Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1905-10-17
ROONEY PAYS THE PENALTY
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(Continued from Page IL
has always claimed that it was his
partner who fired the fatal shot but all
along he has declined to give the name
or any information which would lead
to the arrest of the other man.
Whether Rooney did not know the
name of his partner on that night of
the murder or whether he has persist
ed in his statement to that effect to
shield the man has always been a
point on which the authorities could
never agree. Rooney ~ that
he had met his paEs NV days
prior to the murder and that The only
name he had ever heard the man
called was kansas Slim"
After the U. S. supreme court had
passed on Rooney's case, the Coll
demned man was taken to Fargo to
again be sentenced. He arrived there
in custody Of sieriff Hunt and one
|
guard, about az o'clock at night and
was at once taken to the district court
chambers where the court officials
were in waiting. Judge Pollock for
the third time fixed the date for the
hanging. Rooney was taken to the
county jail where asselose watch was
kept over him. - ,--
Attempts Suicide.
In spite of the precautions, Rooney
made a desperate attempt to take his
life, and, had he been undisturbed for
a few more minutes, would undoubted-
ly have been successful. He had
secreted crude knife on his person
and, while lying in his bunk sur
rounded by guards, he feigned sleep.
In reality he was gouging at his wrist.
The knife blade broke near the handle,
but with the blunt piece which re-
manned Rooney continued in his efforts
to sever blood vessel and at the
same time, in spite of the pain he
must have suffered, he continued TO
breath regularly so as not to arouse
the suspisions of his guards. Just in
the nick OF time the guards became
aware OF the attempt of the con-
demned murderer to take his life and
medical aid was hurriedly summoned.
The nerve displayed by Rooney in
his attempt at suicide convinced the
authorities that the condemned mans
assertion that he would never die on
the scaftold was not to be ignored as
an idle boast and for that reason he
has been most carefully guarded since
his return to the state penitentiary.
His Early History.
The son OF a New York saloon
keeper and left to shift for himself at
an early age, Rooney has associated
with criminals all of his life. His
earliest recoHections were scenes Of
Icrimes and his early companions were
offsprings of criminals, so 1t is little
wonder that, in spite of the aid Of a
benevolent association, he should have
become a typical "yeggman" and
wound up his career In a penitentiary
and on the gallows.
From the streets of New York
Rooney, when still a youth, was
placed in the family Of an Iowa farmer
by q Catholic association. He re
manned with the farmer for several
years and then started on the road
His associates were Of the same type
as those he had left In New York and
soon Rooney was recognized leader
| in criminal operations. How many
times he was arrested prior to the
murder Of Harold Sweet may never be
known. He was arrested in Fargo 81
robbery charge at least once prior Il
the murder and barely escaped q peni
tertiary sentence then. That he was
associated with gang Of harvester
OF haryesters" has always been sus
pected hut his arrest and conyictior
on the serious charge OF murder pre-
vented any efforts being made to con
meet him with any minor crimes.
Rooney's aversion OF death within
the walls OF penitentiary, in view 81
his hardened career, Is peculiar. Fol
him death III any form and In any
place except in the penitentiary would
have been sweet, indeed, but In spite
OF all OF the craft with which he has
been endowed by years OF criminal
operations his only hope OF ESCAPING
the penalty fixed as a punishment for
his crime appeared to be In reprieve
from the governor. or In taking his
own life. which to man Of his men.
faiity, would have been 4 great salts.
faction and a sort OF revenge ON the
authorities for his arrest and con
viction.