LOCAL NEWS.
-----------
MONDAY
----------
The Mystery Unravelling.
Through the untiring energy, ability
and persistence of Detective James Ma-
lone and Marshal Melick, the mystery
surrounding the death of John Sheedy, a
week ago blds fair to be unraveld. The
akein is indeed a complicated one, but
now that the end has been found it is
only a matter of a short time until it is
all unwound.
The first arrest was made late Saturday
night by the officers. The man was Will-
liam allas Monday McFarland, a negro
barber in this city. The detective's sus-
picions were first aroused on Monday
last, the day after the murder, when Mc-
Farland was on an extended spree. He
apparently had plenty of money, and
while he was drunk persisted in talking
in a maudlin sort of way about the
Sheedy murder. That same day he went
into Levy's pawnshop, on North Tenth
street, and in an excited and flurried
manner shoved out a bran new revolver,
and asked to be given a dollar on it, This
was done, and the gun is now in the pos-
session of the police. Other information
was obtained by overhearing a conver-
sation between two young colored girls.
it was also learned that five days before
the murder the cane had been purchased
of Pawnbroker Goldwater by McFar-
land.
These, taken toghter with several
other circumstances, among them the
finding of Sheedy's shaving cup in Mc-
Farland's effects, he having secured it
from the barber shop of Dick Sweeny,
presumably to shave the dead men on
Tuesday last, convinced them that they
had the right man. He was put in the
sweat box and put through a course of
questioning by Mayor Graham, Marshal
Melick, Detective Malone, Officer Kinney
and others. He at first stoutly denied
any knowledge of the crime, but he was
unable to give a truthfil account of his
whereabouts at the time of the assault.
Gradually as link after link of the
chain was slowly forged about him, he
lost his head, and breaking down con-
fessed the whole detalis of the tragedy.
The confession was made in the presence
of the officials named and was taken
down by a stenographer. If what the
negro says be true, tha plot is. Indeed a
diabolical one, and the murder will take
its place in the sensational annals of
American crimes. Briefly stated it is as
follows:
McFarland has for years shaved Mr.
Sheedy, and has also repeatedly gone to
the house to dress Mrs. Sheedy's hair.
An intimacy sprang up between the bar-
ber, who although black as the ace of
spades is not a bad looking man. He
says that Mrs. Sheedy made advances to
him, and submitted to his caresses. She
told him that her life with Sheedy was
unbearable becouse of his jealously, and
his constant esplonage. She appeared to
have so fascinated the negro that he
adored her, but his adoration was not un-
mixed with fear. He even says that she
sustained criminal relations with him, so
as to get him completley in he power.
Along about the 22d of November he
was at the house on one of his hair-dress-
expeditions, when she made a propo-
tion to him to kill her husband, offer-
him $15,000, $500 to be paid after
deed was committed, and the balance
en she got the estate. He refused to
it, whereupon, he says she drew a re-
iver and threatened to kill him, com-
lling him to get down on his knees be-
re her, and promising to do the job.
e made him promise that he would
ll John before Christams, and on the
evening of December 19th, he nerved
himself with whisky, and taking a re-
olver hid inside the fornt gate of the
Sheedy grounds. He was mistaken in the
direction from which Sheedy, who had
gone out with his wife, was coming, and
consequenly was badly excited when
his vicim appeared from the opposite
direction. To avoid arrest he shot into
the air and skipped, eluding the bullets
Sheedy sent after him.
Afterwards he says she sent for him, and
told him he must take another attempt.
He bought the cane at Goldwater's and
hid it under the steps leading to the P
street barber shop, where he worked.
Shortly before dark of Sunday evening
he took the cane, and going to the house
met Mrs. Sheedy on the back porch. She
gave him money to get whisky, and gave
him instructions as to how he should act.
He went to a drug store at Twenty-
third and O streets, got the whisky and
drank it. He returned and hid himself
in the kitchen. He weakened again, and
it was not until she drew a revolver and
and threatened to kill him, telling him
he knew too much and had gone too far to
back out. She gave a big slug of
whisky and told him that Sheedy was go-
ing out in a few minutes and to station
himself on the porch.
He had scarcely gotten in position.
when Sheedy opened the door and step-
ped out. His face was turned toward the
murderous villain, who without a
moment's warning struck at his victim.
He held the cane in both hands, and
struck so hard that he fell himeself. It
was probably lucky for him that he did, as
Sheedy had as quick as a flash drawn his
revolever and shot, the bullets flying over
his head. McFarland also stumbled as he
attempted to jump off the porch. He
ran don the alley to Thirteenth street.
and then went to his father-in-law's
house, a block away, where his wife and
childern were. After taking them home
he came up town and spent the night
drinking and gambling at a place on O
street between Ninth and Tenth. He af-
terwards got anther leather cane to
throw the police off the scent.
