Los Angeles herald., 1909-10-27
Prisoner confesses

Mcmahon confessed today that he
murdered his sisters, Miss Rose Nc
Mahon and Mrs. Alonzo Van Royen,
and the latter's husband, Alonzo Van
Royen, on a farm near Kansas City,
Kas., last Tuesday. A long standing
family quarrel caused the tragedy.
Mcmahon killed Van Royen in wood
and later went to the Van Royen home
and shot his sisters.
The quarrel between the Van Royens
and McMahon is said to have started
over the desire of the senior Mrs. Nc
Mahon to give part of her property to
Van Royen.
Rose McMahon was friendly with
the Won Royens. This caused Nc
Mahon to dislike her.
Fearing mob violence by a throng
gathered about the county Jail after
the confession, the authorities tonight
rushed the murderer and his brother,
Patrick Mcmahon, and Patrick Lamb,
farm hand, who are held as witnesses
in the case, to the Kansas state pent-
tentiary at Lansing.
Mcmahon took sole responsibility and
especially exonerated his brother, as
he feared the officers would charge
him with completely. Mcmahon told
a friend today where he had hidden the
revolver with which he did the killing
anu S6NeTdI dTIlCleS ne IOOh OuL VI lllo
Van Royen home. The sheriff went
to the designated place and found the
articles and then decided to arrest
jones Mcmahon. AS he was prepar-
ing to go after the man, Mcmahon
walked into his office and announced
that he was ready to help work on
the case, as he has been doing each
day since the tragedy.
Immediately Arrested
Becker Immediately arrested him,
and without telling of the evidence
he took Mcmahon to his home, where
he also arrested Patrick Mcmahon and
Lamb.
Prosecutor Taggart and Sheriff
Becker sweated James Mcmahon for
two hours. Then Mcmahon collapsed
and confessed all.
'Yes, 1 killed my two sisters and
borther-in-law, and was crazy when
did it," he shouted, rising out of his
chair and pacing the room.
"It took me three months to plan
and execute the crime. Day by day
the picture of their dead bodies lying
before me grew, and at last, two weeks
ago, I saw it all. My plan was perfect.
"I bought a revolver in Kansas City.
Mo. Going home, I carefully waited
until I knew my intended victims
to kill them and get away. Tuesday
Rose went to visit at Van Royen's and
Lon went to the woods. To make sure
he was not at home went to the house
and learned where he was. I found
him and shot him in the head. He fell,
and I fired six shots into his back. l
always hated him. 1 dragged his body
across the creek and then prepared to
finish the deed.
Plans Murder of Sisters
"For an hour I wandered about,
planning. Then 1 walked into the
house.
MY first shot probably killed Mrs.
Van Royen as she sat on chair. She
screamed and fell. Rose started up to
speak to me, and 1 shot her dead.
"With the two women virtually dead,
I was free to take my time 1 fired two
more shots into the body Of Mrs. Van
Royen and five more into Roses body.
l did not hurry away. 1 was not un-
duly excited. 1t was the elimination
of my only thought for months
"I searched the house and found
some rings and other valuables. took
all of them and my revolver and hid
them in a corn shock.
Later it dawned on me that 1 mad
committed a crime 1 tried to keep 1T
a secret But hour by hour something
told me that I must tell all. Tonight
l will sleep in peace"
Mcmahon said his borther Patrick
and he had not been on good terms for
several years. and this alone would
prove his brother innocent of any COM
plicity. Patrick Lamb has been en-
ployed as a hired man on the Mcmahon
farm. The police said tonight they
would hold him.
He was taken at one time to the
scene of the murders and forced at
midnight, under the glare of flash
light, to rehearse his story. He did 1T
unflinchingly, swearing he knew moth
ing of the crime. Later he offered $500
for the arrest of the murderer.