
Person Info
William Earl Danner: Birth: 17 JAN 1900 in Jackson Co., Iowa. Death: 15 MAY 1968 in Iowa City, Iowa
Mable Helen Danner: Birth: 19 JAN 1903 in Iowa City, Iowa.
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Note: Cousin Ralph, From "The Iowa Citizen" of July 21, 1903 in a report of the funeral of S. E. Danner: "Samuel Ernest Danner was born in Henderson county, Ill., February 9, 187 2. In October, 1875, he came with his father's family to Johnson county, Iowa, where he grew to manhood. April 11, 1897, he was united in marriage with Miss Jennie E. Wolfe, daughter of Wm. Wolfe of Iowa City. Two children were born to them, namely, William Earl, Jan. 17, 1900, and Mabel Helen, Jan. 19, 1903. These with his parents, F. M. Danner and wife, two brothers, W. M. Danner of Denver, Colorado, and Frank A. Danner of Lincoln town ship, and one sister, Luella Danner, living with her parents, and many warm friends are left to mourn. The tragedy of this death is known to all and need not be repeated here. He lost his life in an attempt to save the life of another." This adds to my suspicion that Francis Marion Danner came, not to Mercer Co., but to Henderson Co., Illinois, as indicated in the 1860 census. This may be splitting hairs, though. My Aunt Lois states that W. M. Danner was born "on a farm near Little York, in Mercer Co., Illinois." My map shows Little York in Henderson County, but very near the county line. Sunbeam, where F. M. was married, and Oquawka, where W. M.'s future wife was born, are not far away. Cousin Peter On Sunday, July 16, 1905 at 8:10 P.M., Ernest, his preference of name, was shot by Will P. Jones with a Mobley, Henley & Co., .32 caliber hammerless revolver. Billy Jones was having a long time dispute with his ex-wife of two years, Ellvena Jones, concerning her refusal to live with him and her changing the names of their two children. Dorthy Jones, age 7, to Demmie Cooper and Powell Clark Jones, age 4, to Clark Cooper, the surname of her sister's husband. Mrs R. S. Cooper of Island Point, Vermont, said: "I formerly lived in Decorah, Iowa." The home town of Mrs. Jones. "There subsequent to the divorce of my sister, Mrs Jones from Will Jones, Will made threats at numerous times. He wrote letters to Mrs Jones of a threating nature. Among other things, he declared that, if he ever found Ellevena in the company of another man, he would kill them both." On Saturday night, July 16, 1905, Jones and his cousin Garfield Jones spent considerable time, hiding near the Danner farm, watching the house until 2:00 A.M., Sunday morning. Sunday evening, Garfield Jones drove his horse and buggy from Iowa City, where they had been drinking in a saloon, with Billy Jones as a passenger, to the Ernest Danner home about one and one half miles northwest of Coralville, Iowa. Mrs S. E. Danner's story: "Sunday night about 7:50 Billy Jones and Garfield Jones drove by while my husband and myself and Mrs Jones were in the barnyard together. A little later Garfield drove back alone and spoke to Mrs Jones who asked him to come in. She asked him who was with him when he drove by and he said he had not driven by with anybody he was alone. She then asked where Will was. Garfield then said he had not seen him for four weeks, and that Will had gone to Chicago that afternoon. Mr Danner declared that he had recognized the horse and then Will came round the corner of the house. Mrs Jones said, "Will if you have anything to say, come like a gentleman and don't go sneaking around like a cur." She did not go to met him, but he reached for his revolver saying, "I'll fix you " Ellvene started to run and he shot her in the back. then in quick succession he shot my husband. I hastened to the children to care for them, fearing that he would shoot us to." The account given by Reverend Francis M. Danner, the father of S. A. Danner: "Will Jones, as you may know, has been divorced from his former wife for about two years. She has been living with her sister, Mrs Cooper, of Decorah. At times of course she has been engaged as a nurse, she being a professional nurse. She has been at my son Ernest's home two or three times during that time visiting. I have it from Mrs Greer that Garfield Jones had told her that Will Jones had told Garfield that if Mrs Jones did not answer certain questions as he wanted them answered, he would shoot Ellvena the first time he met her. Mrs Jones said to me after she was shot that she did not answer his question the way he wanted her to and that he drew a revolver and shot her while she had turned in an attempt to get behind the buggy. Then it was my son, who was close by, undertook to prevent a repetition of the shooting. Will turned and shot Ernest, the gun being close to the latter's face because there were powder marks on his chin." F. M. Danner lived a little further east and across the road from Ernest Danner. "Mrs Eggenberg