The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1907-04-12
In Judge Armstrong; Court
Mrs. Edna Hooley Is EXAM
ined by Commissioners.
HER SOLE OBJECT WAS
TO PROTECT CHILDREN
She Realizes Everything and
: Is Not Sorry; Several Wit
nesseS Are Heard.


apparent emotion, Mrs. Edna HooIey
told how she killed her husband, W. T..
Hooley, at their homo In Waterloo on
Tuesday morning while he was stand
ing at the telephone calling an express
nan TO take away their effects to re-
move to Bingham, where he was en-
ployed as master mechanic In the Uni
ted States Mining company plant.
The woman apparently failed utterly
10 appreciate the enormlty OF her act,
though she told the doctors and the
District Attorney that she understood
the consequences of her crime,
The hearing was held before Judge
Armstrong Wednesday afternoon and
was conducted by DR.. Calderwood,
County Physician. assisted by DIR. Ely
and +. G.. Loofbourow, District Attor,,
pey. A neighbor of Mrs. Hooley and
her two brothers, Victor and Carl An
derson, sat by her during the hearing.
Mrs. Hooley is Scandinavian wo-
man, forty years of age. She gave her
testimony in an indifferent manner
and only displayed emotion when she
spoke of her children, particularly those
who had died The evidence showed
that her sanity had been called into
question two years ago when she was
examined before commission. The
proceedings were then suspended and
she was sent for two months 10 DR..
Lewis s sanitarium.
DR.. Lewis said that when he had
treated her two years ago she suffered
from delusions and hallucinations par.
ticularly concerning her children She
was also continually under the impress
sion that she was having trouble with
her husband. She was in his hospital
for two months and was afterward
there for three weeks. On the last
occasion she was in better condition,
though hysterical. She was secretive
and displayed little emotion at any
time. She was suffering from hysteria
on the last occasion.
Showed Little Emotion,
Dr. Richards. who was called after
the shooting. said that she had taken
matters very coolly and showed little
emotion on seeing her husband S body.
He knew nothing Of her before the
James Veatch said that he had been
asked to keep an eye on the family by
Hooley year ago last summer, Hooley
had told him that she had been act
ing strangely. He had not noticed
anything more than that she was some
what peculiar Hooley he knew was
not drinking man ard was of a very
even temper
Mrs. A. Pouch, friend and neighbor
of Mrs. Hooley, said at times she had
acted queerly She had all along been
of the opinion that the woman was
not mentally well balanced She was
a good housekeeper and took the best
Of care of her children; in fact. her
only thought seemed to be of them. She
seemed to be in constant fear lest her
husband would take them from her.
After the killing Mrs. Pouch had gone
IN TO see her. Mrs, Hooley then said
that for the first time she had felt
sure that she could keep them because
he was dead. Hoolev came home about
once month. lie seemed to be alNavs
kind 10 the children and apparently
provided well for his family She had
back steps of her house with her hand
OF her head. She had told her that she
had asked Hooley to wait until the
schools closed before removing to Binp-
ham. He had refused and her ONLY
chance to escape going was to kill him.
She was slightly nervous and cx-
clted after the shooting. She said she
thought she had done night and that
the children were now safe.
Brothers Testimony.
Victor s. Anderson, a brother of Mrs.
Hooley, said he mad known for some
time that she was not herself She
could not keep her mind on one sub
Ject at times and worried great deal
about the children. She was always
afraid that her husband wond take
them away from her Hooley was n
good husband and supported his family
well. She had never SAID that he IN.
treated her, but she had objected 10
going TO Bingham, saying the water
there disagreed with her. She had told
him she did not want to live with her
husband but did not give any reason
He had talked with Hooley about her
mind being unbalanced and HooIcv
had then told him that the only way
to manage her was to show her that
he was the boss. His sister, he said.
had been tried AS to her sanity two
years ago when proceedings were eus
pended to let her go TO DR.. Lewis s
sanitarium.
G. A. Anderson. another brother
gave evidence of much the same ma
ture.
Mrs: uooley was then questioned
Shc told the story of the shooting Her
husband had several times been angry
because they could not live together
and because she did not want TO 90 IN
Bingham. When she shot him he was
standing at the telephone near the door
of the bedroom where she was. She
took the revolver out of the bureau
drawer and fred two shots. one strik
ms hiiil ~ 'ut biEh ana rne other
the neck. He spun around and fell fnIl
length on the floor. When she shot
him he was telephoning for an express
man. She purchased the revolver from
the Salt Lake Hardware company about
Cnrlstmas. She told her two boys that
she bought 1t az Christmas present
and that it was good thing TO have
one in the house. but she asked them
not TO tell their papa about It, She
shot him because she did not want to
90 to Bingham and because he was
compelling her to go. 81 intended 10
XII him, she said, "and was prepared
to Kill him. ] first thought Of killing
him about ten months ago I had never
fred the pistol before but learned how
by swapping the trigger.
Is Not Sorry.
81 am not sorry / shot him T knew
that / did wrong, but the only way
sclt sorry was when | thought what
the children might think of me-
She was questioned by Mr.. Loot