The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1870-08-24

lHE hHSiG 1RAeEDY.-ht A. NJ. yes
terday, the circumstances connected with
the Davenport horror was resumed before
the coroner's jury in the prison office.
Upon being requested to relate the cir.
cumstanees connected with the death of his
wife and children, he made the following
statement:
my wife was not in the habit Of going int
the yard used to walk in the yard OF even
ings with her; the last time was ABOUT week
| Ak 0 after supper we walked IN the yaro wv or
thr ee times . week; it was generally about dusk
whom yge walked my wife hAd sore eyes before
nor eve, got bad she used to go for water to the
| vail. wbsn went down town Saturday evening
| T did not know how much water was in the
| house my wife and our two children were in the
| 'front.' roe N when l left do not know whether
| nv wife in bed or not our Oldest child was
| M il was about p. NJ. when took the si'er
ware and went up to Mr.. Rolfs; re'urhe4
home about 8 O'Clock; the children were uP'
know Of Ho one being in my mouse tna' ~.
We ali silent in the front room IN INC uny ''"o
w. 90. 81 the beds in the back room, and some
p u' - children lay on IL there; most of the
;ixerwsre we had WAS given US by my father;
ONE was ours together 1t was my wifes sugges
tiop to sc Il the silverware ; when returned from
down town in the evening found the honse
dark / lit acande and our oldest child
little boy was lying with Lis head in tho drink
ing water bucket at once went into the yard
and saw my wife at the we'll; went to her; she
told me what she had done I asked her to come
into the house 1 laid the children the bed
and asked my wife how she could do SO; we then
rubbed them and tried to bring them to life J;
when they could not be drought alive" my wife
said we had better follow the children, and drown
ourselves in the WELL thought We should do so
for could not think of going to the police court
and telling my wife had drowned our children :
we agreed to kill ourselves, and shook hands
| and walked to the well, climbed the curb
| and toge thsr Jumped in The well is 81 inches
in diameter, l6 feet In depth, with 20 inches of
water in 1t, walled up with rock; surrounding
the well is curb feet square, two feet high,
| across the center is the windiass upon which was
| the rope, bucket, and chan.) when we got
down into the well my wife held her head under
the water and died; tried to putmy head under
but could not get il down deep enough; the wa
ter ehoked me l raised up and found my wife
was dead when was down in the well changed
my mind and concluded to shoot myself; | climb
ed up out of the well and went into the house to
! shoot myself when saw my two little children
lying there dead, thought could not do it
l had single bsrrelled gun, but was too weak
10 get il do wn from over the door and load it;
hal now Ter, shot and caps In the house ther
though would go to my friend Mr.. Rolls, an6
tell him hat had happened did so, and ask ed
him unt 20 tell of this bad business until Sunday
morning intended TO kill myself before morn
ing snd did not think Mr.. Rolls could stop me
We hack TO the house and got my wife on
o. u, and soon after WAS taken into Gus
tC brought here Ito the jail.
At the close of the investigation, Mr.
km-ig was remsnded to jail aud the jury
rendered verdict to the effect that the de
cea children of the prisoner came Il
their death at about 10 o'clock on the eve
ming of the Goth inst. by unknown hands
that Anna NJ. kenig came to her death a
, drowning and that Mr.. konig, her hus,
band, was accessory to the death of hi
wife
s Public opinion is much divided concerning
this terrible yet mysterious tragedy. Tn
e evidenl9 is sufficient perhaps to warrant tn
J. belief shat kGnig Yves present with bis Wit
II but did not prevent her from taking her ow
II life.
Notwithstanding there are some feature
10 in the case which would ordinarily prov
: the participant guilty, yet many think this
there ere mitigating if not ex cul pating cir
J. cumstances connected with the matte
l. which need only careful investigation I
U develope them in favor OF the uufortunat
kPniR.