An Account of the Trial of Mike Murphy, for the Killing of Two Shawville Men

from the Equity

(April 22, 1910) Claims ……"Felonious Killing" … verdict (April 22, 1910)

"That Harry Howes and William Dale came to their death from gunshot wounds at the hands of Michael Murphy at Shawville, Quebec, on April 20th, 1910, and that the said Michael Murphy did feloniously kill the said Harry Howes and William Dale."

The above represents the finding of the coroner's jury that sat yesterday afternoon as a result of the remarkable double tragedy at Shawville late Wednesday night, which has already been referred to. As a result of it, Murphy will today have his preliminary hearing on a charge of either murder or manslaughter, and his wife probably on one of "aiding and abetting."

Many wounds

The two men were instantly killed as a result of one shot, and there is the further almost incredible fact that there are 45 wounds or marks on the body of Howes and fifteen in that of Dale.

One piece of lead went right through Dale's heart and several lodged within an inch of it.

Annie Murphy, wife of the man charged with murder, threatened one of the medical men with an axe.

Murphy, at the inquest, quite willingly made a lengthy statement, contending that the young men, who had bothered him, carried him into or near an old hut and that in the scramble that old-fashioned musket he carried, and which was heavily loaded with slugs of lead, went off. He showed his hand badly cut as proof of his assertion that his hand had got caught in the barrel stock

Crown Prosecutor

As it is a double murder, on instructions from the Quebec attorney general; Mr. E.R. Barry is here today. He is crown prosecutor. Magistrates Ireland and wilson presided at the Shawville town hall when Murphy and his wife were heard today. The evidence was mainly the same as given at the inquest yesterday.

Yesterday afternoon, several witnesses were questioned regarding the tragedy. The interior of the hall presented a rather startling appearance.

When the shooting occurred Murphy was not on his own land.

John McNeely had much the same story and intimated that they were on land owned by Samuel Armstrong when the trouble occurred.

"Three shots were fired first by Murphy," said Harold Armstrong, "but the last one was discharged right into the crowd and the two boys fell and died in a few moments. It seemed to be moonlight at the time."

Disarmed Murphy

P.E. Smiley, merchant, told of disarming Murphy. "After the first three shots, which I think were blank ones, had been fired," testified Smiley, "we went to a spot north of Samuel Armstrong's land. Murphy and his wife Annie followed us, and as we ran around a little untenanted house near there he fired and the shot caught the boys just as some of the crowd were turning a corner of the building. Murphy was quite close, and as he raised the old gun as if to strike someone I grappled with him and after some trouble disarmed him. Then his wife came back armed with an axe and demanded the gun back at the same time swinging the axe."

The story of Percy Green, druggist, Earl Turner and others was about the same.

Drs. Alexander and Armstrong told of examining both bodies and of finding 45 perforations or marks in Howes' body and 15 in that of Dale. The latter, in addition to body wounds on the back, chest and head, had been shot through the heart. In both cases the bullets seemed to have scattered and struck several parts of the body. It is thought this was due to the musket being heavily loaded, and this Murphy acknowledges, and also to the shot being fired from so short a distance.

Murphy's evidence

Murphy was warned that he could make a statement or not, just as he chose. He decided to make one and after being sworn talked for a considerable time and quite rapidly.

"What I want to say is that the gun was accidentally discharged," said the accused. "I went to bed about 7 o'clock in my little shanty and soon we heard stones being thrown at the door, and that has happened many a time before. Some men kept on throwing them, though I told them several times to quit. I can tell you that they have even thrown stones and things so that once they put a stone through th galvanized iron side of a wagon I have. I know what has been done before, and the bother me and my wife have had; and I got the old gun and just to try and scare them away fired a blank charge at the manure heap near the house and then --"

A juror -- "O, we do not want to hear all that; this is not an asylum."

Murphy -- "And I could not get law when I wanted it."

The Coroner -- "Do you mean to say there was anything to prevent you getting it?"

Murphy went on with his explanation and would not stop talking; he denied that old slug shots had been used; said he had bought them at the store of one of the jurymen, and that those found in the body would prove they were ordinary partridge shot.

Mrs. Murphy -- "That is all they were."

The coroner tried to interrupt Murphy for a moment in his flow of eloquence, but the accused said to him:"Excuse me: wait till I am through please." THen he went on to say that he had poured some lead into the muzzle of the gun, but he was not sure just how much. His hand had been on the ………..