Fort Mill times. [volume] (Fort Mill, S.C.) 1892-current, 1909-11-04
James Mcmahon Slayer Of Two Sisters
and BTother-in-Law.
THE CRIME LONG PLANNED
Unable to Hold His Tongue He
Tells the Police and Says Ho
VIII Be Able to Sleep In Peace.
Murders Committed on Farm Near
Kansas City.

James Mcmahon has confessed
that he murdered his sisters. Miss
Rose Mcmahon and Mrs. Alonzo Van
| Royen and the lstter's husband.
Alonzo Van Royen, on q farm near
Kansas City. Kans.. last Tuesday.
A long standing family quarrel caue-
cd the tragedy. Mcmahon killed
Van Royen in a wood and lstsr went
to the Van Royen home and shot his
sisters.
Fearing mob violence by a throns
that gathered about the county jaii
after the confession became known.
the sheriT rushed the murderer snd
his brother. Patrick Mcmahon. and
Patrick Lamb. farm hand, who arc
held as witnesses, to the penitentiary
at Lansing in automobiles.
McMahon's inability to keep his
secret caused him TO be arrested.
He told a friend where he had bid
den a revolver with which he did
the killing. and several articles ho
took from Van Royen's home.
As Sheriff Becker was preparing
to arrest James Mcmahon the latter
walked into his office and announced
he was ready to help work on the
case as he had been doing since the
tragedy.
Sheriff Becker Immediately arrest
ed him. Prosecutor Taggart and
Sherin Becker sweated Mcmahon for
two hours. Then Mcmahon confessed
all.
Il r,ay tuy1 el avA
brother-in-law and was crazy when
! did IT," he shouted. rising out of
his chair and pacing the room. 1T
took me three months to plan and
execute the crime. waited until
| knew my intended victims would
be in the right positions for mo to
Kill them and get away. On Tues
day Rose went to visit at Van Roy
ems and Lon went to the woods
found him and shot him in the head.
He fell and | fired six shots into
his back. always hated him.
Then l walked into the house
and found my sisters. Aiy first shot
probably killed Mrs. Van Royen as
she Sat on a chair. She screamed
and fell. Rose started up 10 speak
to me and I shot her down.
with the two women virtually
dead. | was free TO take my time.
fred two NOR shots into the body
OF Mrs. Van Royen and FIVE more
away. | was not unduly excited.
II was the elimination OF my only
thoughts for months
Il searched the house and found
some rings and other valuables.
took all Of them and my revolver
and bid them IN corn shock. Later
IL dawned on me that / had conf
mittod crime. tried TO keep IL
secret. But hour bF hour some
thing told me that l must tell oil.
Tonight I'll sleep in peace
The confessed murderer had been
eeverely ee-questioned by the po
| lice many times since the murder.
| but he skillfully extricated himself
| from the few compromising positions
into which he had stepped.
He was taken at one timc TO the
scene of the murder and forced at
| midnight under the glare of flash
| light to rchearse his story. He did
Il un6inchingly. swearing he knew
nothing OF the crime. Later be of
fered $500 reward for the arrest
| Of the murderer.
| The quarrel between the Van
Royen and the McMahons is said 10
bave started over the desire of the
senior Mrs. Mcmahon 20 give part
of her property 10 Van Royeu. Ross
| Mcmahon was friendly with the Van
| Royens. This caused James Nc
| Mahon to dislike her.