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^ A MURDER ON SATURDAY.Death or Lawrence Dolan, a Prominent Farmer of Pleasant •fownsMp, From Gunshot Wound Inflicted by J. H, Donahue, a Neighbor—A Deplorable Affair.About 4 o’clock Ion Saturday afternoon J. H. Donahue, standing at a distance of forty steps, fired an immense load of shot into the heart,breast and upper abdomen of Lawrence Dolan. Dolan fell and died instantly. The witnesses of the tragedy were ChftB. Dolan, aged 18, son of the murdered man, and Wilson Buchanan, the hired man of the murderer. This happened in Pleasant township, Cass county, Iowa, about 18 miles south of Atlantic. Both leading actors in the tragedy were well-to-do farmers of more than ordinary intelligence. The victim was active in politics and was well known. The man who fired the shot i3 aeed 33 years, and has been a resident of the locality of the tragedy since 1864, excepting seven years passed in iha West, a part of that time as policeman in Omaha. The trouble arose about a line fence, and the trespassing of cattle belonging to Donahue on Dolan’s land. There are so many conflicting stories connected with the merits of the dispute that it 1b almost idle to undertake to get the real facts. Dolau had at one time distrained 3 head of Donahue’s cattle, and the latter replevied them. The trial took place in Griswold on Monday of last week before a jury and Donahue won the case. Another and similar trial was set for this week Thursday. The trouble in regard to the line fence began about five weeks ago, and accord ing to Donahue’s yersion as given to a Telegraph representative in the county jail yesterday, Dolan’s conduct had been extremely exasperating and tormenting in its nature. The tragedy took place in the open field hear the. line fence. Dolan’s son had driven the cattle over to Donahue’s side of the fence and was haying some talk or quarrel with Donahue, who had rode out from his house on horseback, accompanied by his hired man, Buchanan. Dolan who was working along the fence, some distance below, went up to the scene of the talk and a quarrel ensued. Donahue warned Dolan not to come on his, (Donahoe's)land but Dolan adyanced and Donahoe fired with the results as stated. Donahoe claims that Dolan’s son had a club, and reports have it that both Dolan and his son had clubs. Others jay neither had clubs. Donahue was arrested, taken before Justice Briggs at Griswold,where he waived examination. Sheriff Jones went down and got Donahoe and lodged him in the county jail in this city, the murderer having waived examination, to await the action of the grand jury. When arrested Dohaboe was preparing to come to Atlantic to glye himself up. He has engaged Lawyer J C Bryant, of Griswold to defend him. Dolan was 45 years of age and leaves a wifa and seven children. A gentleman who visited the Dolan homestead yesterday said he never witnessed a more pathetic sight in his life. The shooting seems to be inexcusable murder, though Dolan was said to be a quarrelsome man. The sympathy of the entire neighborhood seems to be with Donahoe, which will undoubtedly help him greatly in his trial. Donahue claims to have acted sclely in self-defense and says his conduct was unavoidably. But it certainly is an extreme case that will justify the shooting of an unarmed man, especially whenthe one who has the gun has a horse at his side on which he could mount and ride away.PtiClfi13htlcie;81tl
Newspaper Details
Atlantic Daily Telegraph
Atlantic, Iowa, US
Mon, Oct 17, 1887
Page 4
Full Page
Clipped by
Dana K.
NA, 18 Jun 2019
Other Publications Near Atlantic, Iowa
Atlantic Cass County Democrat
Atlantic Bruces Optimist
Atlantic Advertiser
Atlantic News Telegraph
Atlas of Cass County Iowa
