By Sue Sylvester
In the previous article, I had recounted the story of a shooting between John Moroney Jr. and his cousin James O’Loughlin. The newspaper had ended the story that John Jr. would probably not survive. However, I discovered he did survive, raised a family, and died in 1933. The second part of the story will deal with the perpetrator of the crime, James O’Loughlin. There were a couple of James O’Loughlins living in Maple Lake during this time. I wanted to track down the right one and find out what happened to him after the shooting incident.
James and his brother Michael O’Loughlin were the sons of Michael O’Loughlin and Margaret Moroney O’Loughlin. The first census record of this family I found was in 1870 and they were living in Maple Lake. Her husband Michael had died on May 13, 1870. She was 48 years old and she was living with her two children, Michael age 20 and James age 12. It made me wonder with James being so young and fatherless, if it had affected his personality.
According to Terry Maroney’s family history, he said after her husband’s death, Margaret left Maple Lake with the boys to later return back to their farm in 1882. He mentioned an interesting agreement between Michael Moroney who owned land in Township 121 Section 32 in Maple Lake Township and with the O’Loughlin brothers Michael and James. “On November 24, 1882 Michael Moroney surrenders his life lease in the west half of the South West quarter of section 32 in Township 121 in consideration of being furnished his food, clothing and the fodder for one cow so long as he should keep a cow.” Apparently, they did take care of Michael Moroney after this agreement because in the 1885 census he was living with his niece Margaret Moroney O’Loughlin and her two sons Michael and James.
The O’Loughlin brothers will eventually own his land. A 1901 plat map shows the land location is just south of Lake Mary and Michael A. O’Loughlin has his name on the land in Section 32, Maple Lake Township. The shooting occurred between John Moroney Jr. and James O’Loughlin on August 30, 1893. I only have one other account from Buffalo Journal pertaining to this case. Just a simple statement in the 1-17-1894 newspaper, “James A. O’Loughlin charged with assault second degree and sentenced to Stillwater.”
James O’Loughlin fired 3 shots at John Moroney Jr. with one of his bullets hitting John in the back creating a life threatening wound. How long a term in prison did he receive? I called on Kevin Jude another researcher for our library archive to see what he could find on Jim O’Loughlin’s prison sentence. Kevin came up with this article from the Buffalo Journal on August 14, 1895.
“James A. O’Loughlin came home from Stillwater last Saturday after an absence of about one year and a half. The people here were pleased at seeing him return. His deportment while in the Stillwater institution was excellent and contributed largely to effect his early release. It is the sentiment of the community that he has amply expiated for that transgression which probably would not have occurred, not withstanding the provocation, but for the existence of untoward circumstances.” Wow, only charged with assault and served one and a half years after shooting John Moroney Jr. in the back. From this article, it sounds like the victim deserved it? I thought the charges would be attempted murder in the second degree but a much lower criminal offense was charged. I hear constantly today that people are getting by with crimes and not charged accordingly. I guess history just repeats itself.