James Elliott Cook (1938)

COOK

Posted By: Pat Hochstetler
Date: 6/3/2007 at 09:42:54

The Winterset Madisonian
Winterset, Iowa
Wednesday, November 23, 1938

ED COOK KILLED IN FALL AT FT. MADISON

Death Ends Life Term for Murder of Charles Driscoll

James Elliott Cook, familiarly known in this county a quarter century ago as Ed Cook, was killed in the Ft. Madison penitentiary last Friday, when he fell from a second story window he was washing. He was 53 years old.

Cook was serving a life sentence for first degree murder, for the slaying in 1914, of his neighbor, Charles Driscoll, in Jefferson township.

The murder was one of the most sensational crimes ever committed in Madison county and is familiar to every person who was a resident of the county at that time.

Cook was the son of F. E. Cook, and a member of a highly respected Jefferson township family. Driscoll, who lived on a neighboring farm, was a man of good reputation. He had married a girl who was a former sweetheart of Ed Cook's, and they were the parents of two small children.

On the day of the killing, Driscoll had gone to Van Meter, but caught a ride in an automobile and was back much sooner than had been expected. He found Cook and his wife in the house, and in the quarrel that followed, Cook shot Driscoll twice, killing him instantly.

At the coroner's inquest, Mrs. Driscoll, who was the only witness to the slaying, attempted to shield Cook, who was claiming self defense. At the trial she turned state's evidence, and as a result the jury convicted Cook of first degree murder.

In past years, several attempts had been made to gain a parole for Cook, but this was always prevented by public sentiment in Jefferson township.
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The Winterset Madisonian
Winterset, Iowa
Wednesday, November 23, 1938
Page 8

Personal Items from Van Meter

The body of James Elliott Cook, a former resident of the vicinity south of Van Meter, was brought here Saturday. The services were held at the Fisher funeral home Sunday afternoon. Burial was at the Union Chapel cemetery.

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Madison Obituaries maintained by Linda Griffith Smith.
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