Death of Thomas Rooney
Chenango Union, February 28, 1878
Monday afternoon last, a message came to Coroner Avery, of this village [Norwich, Chenango Co., NY], to the effect that the body of a man had been found in a lot on the farm of Albert Davis, in the north part of the town of Guilford, near the Oxford line. Dr. Avery at once visited the spot, accompanied by A. Cary, undertaker. The body was found lying upon its left side, in a "swail" in a pasture lot, frozen, and had to be cut from the ice before its removal. An inquest was held at the Court House, on Tuesday forenoon, where the evidence showed that the deceased was named Thomas Rooney; that he resided in Guilford [Chenango Co., NY] and had been, until recently, employed as section hand on the Midland Railroad; that he visited this village on Monday of last week, with a friend; that he drank while here, and had a bottle with him, from which he imbibed while on his way home in the afternoon; that the two became separated in the evening, the friend going to his house a short distance off, and returned soon after to search for his missing companion; that he failed to find him; and that for days afterwards the search was kept up by neighbors, until the body was found about noon on Monday, having lain for nearly a week in an open lot, near where teams had daily passed in the usual business of the farm.
At the inquest on Tuesday, Dr. H.H. Beecher, D.R. McDonald, John Slocum, Albert King, Harry F. Hickok, Ed Tiffany, Hosea W. Avery, W.A. White, H.B. VanCott and W.K. Packer were called as jurors, with Dr. Beecher as foreman. Having viewed the remains at Cary's undertaking rooms, the jury repaired to the Court House, where the following testimony was taken.
Edward Murphy sworn. Reside in the town of Oxford [Chenango Co., NY]. Knew Thomas Rooney for the past six months; saw him on Monday morning of last week, about nine o'clock; he came to my house, and said if I was going to Norwich that day he would like to go with me; we came to Norwich together, arriving between twelve and one o'clock; went to Doing's saloon, corner of Mechanic and North Broad Streets; there we parted, and I went to Hawley Bishop's on Pleasant Street; stayed there about an hour, when I went to Hugh Tucker's on mechanic Street; saw Rooney there; I stayed there but a few minutes; saw Rooney drink there, but don't know what he drank; I went back to Bishop's; stayed there half an hour; from there went back to Tucker's to look after Rooney; he was gone, and I was informed that he had gone with Tucker to dinner; went to Marquis' store, to see Albert Lewis; went from there to Mr. Lewis' house with him; from there went to G.W. Ray's office; stayed there about five minutes, then went to the Post Office, then back to Ray's office, where I stayed ten or fifteen minutes; then started for home; can't tell what time it was; met Rooney near T.D. Miller's store, saw him going up Broad Street on an old sled; told him it was time to go home; he jumped off from the sled and went with me; went south a little ways; he wanted to go up street; then we parted at Miller's corner, he going up street, and I waited for him there; he was gone about fifteen minutes, when he came back, and we started for home. It is six or seven miles to my house; live about a mile from where the body was found. We got the other side of McNitt hill at dark; passed Mr. Aldrich's house' couldn't tell what time it was; asked Rooney what time it was, and he took out his watch, but could not tell. We were about half a mile this side of my house when we parted; I told him to stay there, as I had some bundles for my family which I wished to take care of; went home, took some luncheon, and some in my hand, for him; went back to the place where I left him, and he was gone; tracked him half a mile, in an opposite direction from his home; called to him; searched for him some time, and failed to find him. Told my family Tom had come with me so far, and I had failed to find him. Rooney had a bottle with him; saw him drink from the bottle that day on our way home. I don't drink liquor; have not since 1869. Rooney and I worked as section hands in the same gang, on the Midland, in January and a part of February; we were both discharged from work on Saturday, the 16th. I went Tuesday morning to his house, to inquire if he had come home. On Wednesday or Thursday his little boy informed me that he had not been seen since I was with him. Commenced search for him on Thursday; looked through the woods, hay barns, and through the lots. Other people came from Guilford on Saturday searching, with neighbors; I went with them, and assisted in the search; went to Oxford on Sunday to see if he was there; went to Guilford yesterday morning and had operator Burnside telegraph to Mr. Dix, Road Master on the midland, at Norwich, to see if Rooney was in jail in Norwich. Don't think Rooney had any money with him, as I loaned him half a dollar, at his request, before we left my house. I did not find the body; think it was Mr. Ingraham and Mr. Gallagher. Saw his body between two and three o'clock yesterday; he was lying in the creek; there were two men there before me. We never had any trouble. Think he was not intoxicated when I last saw him alive, but capable of taking care of himself.
Albert Cary sworn. Am an undertaker in this village [Norwich, Chenango Co., NY]. Was notified by the Coroner, and went last evening to the farm of Albert Davis, where I found, about one hundred rods in the rear of the house, the body lying in a swail in the lot; he lay on his left side, in a horizontal position; he was partially in water and frozen stiff; considerable ice upon his face and head. I brought the body to my rooms in this village and dressed it; found a silver watch in his pocket; no money. Found a breakage of skin, where ice had been formed upon the forehead.
Joseph Gallagher sworn. Reside in Oxford. Found body of deceased on Monday; was in search of him; found him about noon on Monday; recognize the body; he was lying on his left side, in low ground, a little over half of his face in water, and part of body; hands partly in water. John Ingraham was with me when I first saw the body, but others who were searching were near; informed them that the body was found, and a messenger was sent to the coroner; several remained until his arrival.
H.H. Beecher sworn. Reside in Norwich; am physician and surgeon; have examined the body of Thomas Rooney, and am of the opinion that he came to his death by freezing, on the night of the 18th of February. The body bears no marks of violence, and has the characteristic appearances of death by exposure to extreme cold.
