As the summer of 1902 ended, three brothers left their home in Minnesota and headed west. The oldest brother had worked for several years on a farm near Courtenay during harvest season. In 1902, he was joined by his two younger brothers. Raymon, Harold, and W.C. Sweet left Fargo one August evening and walked to the Milwaukee Crossing, where they planned to camp while waiting for a train to Valley City.
The boys had banked their fire and were about to crawl under their blankets when three armed men emerged from the darkness. Raymon and W.C. started to run but stopped short when shots were fired at them. Harold confronted one of the robbers and was getting the better of him when one of the other robbers shot him. The gang took two watches and $7.50. Two of the robbers escaped, but Raymon and W.C. captured John Rooney and managed to get him to a police station. At the time, he was armed with a .38 caliber revolver and a bowie knife. Harold was transported to Darrow Hospital in Moorhead, where he later died from his wounds.
On this date in 1903, Judge Pollock sentenced Rooney to be hanged. When asked if he wanted to make a statement, he claimed he wasn’t the one who fired the shot that killed Harold Sweet but refused to name his two fellow robbers. The jury found him guilty quickly. The hanging was initially scheduled for June 26 but was postponed until October. Rooney apparently had a wealthy family that funded his defense, and his lawyer appealed the verdict all the way to the United States Supreme Court.
All of Rooney’s efforts to avoid hanging were unsuccessful. He was finally sentenced to hang on October 17, 1905. Despite this, he swore he would never be hanged. He continued to appeal the court's decision, but all of his efforts were unsuccessful. On October 17, 1905, he was executed by hanging.
Dakota Datebook by Dr. Carole Butcher
Sources:
- Bismarck Daily Tribune. “Another Death From Shooting.” Bismarck ND. 8/27/1902. Page 1.
- Fargo Forum and Daily Republican. “Another Story of Rooney.” Fargo ND. 2/4/04. Page 3.
- Bismarck Daily Tribune. “Rooney Sentenced.” 3/21/1903. Page 2.
- Ward County Independent. “Condemned to Die.” Minot ND. 2/4/1903. Page 2.
- Fargo Forum and Daily Republican. “The Rooney Murder Case.” Fargo ND. 11/8/1904. Page 3.
- Fargo Forum and Daily Republican. “Rooney’s Life Protracted.” Fargo ND. 1/5/1904. Page 8.
- Bismarck Daily Tribune. “To US Supreme Court.” Bismarck ND. 4/23/1904. Page 4.
- Fargo Forum and Daily Republican. “John Rooney Will Be Hanged Tomorrow.” Fargo ND. 10/16/1905. Page 1.
- Bismarck Daily Tribune. “Rooney Pays the Penalty.” Bismarck ND. 10/17/1905. Page 1.
