A Timeline of the 1898 Murder Case
Some crimes don’t unravel all at once. They unfold across quiet mornings, empty roads, and whispered rumors. In the case of Ray Sink and Will Magers, the details live in the margins. The prosecution built its case on a chain of moments like these.
September 4, 1898
Ray Sink leaves his farm in Sherman County. He heads to the Willamette Valley, supposedly to explore the idea of buying a livery stable. Before he left, he received a letter from Will Magers, a former employee. The message carried a tone of opportunity, maybe even urgency.
Around September 10, 1898
Ray arrives in the Willamette Valley and stays at the home of E.W. Manning in Gervais. Manning is Magers’ brother-in-law. During his stay, Ray tells Manning he’ll need to return home before he can move forward with any business deals. His farm is still under mortgage.
September 13, 1898 – Morning
Magers and Sink leave Gervais in a buggy and head to Salem. They stable their team at Keeler’s feed yard, close to the steel bridge. By all accounts, the morning passes without incident. Witnesses see them around 10 a.m., and everything seems routine.
September 13, 1898 – Evening
Around 7:00 p.m., the two men return to Keeler’s and collect their team. Witnesses say they left together. That’s the last time Ray Sink is seen alive in Salem.
About half an hour later, a witness named Sparr claims he saw the buggy speeding down a road near the Harritt farm in Polk County. He remembers seeing two men inside.
September 13, 1898 – Late Night
At roughly 11:00 p.m., Magers shows up in Salem alone. He stops briefly at the Fashion Stables, then continues on toward Gervais. No one mentions where Ray Sink is, and no one offers a clear explanation.
September 14, 1898
Magers returns the buggy to Manning’s livery barn in Gervais around 10:00 a.m. Again, he’s alone. Ray Sink is nowhere to be found.
September 15, 1898
Magers leaves for Portland with two women: Nannie Quigley and Kate Lane. His reasons for the trip remain vague. The timing, however, is troubling.
September 20, 1898
Ray Sink’s body is found in the Willamette River. It surfaces on the Polk County side near the steel bridge. Someone tied him with rope and weighed him down with sash weights. The body’s condition suggests someone murdered him shortly after his last known sighting.
September 23, 1898
Police arrest Will Magers at the Depot Hotel in Portland. The newspapers pick up the story, and speculation spreads quickly.
December 1898
The court orders a second trial after it reverses the first verdict. Magers is tried again. Once more, the jury reaches a guilty verdict.
February 2, 1900
William Magers is executed by hanging.
