The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1867-11-20

MYSTERIOUS AFFAIR--A Rock ISLAND
MAN IN TRoUBLE.-The Burlington Gazette
d argus brings the following choice bit of
intelligence, in which a Rock Island man
sustains an unfortunate part:
son Friday evening the New Boston arrived at
the landing. On board her, were q young gentle
man and middle aged lady; both apparently
the best of friends. They proceeded in company
to the Burlington House. The gentleman regis
tered his name as j. A. Smith, hers as Mrs. A.
Moore, both of Chicago. He stated TO the clerk
that the lady was under his charge. They were
given adjacent rooms, and ID, on the second
floor. little after six O'Clock yesterday morn
ing, the whole house alarmed with the cry of
S'murder! fire. | am shot" The person who ut
tered these cries was the half naked Smith. who
had found his way to the halls and was now run
ming up and down them with bleeding head and
distracted countenaace, saying 81 am shot am
killed. and in fact, more dead than alive with
fright. His only response to inquiries, when he
had little recovered from his fright, but not yet
from the belief that he "a dead man. was
my name is not Smith. it is Epstein, of Rock
Island; the woman did it," Officer Geiger was
soon on the ground and with others proceeded to
Mrs. Moore's rooms. She denied knowing any,
thing of the matter. In answer to the demand
for her pistol, she said she had none. Her pistol
however, after search, was found. 1t was load
ed. She insisted the man must have shot him
self. His pistol was under his pillow, untouched
and loaded. The ball, which was soon found, fit
Mrs. Moore's pistol. 1t was too small for the
other pistol, The woman's pistol then must
have shot Smith, Gttas Epstein. Was it fired by
her hand2 that's the question; and Tor what mo-
tive? On this point all is silence Epstein, who.
strange to say, though hit in the temple, jus.
above the left eye, seems not to be dangerously
injured, the ball having glanced off, will say
nothing, also the woman, who was Immediately
conducted to Jail and is still confined there main
tains religious silence in regard to the matter.
In the Rock Island & Moline Union of the
26th ult., the editors of that paper set up a
doleful whine about Mr.. Epstein, of this
city, in regard TO trip he recently made in
| the SOUTH saying that "a southern man oc-
cupied seat with Mr.. Epstein, on the
cars, "drank brandy out of Mr.. Epstein's
bottle" "was treated every way like gen
| tleman by Dir. Epstein" and then as soon
as ''this unreconstructed southron found that
his companion, who was treating him so
kindly, was from the north, he insulted him
| in the most violent and abusive language
| shook his fists in his face and even threat
ened to take his life" that he twas backed
by many more of the same stripe in the
car" and chad it not been for the interior
ence of a man who had been an officer il
the rebel army and who was more discreet
than the others, this young man would MT
doubt have lost his life, and for no othe,
reason than that he had ired IN the north =
The Union gravely published this ridiculou:
and unnatural story, about this Epstein, il
order to make little political capital ant
still further exasperate the people of tn,
north against the people of the south. Thii
is the same Epstein who had the trouble
with the strange woman at Burlington. Ill
formerly resided in Tennessee and boarde'
with this woman and her husband. Ate
| he left there he wrote back to some friend
giving the woman bad character. Fo
this,it is believed that she followed him for tn
purpose of shooting him,-and his attemp
to get into her room at Burlington gave he
exactly the chance she wanted, and on
which came pretty near'proving fatal to FL
stein. He is well punished, anyhow.