Ed. H. McKenna Murdered

MCKENNA, MCGINN, WHITTEMORE, NICKERSON

Posted By: Anne Hermann (email)
Date: 6/5/2008 at 11:51:11

Jackson Sentinel
August 3, 1893

ED. H. McKENNA KILLED.

A Former Jackson County Boy
Shot Down on the Street in
Omaha by Bernard McGinn.

Many of our people will remember Ed. H. McKenna, who came from the northern part of the county to Maquoketa about fifteen years ago, worked at the carpenter trade, and built a house on Matteson ave. which he sold before removing with his family to Omaha a half dozen years ago. He was a young man of quiet and peaceful disposition and gave close attention to his own affairs. His wife was a sister of Mrs. P. J. Whittemore and Mrs. Garry Nickerson, and they were blessed with three bright little girls. At Omaha Ed. has been a successful contractor and builder and has made many friends.

But his life was taken for revenge on Saturday evening last, and here is the way the Omaha World-Herald tells it.

About a year ago a dog belonging to Edward M. McKenna, a contractor residing at 2210 Grand avenue, attacked Bernard McGinn, janitor at the Sarasota school. The two men had “some words” about it and have not since then been on friendly terms. Shortly after the dog affair new janitors were to be elected and Mr. McKenna, it is said, opposed Mr. McGinn’s re-election.

Last night Mr. McKenna left the Ames avenue car at twenty-fourth street on his way home. He met McGinn a few steps away, spoke to him and McGinn answered. McKenna then started to cross the street to avoid McGinn, who had commenced abusing him, and was followed by McGinn. As he reached the walk on the west side of twenty-fourth street about fifty feet north of Ames avenue he turned and seeing McGinn still following and pointing a revolver at him he grabbed his arm with both hands and said. “Don’t shoot.” McGinn fired, the ball entering McKenna’s body above the right groin and ranging downwards. McKenna fell, and was taken by Mr. A. H. Snyder who was passing by in his buggy, to his home.

After putting Mr. McKenna under the influence of chloroform they probed for the ball and found it necessary to perform an operation. The intestines were pierced in seven places by the ball and were taken out and sewed up.

McGinn to save himself from an indignant public, as soon as possible surrendered to police officers. McGinn is an unmarried man about 55 years of age, was janitor of the Saratoga school for three years and foreman in the Union Pacific shops five years prior to his janitorship. He was at one time quite an influential ward politician.
Ed McKenna lingered until Monday and died. This makes a murderer of McGinn who ought and probably will suffer the penalty he deserves.