The jury, after deliberation rendered the following verdict: "the jury do say, upon their oath aforesaid, that the said Thomas Rooney came to his death on a field in the rear of a house belonging to Albert Davis, in the town of Guilford, on the evening of February 18th, 1878, by freezing, and in no other way."
Deceased was apparently nearly forty years of age, and has a wife and four children residing in Guilford. he was comfortably clothed, and when found had a silver watch in his pocket. His remains were interred at the Catholic cemetery in this village, on Tuesday afternoon.
At the inquest on Tuesday, Dr. H.H. Beecher, D.R. McDonald, John Slocum, Albert King, Harry F. Hickok, Ed Tiffany, Hosea W. Avery, W.A. White, H.B. VanCott and W.K. Packer were called as jurors, with Dr. Beecher as foreman. Having viewed the remains at Cary's undertaking rooms, the jury repaired to the Court House, where the following testimony was taken.
Edward Murphy sworn. Reside in the town of Oxford [Chenango Co., NY]. Knew Thomas Rooney for the past six months; saw him on Monday morning of last week, about nine o'clock; he came to my house, and said if I was going to Norwich that day he would like to go with me; we came to Norwich together, arriving between twelve and one o'clock; went to Doing's saloon, corner of Mechanic and North Broad Streets; there we parted, and I went to Hawley Bishop's on Pleasant Street; stayed there about an hour, when I went to Hugh Tucker's on mechanic Street; saw Rooney there; I stayed there but a few minutes; saw Rooney drink there, but don't know what he drank; I went back to Bishop's; stayed there half an hour; from there went back to Tucker's to look after Rooney; he was gone, and I was informed that he had gone with Tucker to dinner; went to Marquis' store, to see Albert Lewis; went from there to Mr. Lewis' house with him; from there went to G.W. Ray's office; stayed there about five minutes, then went to the Post Office, then back to Ray's office, where I stayed ten or fifteen minutes; then started for home; can't tell what time it was; met Rooney near T.D. Miller's store, saw him going up Broad Street on an old sled; told him it was time to go home; he jumped off from the sled and went with me; went south a little ways; he wanted to go up street; then we parted at Miller's corner, he going up street, and I waited for him there; he was gone about fifteen minutes, when he came back, and we started for home. It is six or seven miles to my house; live about a mile from where the body was found. We got the other side of McNitt hill at dark; passed Mr. Aldrich's house' couldn't tell what time it was; asked Rooney what time it was, and he took out his watch, but could not tell. We were about half a mile this side of my house when we parted; I told him to stay there, as I had some bundles for my family which I wished to take care of; went home, took some luncheon, and some in my hand, for him; went back to the place where I left him, and he was gone; tracked him half a mile, in an opposite direction from his home; called to him; searched for him some time, and failed to find him. Told my family Tom had come with me so far, and I had failed to find him. Rooney had a bottle with him; saw him drink from the bottle that day on our way home. I don't drink liquor; have not since 1869. Rooney and I worked as section hands in the same gang, on the Midland, in January and a part of February; we were both discharged from work on Saturday, the 16th. I went Tuesday morning to his house, to inquire if he had come home. On Wednesday or Thursday his little boy informed me that he had not been seen since I was with him. Commenced search for him on Thursday; looked through the woods, hay barns, and through the lots. Other people came from Guilford on Saturday searching, with neighbors; I went with them, and assisted in the search; went to Oxford on Sunday to see if he was there; went to Guilford yesterday morning and had operator Burnside telegraph to Mr. Dix, Road Master on the midland, at Norwich, to see if Rooney was in jail in Norwich. Don't think Rooney had any money with him, as I loaned him half a dollar, at his request, before we left my house. I did not find the body; think it was Mr. Ingraham and Mr. Gallagher. Saw his body between two and three o'clock yesterday; he was lying in the creek; there were two men there before me. We never had any trouble. Think he was not intoxicated when I last saw him alive, but capable of taking care of himself.
Albert Cary sworn. Am an undertaker in this village [Norwich, Chenango Co., NY]. Was notified by the Coroner, and went last evening to the farm of Albert Davis, where I found, about one hundred rods in the rear of the house, the body lying in a swail in the lot; he lay on his left side, in a horizontal position; he was partially in water and frozen stiff; considerable ice upon his face and head. I brought the body to my rooms in this village and dressed it; found a silver watch in his pocket; no money. Found a breakage of skin, where ice had been formed upon the forehead.
Joseph Gallagher sworn. Reside in Oxford. Found body of deceased on Monday; was in search of him; found him about noon on Monday; recognize the body; he was lying on his left side, in low ground, a little over half of his face in water, and part of body; hands partly in water. John Ingraham was with me when I first saw the body, but others who were searching were near; informed them that the body was found, and a messenger was sent to the coroner; several remained until his arrival.
H.H. Beecher sworn. Reside in Norwich; am physician and surgeon; have examined the body of Thomas Rooney, and am of the opinion that he came to his death by freezing, on the night of the 18th of February. The body bears no marks of violence, and has the characteristic appearances of death by exposure to extreme cold.
The jury, after deliberation rendered the following verdict: "the jury do say, upon their oath aforesaid, that the said Thomas Rooney came to his death on a field in the rear of a house belonging to Albert Davis, in the town of Guilford, on the evening of February 18th, 1878, by freezing, and in no other way."
Deceased was apparently nearly forty years of age, and has a wife and four children residing in Guilford. he was comfortably clothed, and when found had a silver watch in his pocket. His remains were interred at the Catholic cemetery in this village, on Tuesday afternoon.
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