Finley, William J. – Died 1900

FINLEY

Posted By: Joy Moore (email)
Date: 6/7/2020 at 14:03:56

Source: Decorah Republican June 28, 1900 P 2 C 3

MURDER OR SUICIDE?
Express Messenger Finley found Dead in his Car at Cedar Rapids.
Tuesday morning last, Wm. J. Finley, a U. S. express messenger, from Cedar Rapids and Calmar, was found dead in his car when the train backed down to the depot in Cedar Rapids. He was sitting in his chair, his head lying over on his folded hands, which rested on his desk. There was a great hole in the right side of his head, just back of the ear, and a great pool of blood was on the floor of the car. A revolver was lying on the floor beside him. He had been dead several minutes. Whether it was suicide or accident is not known. The express people are inclined to think it was accident, as they know of no reason for suicide. He had a happy home, was in good circumstances, had never had any trouble and had never given any signs of melancholy.
A coroner's jury decided the affair to be the result of an accident.