He says that Mrs. Sheedy told him if
he didn't kill him, but only succeeded in
getting him in bed she would do the rest
This fact led the officers to belive that
she had secetly adinistered poison, and
the remains of Mr. Sheedy were therefore
exhumed last night and taken Roberst
undertaking rooms.
It was only after a hard night's work
that the whole details were wormed out of
McFarland, and therefore it was not un-
til 3 o'clock yesterdat afternoon that Mrs.
Sheedy's arrest was ordered Marshal
Melick called on her at her residence
early in the day. She was cool and self-
possessed, denying in the toto the negro's
statments . She was under surveilliance
from then on until the arrest. She was
allowed to remain in the house until
evening when she was taken to Marshal
Melick's residence at Twenty-fifth and P
streets. Her supposed paramour, A.
Harry Walstrom, was arrested in the
Heater block at Fifteenth and O Streets
by W. B. Balrd. When searched $ 226
and several diamond ornaments were
found. He was confined in the jail for
some time, but was afterwards allowed to
occupy a room in the Capital hotel,
strongly guarded.
The detectives say that about nine
months ago Mrs. Sheedy went to Buffalo
N. Y., and became a patient at Dr.
Pierce's medical dispensary. While
there she met Walstrom, who is an ex-
pert machinsist, and who was also under-
going treatement. It was a case of love at
first sight, apparently. Mrs. Sheedy re-
tunrned and several months since Wal-
syrom came to Lincoln. He as intro-
duced to Mrs. Sheedy as a gentelman she
had met in Buffalo, and was accorded a
hearty reception and generous hospitailty
by the husband. It is also said on one
ocasion Sheedy happened home unex-
pectedly and found the two in a loving
postion, and Walstrom was ordered out.
It is also said that a diamond ring Mrs.
Sheedy had been given by her husband
Sheedy had been given by her husband
was lost, and subsequently it appeared on
Walstrom's finger. This led to a very
live quarrel, and Mrs. Sheedy took
refuge in a neighbor's house, but the mat-
ters was smothered over.
Walstrom gave his age as 28, dark com-
plected, and wears a small mustache. He
was very well dressed and a good looking
fellow. He took his arrest coolly and re-
makerd to the officer that he supposed he was
glad to get him, but would be " glad-
der" to let him go.
Mrs. Sheedy's history is a sad one. She
has been married three times, her first
husband being named McCoel, who has
served a term in the pen. Her second
husband is named Merrill, a stone mason,
who moved to Lincoln in 1886. He left
his wife here while he went back to (dr?)
nots, and during his absence it is said she
became intimate with Mr. Sheedy, who
afterward secured her a divorce and it is
runored paid Merrill a goodly sum of
money for staying away from Lincoln
forever.
The clue upon which the detectives
had to work was a very slight one, and
the result places Messrs. Malone and
Melick in the front rank of the profes-
sion. Mayor Graham is also entitled to
considerable credit, as it was his advice
and consel which was called in-
to requistion at the various stages of the
game.
When Walstrom was told by special
Baird that he had a warrant for him, the
fellow asked on what charge. The offi-
cer replied, " Murder, thats all. " Wals-
trom coolly remarked, " Well, that ain't
so serious." On the way up town he dis-
coursed gvery glibly on music and other
topics, and acted, as the officer thought
like a man who had been expecting ar-
rest. He is at prsent confind in the
city jail, in a cell beside McFarland, and
watched by a vigllant officer. It was re-
garderd as probable that an attempt at
lynching McFarland might be made last
night, and the jail was strongly guarded.
Without McFarland's confession, De-
tective Malone had gathered enough evi-
dence to convict the fellow, having traced
him directly to the Sheedy masion with-
in ten minutes of the time of the assault.
When McFarland was first questioned
about how he came to buy the cane, he
said that a customer whom he had
shaved and cut his hair, sent him over to
the pawn shop after it while he was get-
ting his shoes shined. The man had
gone to the Black Hills. He gave a
complete description of the supposed
customer, and after he had confessed
was asked why he did so. He
replied that he was told
to give that description by Mrs.
Sheedy.
Another circumstance thought to be
suspicious, is the alleged fact that the
Insure against Fire, Lighting an
Prompt and Equitable Setting in
YOU CAN
AND
HERPOL
Exposition
Dry Goods
Millinery, Boots, S
at this G
hired girl at Sheedy's as sent away
Sunday noon and told she could stay
until as late that evening as she wished.
The girl will be brought the coroner's
jury, which will probably resume its
sittings this afternoon, after the post-
mortem is completed. Dannis Sheedy
he deceased's brother, was a listener to
the confession of McFarland.
The Post Mortem.
The body of Mr. Sheedy
