Dewey County advocate. [volume] (Timber Lake, S.D.) 1910-1913, 1910-12-09
THE JURY ACQUITS
MRS. NELLIE MCMAHON ON TRIAL.
AT sTURGIs FOR MURDER
ACQUITTED BY JURY
shot HUSBANDS PARTNER
The Shooting Grew Out Of Differences
IN the Settlement of Affairs of
Her Husband with the
Surviving Partner

Sturgis-The acquittal Of Mrs. Nc
Mahon of the charge of murder. Is
still the chief topic Of conye. sation in
this town.
The trouble leading up to the
tragedy was Of several months stand
Ing. Attorney Thomas had his Office
with Mrs. McMahon's husband during
his lifetime, and there had been more
or less trouble between Thomas and
the accused woman over the office
building following the death Of Nc
Mahon, who for thirty years had been
a resident Of Sturgis and Meade coun-
ty.
It was claimed that as the result OF
the trouble Thomas had threatened
Mrs. McMahon's life a number OF
times. She went to his Office about
8 o'clock on the morning of July 80,
last, and the quarrel was renewed.
At a certain stage in the proceedings
Thomas is alleged to have reached
for his pistol, but he never succeeded
In getting it out. Mrs. Mcmahon i'm
mediately drew her own weapon from
the folds Of her dress and fired, the
bullet piercing Thomas head. He
died within few moments. Mrs. Nc
Mahon was armed with 38-caliber
Colts automatic revolver. The bull
let entered Thomas head over the
right eye, penetrating the brain.
There We're two eye witnesses to
the tragedy. One of these was Will
liam Curper, who testified that Mrs.
Mcmahon went into Thomas Office
and said:
II want you to vacate this Office"
According to the testimony of Cur
per she then drew her revolver and
fired. When she entered the office,
Curper testified, Thomas was standing
with his back to the door talking to
Curper. He turned and smiled. but
made no answer. When shot he fell
and died almost instantly, &C ording
to the testimony of Curper. The other
eye witness was W. H. Anderson.
After carefully investigating the
tragedy, the coroper's jury retu ned q
verdict to the effect that Thomas came
to his death from a gunshot wound
inflicted by pistol in the hands OF
Mrs. Nellie Mcmahon and furthe than
that no mention was made of the
probable intention of the woman.
Thomas refusal to vacate appeared
to- be the only motive for the shoot
ing.
Thomas was about IS years of age,
and was considered one of the best
attorneys in western South Dakota.
His father and mother reside at
O'Neill. Neb. Mrs. Thomas father, c.
H. Holiingsworth, is prominent oiti-
zen Of Hampton, Ia.
A big family reunion of the Thomas
and Hollingsworth families had been
planned for August. All Of the MEN,
bcrs of the two families who could do
sy were to meet in Sturgis and enjoy
what would have been one OF the most
notable family reunions ever held In
the state. -...
On the morning OF his death, Thorn
as before he left his home, packed
small suitcase, as he expected to take
the noon train for Deadwood. On his
return in the evening he was to have
been met by his wife and children
and all were to have gone to Hot
Springs, s. D., to spend Sunday at that
resort.
AS a sequel to the tragic death OF
Thomas, Mrs. Thomas, his widow, re-
Gently instituted suit against Mrs
Mcmahon by which she seeks to re-
cover damages in the sum of $4,000
for the death OF her husband. Mrs
Thomas was left in nearly destitute
circumstances, with five small chill
dren to support. The suit was insti-
tued for the purpose of compelling
Mrs. Mcmahon, who is a woman OF
considerable means to render all as
sistance possible In the caring for and
education Of the five children who
have been left homeless and father
less.
Sturgis-In court this morning. the
court passed judgment that Mrs. Nellie
Mcmahon, who was last night cleared
nv a Jury of the murder of Attorney
Thomas, remain in custody of the
sheriff until her sanity has been
proven.
Deadwood-In the night an at
tempt was made by an unidentified
person to batter in the front door Of
the residence of States Alto ney Hef-
from, but the ATTEMPT was frustrated
by Mr.. Hebron declaring he would
shoot anyone who entered. He refus-
ed to open the door. 1t is believed
that some enemy he made in enforc-
- 1>-s~ x,nc +rxyiy, IN oof AVIAN