[ Return to Index ]

Keeney, George 1897-1924

KEENEY

Posted By: Geo Clinton (email)
Date: 5/5/2016 at 08:17:55

Storm Lake Pilot Tribune - May 23, 1924 - Storm Lake was profoundly shocked Saturday night when word spread that Miss Grace Kevane, aged 27, had been shot and instantly killed upon the porch of the parental, James Kevane home, on Otsego street by George Keeney, her rejected suitor.

After he had sent the young woman into eternity, Keeney turned the gun upon himself, firing a ball thru his own temple. He died at the Swallum hospital at 7 o'clock Sunday morning.

The murder suicide occurred about 10:30. Miss Kevane had been down town with Miss Nellie Schuler and the latters friend, Albert Lenhard. There were some reports that they had gone to the movies but this is declared incorrect by Miss Schuler. The trio had started toward the Kevane home on Otsego, just north of West Fifth and were near the Dumbaugh store when Keeney came up.

"We will take you home," Miss Schuler told Miss Kevane, when Keeney interrupted to say "No, you won't, I will take her home." He grasped Grace by the arm and pulled her away from her companions. When the couple reached the Kevane home, he escorted her to the front porch. Just what occurred then will never be known. Keeney had been paying attention to Miss Kevane for months but she had never accepted his advances.

It is probably that he again pressed his case and that he became violently angry when once more she repulsed him. Mrs Kevane, the mother, heard his loud talk and her motherly instinct told her that all was not well. She started down the stairs in her night gown, but before she reached the landing she heard a shot.

With terrible misgiving she hurried to the door to see her daughter stretched upon the porch. An instant later she saw Keeney place the revolver to his temple and fire. He crumpled up on the ground.

The horrified mother called upstairs to her husband that Grace had been killed. She then ran to the home of her brother, Pat O'Connor, several yards away and asked for assistance. O'Connor hurried over to the house. Mr Kevane had hastened down the stairways and was holding the girl in his arms when O'Connor arrived. The latter carried the body of the girl into the house but she had died instantly.

Drs Smith and Swallum were called, Keeney was taken to the hospital where efforts were made to save his life but in vain.

Little is known of Keeney or of his family. he had worked for some 3 years at the John Toohey farm southeast of the city. But he had never mentioned relatives and in fact had never ventured any remarks relative to his antecedents. One friend states that Keeney told him once that he formerly lived at Danville, IL. However, efforts of Coroner Morton J Hughes to ascertain whether such was the case have proven unavailing and the coroner suspects that Keeney may have been an assumed name.

Keeney had never given any trouble around the Toohey place although he had at times worn a wild west costume which had caused him to receive the nickname of "Cowboy Bill" among the young men with whom he associated at Sulphur Springs.

Relatives of Miss Kevane believe that Keeney had long contemplated killing her. According to Pat O'Connor, her uncle Keeney told Grace about a month ago that if she did not marry him, she would never marry any other man.

"Why not?" she asked. "Because I'll kill you first," he replied. He had frequently made similar threats but Miss Kevane did not take them seriously. She was a brave young woman and felt herself capable of taking care of herself.

Powder marks on Miss Kevane's head indicate that George Keeney held the gun very close to her when he fired the fatal shot. The ball entered just above the left ear and came out below the right ear. Coroner Morton J Hughes found a third bullet hole in the girls head just below the right ear. It is his theory that the bullet which killed Keeney passed thru his head and lodged in the head of the young woman lying prostrate on the porch.

Hundreds of curiosity seekers called at the Hughes funeral chapel Monday and Tuesday to view the body of George Keeney. Most of them looked upon the corpse then walked out without making remarks. No tears were shed.

The revolver with which the crime was committed was a 32 caliber. Where Keeney secured it is not known. It is now in possession of night Officer Elmer Giddle, who was one of the first to arrive at the scene.

Keeney was well known around Sulphur Springs and the vicinity of the John Toohey farm. His associates considered him peculiar at times. They pointed out that he often wore high heeled boots and cowboy hats. He never spoke of his past to them however.

Pat Toohey, father of John Toohey for whom Keeney worked, saw the killer on the street about 9 o'clock Saturday night and exchanged a few words with him. Keeney appeared perfectly normal. John Toohey says he never heard Keeney discuss his affairs with Miss Kevane, although occasionally he would joke with the Toohey children about going to call upon her to take her riding in the Ford he had purchased on the installment plan some months ago.

No formal funeral was held for Keeney. The body was taken to the cemetery Tuesday afternoon. John Toohey paid for the necessary expenses.


 

Buena Vista Obituaries maintained by Lynn Diemer-Mathews.
WebBBS 4.33 Genealogy Modification Package by WebJourneymen

[ Return to Index ]