Barton County democrat., 1914-09-18
manner Of life.

Another thing which disproves
the robber theory is. the fact that
two diamond rings belonging to
Miss McQuillen and a number OF
other pieces of jewelry, valued at
several hundred dollars, and other
articles of value in the house,
were not disturbed. There seems
to be little question that whoever
committed the crime went there
with the intention of killing Nor
gan, and the two others paid the
penalty with their lives on the
theory that dead men tell no
tales"
From the fact that a number of
empty shot gun shells, such as
were found around the house,
were also found southwest of the
house near a feed rack, and that
some of the shot marks on the
south porch and on the bunk
house where the hired man slept,
north of the main house about one
hundred and fifty yards, indi-
Gated that some shots had been
fired from southwesterly direc-
tion, there are some who hold the
opinion that more than one person
was mixed up in the deal. but this
is entirely problematical. The
shells were 12-guage, and of a
cheap variety handled by but few
stores. One loaded shell was al
so found a few feet southeast of
the house. Evidently, from the
way the shells were scattered, a
pump gun had been used.
The murders had evidently been
committed shortly after dark
Wednesday evening, as that even
ing, about that time, some Of the
members of a threshing crew
about a mile and a half away. haC
heard a number of shots but had
paid no attention to them. There
was nothing about the premises
to indicate whether the person
who committed the crime had
been hid about the premises when
Morgan and the woman returned
from town or whether he had
come on the place after dusk, and
in fact, there is nothing outside of
the used shells upon which the
officers can hope to base a clue.
There is one fact which seems
to stand out clearly, however,
and that is that whoever the per-
son or persons were who commit
ted the crime, they were people
who were seemingly acquainted
with the place and also with Nor.
gan. They evidently knew that
he was man of quick though.
and quick action, and a man alb
Solutely devoid of fear, for they
took no chances on giving him an
opportunity of retaIiating or OF
defending his life. If the motive
was robbery, whoever did the
deed was poorly paid for his work
for Morgan was very short OF
money just at that time and while
in town Wednesday had borrow.
ed money to pay for the load o.
oats and had also borrowed a cou
1
pie of dollars for spending money
If it was for personal grudg,
or was the work of a moral fana
tic who did not approve of Nor
gan'S style of living it was a poo
system of attempting to take tn
law into MS own hands or to tr,
and meet Out justice and in so do
ing to take the life of an innocen
young man who was In no wis
responsible and probably did nc
even know of the acts of his en-
ployer.
The young man, McGugil
, was only about eighteen years {
; age and had been working at ii
: Morgan farm but three days. H
A was the youngest son of Mr.. an
!. Mrs. Charles McGugin, of Eni
! Okla, and besides his parent
{ leaves to mourn his sad death fol-
E brothers and one sister. The rel
5 tiveS were Immediately notifit
:. of his death and the brothers al
: a brOther-in-law hurried here
d once. He was the baby of Il
e family, and his brothers stat,
$ that his parents had been We
4 loath to see him leave home, b
is that he had wanted to get out al
4 work for himself for a time al
they had finally consented.