The record-union., 1898-01-02
FOLEY FOUND GUILTY.
CONVICTED OF THE MURDER OF
HIS MOTHER AND SISTER.
Sentenced by Judge Broaddus to be
Hanged on Friday, the Eighth
Day of February.

LIBERTY (Mo), Jan. This after
noon the jury in the trial of William
Foley for the murder of his sister and
mother, after being out two hours and
forty minutes, returned a verdict OF
murder in the first degree.
After the verdict had been read Judge
Broaddus sentenced Foley to be hanged
on Friday. February Sth.
When Foley was brought into the
courtroom to hear his fate his face was
ashen, but his features wore the sullen
look that he had worn during the lat
ter Fart of the trial. An almost imper-
ceptible shake of the head was Foley's
only reply when asked if he had any
thing to say why sentence should not
be passed upon him.
Then Judge Broaddus proceeded to
deliver most scathing arraignment,
while the prisoner nervously wiped the
perspiration from his brow.
"At your first trial." said the Judge,
II had very. grave doubts of your guilt,
but on the second they We're swept
away. The evidence has shown you
to be guilty beyond a doubt. 1t is the
most convincing chain of circumstan-
tial evidence that ever came under my
kIOWlCQSe. w nile 1t IOOAS
the links are complete.
Il cannot conceive why you should
murder your mother and sister. You
must be one of the most depraved hu-
man beings that ever walked the
earth. ] cannot think you murdered
them for any motive. You and your
God alone know why you stained your
hands with the blood it was your duty
to love and protect"
At the conclusion of the Judges stern
words Foley sank limp and helpless to
his chair, but grasped the arms of it
moment later and sat UP straight.
Major Woodson at once filed mo-
ton FOR a new trial, which was over
ruled.
Not one of Foley's witnesses or
friends We're near him at the trying
moment
The crowd in the courtroom were
well pleased, and gave vent to their
feelings by stamping of feet and ap-
plause.
All morning the little groups of farm
ers gathered on the streets, and it was
authoritatfvely stated that a mob had
been organized to hang Foley had the
jury failed to do what the residents of
Clay County considered to be their
duty.
Before the arguments began Foley
and his cousin sat at a table talking and
laughing, and he acted as if he did not
fear the result of the trial. During the
addresses by his attorneys, however,
Foley and his sisters were almost con-
stantly in tears.
Foley's crime, the murder of his
mother, an aged woman, and his sis
ter Fannie, aged 3S years, was most
brutal. They lived together on their
farm four miles north of Liberty. The
father was dead, and the mother and
sister had prevented young Foley
from having the property sold and di-
vidai. On the night of November IL.
1896 the women were shot from the
outside by Foley, who then broke in
the door. and, following the wounded
women from room to room as they
tried to escape, finished the crime. using
revolver and gun. Foley was the
first to give the alarm, and tried to
cast suspicion on Earl Hoover, a dis
charged farm hand. The Vigilance
Committee worked up evidence against
Foley, and it was necessary to take him
to Kansas City to prevent a lynching
He was tried in June. 1897, but the
jury disagreed.