's Confession.
yes. | killed my two sisters and
brother-in- and | was crazy when
did it, he shouted. rising out of
his chair and pacing the room.
1T took me three months to plan
md execute the crime Day by day
The picture of their dead bodies lying
before me grew and at last two weeks
ago | saw II all. Ny plan was per-
feet My hatred would be- avenged.
Il bought a revolver in Kansas City. |
Mo. Going home | carefully waited |
intll knew my intended victims
you'd be in the right positions for me |
O kill them and get away. Tuesday |
Rose went to visit at Van Uoyen'a |
md Lon went to the woods.
ITO make sure he was not at home |
went to the house and learned where |
lc was. found him and shot him in |
he head. He fell and fired six shots |
nto his back. | always hated him |
dragged his body across the creek |
nd then prepared to finish the decd.
For an hour ! wandered about
flaming. Then | walked into the
ouse and found my sisters.
MY first shot probably killed Mrs.
AN Roven as she sat ON chair She
creamcd and fell Rose started up
0 speak to me and | shot her down.
with the two women virtually
cad. | was free to take my time. |
ircd two more shots into the body of
FRS Van Royen and five more into
,oses body. | did not hurry away. /
as not unduly excited. II was the
of my thought for
ionths.
II searched the house and found
)me rings and other valuables
,ok all of them and my revolver and
id them in corn shock.
Later IL dawned on me that | ha
)mmittcd crime / tried to keep il ,
secret. But hour by hour some
ling told me that I must tell all. To-
ght | will sleep in peace" II
Mcmahon said his brother Patrick q
I'd he had not been on good terms s
r. several years and this alone ,
ould prove his brother innocent Of ,
ny completely.
The confessed murderer has been
vcrely cross-questioned by the police a
any times since the murders but :
. skillfully extricated himself from +
q few compromising positions into ,
hich he stepped. He WAS taken ~ ,
Ie time to the scene Of the murders
Id forced at midnight under the 4
are of n nsshlight to rehcarse his -
Dry. lie did l. unflinchlngly. swear
z he knew nothing of the crime. h
ter he offered $500 for the arrest 90 q
@ murderer. n
The quarrel between the Van Roy q
$ and McMahons Is said to have n
irted over the desire OF the senior :.
rs. McMahon to give part OF her /
operty 10 Van Roycn. Rose Mc
lhon was friendly with the Van h
.ycns. This caused Mcmahon to -
like her