The Springdale news., 1917-11-23
SHOCKING MURDER
 DISCLOSED AT ROGERS
Rufus Mahaney Arrested On Charge of Murdering His Sisters Infant Child and Confesses His Guilt.

A shocking murder was brought to light here yesterday through the ef- forts of Coroner A. D. Callison iE the death of the illegitimate two-day- old son of Miss Willie Mahaney, who gives her age as 23 years. The facts brought out by his previous confession afternoon place the crime of murder and at the coroner's inquest yesterday , upon Rufus Mahaney, aged 19 years, brother of the girl. The young man and woman are the children of Mir. and Mrs James Mahaney The brother and sister have been living on East Oak street and the parents reside on the White river farm seven miles east of Rogers
 On Saturday Coroner Callison heard rumors of the affair and he began an investigation. Sunday morning he re- quested Dr. w A. McHenry, physician in the birth case, to go with him and they called at the home on East Oak.
 The girl was asked to allow the cor oner to see the child She told him that her brother Rufus had taken the babe away on Thursday night and told her he found home for it at farm east of Springdale. MT. Callison went to the K C. & M. depot on which line Rufus was employed as a brake man. He was told that Rufus was on train enroute to Little Piney. In company with Constable R. W. Wells, Mr. Calison left for Little Piney. The train was found at Monte Ne. Rufus declined to accompany the officers and Mr. Callison arrested him. He told of leaving the babe on the doorstep of a home near Springdale and direct ed the officers to the home of a Mr. Fritz. The Fritz family knew nothing of the story. Rufus was questioned, but stuck to the Springdale story. The coroner and constable started with young Mahaney for Bentonville. Mir. Callison urged Rufus to tell the truth. Two miles west of Rogers, Rufus fin ally confessed that the child was dead and said he smothered it to death Thursday night and covered the body under a ledge of rock between Dia- mond and Pump springs. Rufus led the officers to the spot indicated and there the body of the child was found covered with earth and leaves. The little body was in perfect state of preservation.
 Mr. Callison empannelled a coro- ner's jury, comprising F. B. Hov ard, Calvin VanWinkle, E. M. Campbell, Roy Davis, Finis E. Miller. Albert Creech, w. H. Parks, w. E. Kefau- yer, J. w. Parkins, J. B. Myler, - E. Meadors and R. c. Hobbs MI Hobbs was elected foreman and the inquest adjourned to meet at 2:30.
 Before the coroner's inquest. rhe mother of the child testified that her brother took the child away Thrrsoay night with the agreement between them that he would find a good home for it. The babe was identified by Dr. McHenry.
 The young woman swore that Charley Luker is the father of the child and that her downfall was brought about under promise of mar riage She testified that the last time she saw Luker he promised to go to Bentonville for marriage license and that he would thus protect her name. Luker instead fled and is reported to have gone to Oklahoma. Officers are after him.
 The coroner's jury returned a yer dict to the effect that the child came to it's death at the hands of Rufus Mahaney and he was committed to jail at Bentonville.-Rogers Daily Post