James Dooley, 1894 October 19

spent his first night on the road about seven miles fran Prescott and
the next day drove to Villisca where he went to the home of a nephew
of Mrs. Coons and was allowed to Spend the night. During the night
the nephew received word of the murders and Dooley was arrested the
next daye He confessed but denied that he had purchased the pistol
for the purpose of killing his aunt, claiming instead that he had
bought it to do some practice Shooting. Convicted and sentenced to
die, his case was &ppealed to the Iowa Supreme Court which affirmed
the conviction on January 16, 189), and Dooley was finally hanged at
the Iowa State Prison on October 19, 189),

69 IOWA 58 °

, Dee fe Ae O/516-9 2
“Stepped on géaffold firm and composed, hgh asked’if he had aAything

to say, replieds "I have, You have violated the law, The law allows
but 17 persons to witness an execution and there are 25 or more present
now and more coming, A poor man aannot violate the law without he

i : free, I
suffers the penalty. A rich man can do the same and he goes
hope God will forgive your sins as mine are," Death was instantaneous.

NEWS, Galveston, Texas, 10-20-189); (1-1).

ha Fs n e g ii.s—wife—and—el a ey
spent his first night on the road about seven miles from Prescott and
the next day drove to Villisca where he went to the home of a nephew
of Mrs. Coons and was allowed to spend the night. During the night
the nephew received word of the murders and Dooley was arrested the
next day. He confessed but denied that he had purchased the pistol
for the purpose of killing his aunt, claiming instead that he had
bought it to do some practice shooting. Convicted and sentenced to
die, his case was &ppealed to the Iowa Supreme Court which affirmed
the conviction on January 16, 189, and Dooley was finally hanged at
the Iowa State Prison on October 19, 189). :

€9 TOWA 58 °

Aero: : eeu Mla. O/s16 92.
Stepped on gfaffold firm and composed. thgh asked’ if he had aAything

to say, replied: "I have, You have violated the law. The law allows

but 17 persons to witness an execution and there are 25 or more present

now and more coming, A poor man aannot violate the law without he a
i he goes free.

suffers the penalty. A rich man can do the same and :

hope God will forgive your sins as mine are." Death was instantaneous,

NEWS, Galveston, Texas, 10-20-189), (1-1).

a tean to @ wagon and left. Nts Goons returned around five geese
f

that evening and
spent his first Aen eauaeate Sat seven cite ps Prescott and
the next day drove to Villisca where he went to the home of a nephew
of Mrs. Coons and was allowed to spend the night, During the night
the nephew received word of the murders and Dooley was arrested the
next day, He CH but denied that he had purchased the pistol
for the’ purpose of killing his aunt, claiming instead that he had
bought it to do some practice shooting. Convicted and sentenced to
die, his case was éppealed fe the Tova Supreme Court which affirmed
the conviction on Jamary 16, 1894, and Dooley was finally hanged at
the Iowa State Prison on fas 2m) 189k.

&9 Towa 584

Pleo, S15 9 2
Salford fitn and cofposed, Aen, (le if he ha Ysfleg
You ha

Stepped on
to say, replied: "I have, ve ioliiea the law. The law Aare
but 17 persons to witness an execution and there are 25 or more present]
now and more coming, A poor man gannot violate the Tag tenons Wale

@ penalty. A rich man can do the same and he goes frees
hope Ged will forgive your sins as nine ares" Death vas instantaneous,
NEWS, Galveston, Texas, 10-20-1869), (1-1).

=— Pace ates

i She zeae,

DOOLEY, James O« _ 10-9-1894

Deoley, a 16-year-old white youth, whose father had died when he was
an infant and whose mother had subsequently remarried, left home when
he was l3-years-old and worked at various places until September,
1891, when he accepted employmdnt on the farm of his Uncle, We He
Coons, who lived less than a mile southwest of Prescott, Iowa, Dooley
lived with his uncle, his aunt, Lucinda, and their 10-year-old daugh-
ter, Nellie, as a member of the family and attended school in Prescott
during the Winter where he was noted as a belowgaverage student. He
drank little whiskey but was considered an avid reader of "cheap, sen-
Sational novels." Around seven ofclock on the morning of May 11,
1892, Mr. Coons left home for the da e That Morning Mrs. Coons scold-
ed James for having neglected the cows and he went into town where he
forged a note on his uncle and purchased a revolver and some bullets,
He returned to the farm and after luchch Mrs, Goons scolded him again
He struck her on the head twice with a heavy padlock that he had found
and raped her, after which he shot her in the head. Nellie, who was

playing in the barn, ae Feakay ale shot and ran into, gfe to
happened e struck her over the
a vee gs floor and then shot her in the at epee eae ey
- placed both of the bodies.on a bed , packed his clo &9

» placed both of the bodies.on a bed , packed his clothing, hitched

DOOLEY, James 0. 10-9-1894

Dooley, a 16-year-old white youth, whose father had died when he was
an infant and whose mother had subsequently remarried, left home when
he was l3-years-old and worked at various places until September,
1891, when he accepted employmdnt on the farm of his Uncle » We He
Coons, who lived less than a mile southwest of Prescott, Iowa, Dooley
lived with his uncle, his aunt, Lucinda, and their 10-year-old daugh-
ter, Nellie, as a member of the family and attended school in Prescott
during the Winter where he was noted as a belowmaverage student. He
drank little whiskey but was considered an avid reader of "cheap, sen-
Sational novels." Around seven o'clock on the morning of May 11,
1892, Mr. Coons left home for the da: e That Morning Mrs. Coons scold-
ed James for having neglected the cows and he went into town where he
forged a note on his uncle and purchased a revolver and some bullets,
He returned to the farm and after luchch Mrs, Goons scolded him again |
He struck her on the head twice with a heavy padlock that he had found
oe raped her, nphagy which he shot her in the head. Nellie 9 who was
playing in the barn, EHEK&M heard the shot and ran int the house to
d, He struck her over the head with the P >
Pore tee ae eercicas and then shot her in the forehead, Doosey

DOOLEY, James 0, 10-9-1894

Deoley, @ 16-year-old white youth, whose father had died when he was
an infant and whose mother had subsequently remarried, left home when
various places until Septenber,
1891, when he accepted employmdnt on the farm of his Uncle, W. He
Coons, who lived less than a mile southwest of Prescott, Iowa, Dooley|

Playing in the barn, E#KK&H heagd the shot and ran int hou:
see what had happened, He struck her over the head wten the Padi gte,
knocking her to the floor and then shot her in the forehead. “Doo!
placed both of the bodies.on a bed , packed his clothing,

Buss,
Hasire