Carney Murder

Editor of Cassville Democrat: One of the most horrible crimes that was ever committed in our section of the country, occurred here on the evening of the 4th, inst., in the murder of Jackson Carney and his wife, by George Moore.

Mr. Carney had been married about ten months, and was the son of John Carney of Flat Creek, Barry Co., MO. He was engaged in merchandising and his store was adjoining his residence.

Moore and Jackson Carney were well acquainted with each other, and the former after robbing a man who was intoxicated of some ten dollars, left the country, and was absent some nine or ten months, before the murder was committed. He returned to the neighborhood about seven days ago - came to the store of the deceased about 11 o'clock a. m., on the 4th inst., remained there the balance of the day, and about dark shot Jackson Carney and with a revolver, one shot taking effect in his throat and the other near the mouth passing through the head.

Mr. Carney's wife was shot though he head, the ball entering the left ear and passing out at the back of the head. Mr. Carney was living alone with his wife. They were found on Sunday the 5th about 4 o'clock p. m., the husband lying on his back in the store room and his wife on the far side of the residence some twenty feet apart both expired almost immediately after being shot.

The murdered wife was so near the out-law that a portion of her clothing caught fire from the burring power - her person was considerable burned in one or two places from the burning of the clothing.

The murderer took some $400 in money, a revolver, and a hat belonging to the deceased, and left his own hat and a small single barrel pistol.

He arrived at Lewis Woodridge's at 8 o'clock on the evening of the murder and remained there during the night. Next day he went to church and on Monday, at 10 o'clock a. m., he was arrested by the sheriff of this county, taken to Cassville the county seat of this county and there lodged in jail.

An inquest was held on the afternoon of the 8th, and a verdict given that Jackson Carney and wife came to their death from a pistol fired by George Moore. On Tuesday afternoon the husband and wife were buried side by side in the same grave and the same coffin. There were more persons present at this funeral than ever assembled at any funeral in this county. The murdered husband was well respected by all who knew him. He was known all through this section of the country to be a good citizen and a kind husband, no man ever lived a more honorable or peaceful life. Those who knew him loved and respected him. His wife was one the best of women - kind, dutiful and affectionate. It is thought that neither husband nor wife had an enemy in the world. The neighbors and acquaintances were excited to the very highest extent by this sad occurrence. Nothing but seeing the murderer punished could satisfy them.

On yesterday morning some two hundred of the deceased's friends assembled, rode quietly into Cassville, demanded of the sheriff the keys to the jail. The sheriff seeing that a refusal would amount to nothing, delivered the keys to the outraged populace.

The door of the jail was soon unlocked. The murderer taken out, a suitable rope was in readiness and soon the guilty murderer and robber was hanging suspended in the atmosphere with nothing to sustain him, but the hangman's rope. He was hung between two posts within six feet of the court house. He was requested and given time to confess, but refused; he did not appear to be frightened in the least. It is very probable that he was so hardened to crime that death had no fears to him; he was hung about noon, and I learn was still hanging about sunset yesterday evening. On this person showed? up in different pairs of his clothing was found $20 of the money he took from Mr. Carney after he committed the murder.

The store where this sad affair occurred belonged to Messrs. Robertson & Mason of Springfield, MO, and John Carney, father of deceased. The murdered man Jackson Carney was employed by them to conduct and attend to the business of the store. (Published by request.)

State Historical Society of MO Microfilm - Donna Cooper

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The December 9th issue of the Barry County Banner, which was published in Cassville, MO, in 1869, at the time of the Jackson and Mary C. (Williams) Carney murders, carried a detailed account of the Carney affair.

The excerpt reads: "When these circumstances all came to light on Monday evening while Moore was in jail, some of the relatives and friends of the deceased combined for the purpose to taking the prisoner out of jail and executing him, and the Sheriff only saved him Monday night by secretly taking the prisoner out of the jail and running him to the country.

The deceased were buried on Tuesday, and on Wednesday some one hundred or more citizens came into town about noon, as was understood by the Sheriff for the purpose of hearing the trial, many of them being witnesses, balance generally friends and relatives, and before the Sheriff was aware of it, having been assured that the prisoner was to have a trial, he was surrounded and the keys to the jail demanded, at the same time enforcing their demand by presenting revolvers, and no denial would be received, was the word.

The Sheriff knew he had to encounter an enraged and injured, deeply injured, people, and that they meant what they said, and give them the keys, and in about five or ten minutes this man, George Moore, could have been dangling in the air suspended to a rope. But before he was hung he was given a few minutes to say what he desired. He denied the authorship of the atrocious deed, but it is generally believed he did not think they would hang him. But they did, and George Moore is not more.

It was estimated that some 200 men, virtually all of who were residents of the vicinity of the crime, gathered at the lynching on the southeast corner of the public square in Cassville. Several wooden goods boxes were procured from nearby stores and placed under an extending arm from the bell post, which stood at the southeast corner of the square. Suspended from the bell post was a bell which had been purchased by public-spirited citizens of Cassville in 1868 and which was used chiefly for the purpose of calling the students to school and the worshipers to church. It was from this post that young Moore met his doom."

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Clarissa was Calvin's wife and was Clarissa Hill and married Calvin Carney in Edwards Co., IL, May 30, 1837. Calvin Carney was born Nov 11, 1817 and died Apr 26, 1899.

Thomas Carney was an early day county judge, serving from 1863 to 1868. One of his sons was John who was married to Sarah Moore. John and Sarah (Moore) Carney were the parents of Jackson Carney who was a store-keeper and who was murdered in 1869 and buried here in this cemetery. Jackson's wife, Mary Cordelia (Williams) Carey was also murdered at the same time.

George Moore, the murderer, was Jackson Carney's cousin. His mother Mariah Carney was a sister to John Carney, and she was married to Harrison Moore.

George Washington Moore was a son of Harrison and Mariah (Carney) Moore, the killer, and was buried in Oak Hill Cemetery in an unmarked grave.

George Moore had a twin brother named Francis who died in 1847 from small pox at about the same time his parents died of the same disease. George Moore was raised in the home of John and Sarah (Moore) Carney, as a brother to his cousin Jackson Carney - the murdered man.

Listed on the 1850 U.S. Census for Barry County, MO, Household #135, John Carney, 25, male, b. ILL, is George Moore, listed as a 6-year old male.

Some researchers speculate that Sarah Moore and Harrison Moore were brother and sister and were probably related.

It was later reported that Dave Carney, a cousin to the murdered Jackson Carney, kicked the box from under his cousin, George Moore, at the hanging. Dave was about 21 years old at the time and was a son of Calvin and Clarissa (Hill) Carney.