The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1911-08-09
TRAMP MURDERED IN
JAIL BY DRUNK MAN
Inoffensive Hobo Found Dead in
Cell With Ranch Hand, Both
Covered With Blood

Covered With Blood
William O'NeilI, an inoffensive old
Irishman, lies dead in the morsue,
and Barney McKeary. a laborer on
! the ranch of Fred Thompson, in the
Parker Bottom, is in the county Jail,
! on the charge of numbering his cell
| mate, who was killed in the city bas-
| tile Thursday afternoon. Both men
were drunk when put into the cell
several hours before and doubtless
were in that condition when the crime
was committed. On the evidence dis
closed at the autopsy Prosecuting At
torney Ward stated that he would
hold the prisoner to the superior court
on the charge of murder in the first
degree.
Police officer Gilmore had brought
William O'Neill into the station at
$3.50 Thursday afternoon on the
charge of drunkenness, having arrest
ed him In the railroad yards; and one
hour later officers Butler and Gill
more arrested Barney McKeary on
the same charge. He was hilarious
when brought in and showed by his
actions that he was under the in
uence of liquor or some drug. He
had been referred to as cocaine fiend.
and showed the effects of that drug
when placed in the same cell with
O'Neill
Nothing more was thought Of the
men until about o'clock, when Or
ficers Gilmore and Harrington went
70 10 Of IN
in the temporary Jail at the
corner of First and Walnut streets,
erected for the purpose of caring for
the prisoners until the new city hall
and Jail should be finished.
Saw the Assault
What they saw amazed them. Nc
Keary, in his bare feet was seen
kneeling on the abdomen of O'Neill,
who lay on his back on the old mat
tress on the cell floor. They shouted
to him, and McKeary Immediately rose
to his feet and went over to the toilet
in the corner of the room, where he
began to wash his hands. The other
man lay still. and the officers could
see blood on and around the PROSTATE
mans head as well as on the bare
the ground and opening the door, they
confronted McKeary, who Immediate
ly began to swear, calling the dead
man vile names and declaring he had
tried to do uncomfortable things to
him.
Chief of Police Kinnaman, who was
in the office about 100 feet away, was
summoned by one of the officers and
went to the cell to investigate. Nc
keary reiterated in a crazy manner,
either simulated or real, that O'Neill
had tried to do things to him and he
had hit him with his fists in repelling
him.
Bloody Footprints
Investigation showed that the front
of the clothing of the dead man was
covered with the bloody foot prints of
McKeary, who had also left his GRIM
son tracks on the floor and the mat
tress. In the cell. Chief Kinnaman
found two old case knives and q fork,
two of them having blood stains, and
discovered the bloody socks that Nc
Keary had evidently been trying to
wash in the toilet
McKeary was taken to the county
Jail for safety, his clothing being re-
moved for evidence, and he was lock-
ed up in a cell by himself. Coroner
Fred Shaw and Prosecuting Attorney
Ward, who had been notified of the
murder, arrived on the scene soon
after and examined everything in the
way Of evidence that could be pro-
cured. The knives and fork. with a
portion of the covering of the mat
tress showing the bloody foot prints
and the CONCEALED blood were taken
in charge by Deputy Sheriff Murphy,
to be held until wanted by Prosecut-
had finished their investigation of tho
cell, the empty room was thronged by
a crowd of morbid sightseers.
Body Removed to MOrgue
The body of the murdered man
was removed to the morgue, where
Doctors John E. Lane and Samuel ID.
Cameron conducted an autopsy to as
certain definitely the cause of death
There were two cuts on the mans
face, one on the left side of the
chin, probably an inch and a half
long and the other about the same
length from the bridge of the nose
between the eyes and extending up
onto the forehead. Both We're evil
IDENTITY made with a sharp instrument.
One eye was closed, and the throat
showed bruises as if the man had been
choked. His head was covered with
blood, which clotted the gray nous
tache and hair. The mans tongue
protruded and seemed to be partly
cut in two near the end, 1t is be-
lieved death came from wounds in the
abdomen, caused by Mckeary's feet
When taken to the county Jail. Nc
Keary's feet were bloody. the marks
of which are seen on the floor of
thecell on the mattress and the dead
mans clothing.
Only Other Prisoner Witness
There was only one other occupant
of the temporary Jail. f. j. Kelly,
who had been arrested the night be-
fore for drunkenness and who had
been fined $50. He stated to the pros
ecuting attorney that he had not
heard any words passing between the
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