Warren C. O'Harra 1874-1900
Warren C. O'Harra was murdered on the evening of July 23, 1900 in the livery stable of Samuel Jenkins in Waterford, VA.
O'Harra was originally from Ohio and had lived in Waterford before moving to Washington, DC, where he was employed at the Navy Yard. He had returned to Waterford for a vacation and on the evening of July 23rd, was taking shelter in the livery stable with a number of others during a heavy rain. There, O'Harra exchanged words with Ernest Mullen, who was from the northern part of Loudoun County. O'Harra took exception with disparaging remarks Mullen made about a young Waterford lady O'Harra had taken an interest in, and O'Harra challenged Mullen to a fight. Mullen refused, but then waited until O'Harra was distracted in conversation with Victor Schooley, and approached him from behind with a knotted club. Mullen knocked O'Harra to the ground with three heavy blows to the head and then jumped onto the unconscious man, kicking him in the face and side. Mullen threatened to use his club on the others if they intervened, and then walked off into the night. O'Harra died about 30 minutes after the attack. Mullen was eventually caught, convicted of second degree murder and sentenced to 11 years in the penitentiary.
O'Harra had been a member of the First Regiment of Volunteers of the District of Columbia during the Spanish-American war.
Sources include Find A Grave