notified me of the shooting of Mrs Jones but did not speak of the shooting of my son until I had left the house. Then my wife made haste to follow me. I went into the house and Mrs Jones called to me for help to take off her clothes, saying she had been shot in the back and was bleeding to death. I had to cut her corset. Just as I had her clothes removed so that I could examine her back Billy Jones came into the house out of the dinning room and jerked at something and threw it on the floor." (Broken Phone) "The conversation following was something like this: " 'Billy, my god, what have you done?' I asked. " ' I didn't shoot her,' he said, 'I only shot to frighten her.' " 'You did,' she said, 'You said you would and I'm dying.' "Then she turned to me and exclaimed, 'O, turn me over and stop the blood.' "I asked Billy to help me and he did. When he saw the wound he said: " 'O, will you forgive me? I shot you .' " 'Yes, she replied, 'I'll forgive anyone. I'm dying but you know you did it on purpose.' "All this time I was wondering where Ernest and his wife were. I heard his wife and the children crying. Then Mrs Jones told me that Billy shot Ernest too. That was the first I knew of it. I asked Billy to help me lay Ellvena back on the couch so that I could go to my son. I asked him what he meant by killing my son, and he begged forgiveness saying that he had nothing against Ernest. When I had seen my son I went back out and Will was gone. As to the actual cause for the shooting I can only sermise from what she told me before the shooting. She told me that he had been wanting her to live with him and that she had refused the request." (The Iowa Citizen): No one who has not been in such a position can imagine the feelings of a father facing the murderer of his son. there was such a meeting last Sunday evening in the S. E. Danner home, when Mrs Ellvena Jones, lying wounded on the couch with her murderous assailant and F. M. Danner near her, told the latter, Ernest Danner's father, that Billy Jones had murdered his son. the father's first impulse was to brain Jones with his heavy cane. F. M. Danner: "Then with a effort and a prayer on my lip, I stopped myself just in time to prevent my repeating the crime Will Jones had already committed. It was that little verse of scripture that runs something like 'Avenge not thine own wrongs, ' that checked me at that terrible moment and I now thank God that all my life I have had family worship and read the scriptures daily in my home. When he asked Mrs Jones and I to forgive him, I told him to ask God for forgiveness, that it was useless for us to do so." Surgical examination of the wounds found a bullet had entered Mrs Jones back just under her left shoulder blade, going from there to her spine and lodged in the sixth dorsal vertebra. The posterior parts of two vertebra had been injured causing pressure upon the spinal cord. this resulted in paralysis of the limbs to some degree. On September 12, 1905 an operation was performed, some part of these two vertebra were removed and she recovered. Her two children went with her sister to stay with her sister in Decorah during her recovery. Ernest Danner was shot in the throat on the left side, the bullet crossing backwards and downwards toward the right. His lower extremities were also paralyzed. He died from this wound on July 17, 1905 at about 10: 30 A. M. Will Jones was tried in Johnson Co., Courthouse on September 23, 190 5, for murder in the 2nd degree. His Attorney was Stephen Bradley. Judge O. A. Byington sentenced him on September 26, 1905, Jones birthday, age 36: "Will Jones, I sentence you to hard work in the penitentiary at Ft. Madison for the rest of your natural life." Jones was born on September 26. 1869. The State Board of Control published a new order to go into effect the first of October; Johnson Co., was then to send all prisoners to Anamosa Prison. Will Jones left for Anamosa with Sheriff Rowland on October 2, 1905. Co., Attorney Fairchild said the law and the evidence were in favor of first degree murder, but inasmuch as we have saved the Co., the expense of a long trial and have secured a life sentence, I think that it is all that could be expected. I am satisfied." Jennie Danner nee Wolfe was to later marry Frank Johnson of California. From Anamosa Penitentiary Museum: Attached is an image of Mr. Jones for your interest. I note that on the picture there is a note that the sentence was later reduced from life to a specific number of years. (35 years) I have not checked his record to verify his release date. The Anamosa Penitentiary was changed to the Men's Reformatory in 1907, and at that time many with long sentences were sent to Fort Madison. If that is the case, Anamosa may not have his release date. [email protected]@mchsi.com Anamosa Prison: http://www.asphistory.com/museum/ |
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