Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1871-1872, 1872-02-06
the EHRIG MURDER AT DAVkN-
PORT.
RECENT DEVELOPMENTS.
The Criminal A Rock Islander.

Most o. our readers will doubtes recall
the sensation produced at Davenport in Oct.
1869, BY the discovery Of the dead body of
q young man by the name of F. W. Ehrig,
In the cis,ern at the rear of S.! Aushony's
church in that city. He had been seen at e
late hour on the preceding evening, and I'M
influenced by intoxicating liquors. Many
suppositions were advanced as to the man
uer in which he came to SO unhappy fate
The general opinion was that he had been
knocked down and robbed, and that the
body had been thrown in the cistern to con-
cesl the crime. Some even believed he
might have fallen in whilo intoxicated.
Large rewards were offered, but all efforts
to solve the mystery proved unSvsihng.
Letters have recently been received by
the Davenport authorities from Toledo,
Ohio, indicating that the murderers have
been identified al last.
A short tine preceding the tragedy, there
lived at Rock Island, printer by the name
OF James Olcutt. he was originally from
Moline. He learned his trade in the office
| of the Rock Island Union. He was about
thirty years of age q. the time of the muir
/ der, was oftall and slender build, drank ey.
cessively, and was quarrelsome, obnoxious,
and repusive IN disposition. While living
here, he became acquainted with very
at,rs Give looking widow of loose morale
who had three children. They mutually
f@ucied each other, sad PISSED themselvei
of as mAu and wife. Falling out finally
she went over II Davenport, and tool
lodgings in German boarding house OF
Second street, west of Harrison, where
number Of men made her Acquaintance
Olcutt followed her, secured employ ment il
the Gazette Office, came to an smlcable un
derstAnding with the woman, and the tw,
went to housekeeping in rooms in the secon,
story Of the block al the northwest corne
of Brady and Fourth sireets-ihree or fou
doors from Fourth
The theory is that Olcu,s, having LEI
work at little after two o'clock in tn
morning, found Ebrig On his premises an
, assaulted him, striking him on the hea
and knocking him down the stairs a. ii
back door; that be went down to him ,foun
hin sen5eless, supposed he had killed hin
= aud then carried him through the yard b,
r louKiny TO the priests residence, an
s dropped him into the c.stern. The fAiliu
( backwards down stairs is corroborated b
!. the confusion, which, it will be remeu bereC
= was noticeable on the back of the victim
?. head after taken Out; it will also be remeu
bered that the doctors pronounced the bod
. alive when he got into into the cs,eri
), there being water in the langs, and thu
this gave strength TO the theory that he f.
ia; 5ut i: isn1E used 20 strengthen III
/ theory that the blow did not Kill, br
ssuuned HIM and that 10 that state be We
drowned By Oleuss eld his woman.
The next day when the whole city va
alive with excitement, Olcuu was Ct b
case 10 the office. as usua', and exhioi,e
+. 40 special concern At What was transPiciul
!. Ia sIuliug - the murder, one Of the COZ
q p,sitors said TO him joAingly, "Jim, go
4 must have doao that de made no rep'
g however, but wens on with his work wi
Q complete nonchslaaee. 10 a week OF ~
|. ne left, and two months after went TO D,
!. MONIES with his co-psrtuer in guilt,
e He was litte heard from sgsiu, unI
!, last faiI, when his paramour cane TO Dave
d por. and wauled to know whether he ha
d been there or not. She said be had quNrrelle
with her, got drunk smashed their flruitur
and left for parts unknown to her. Bat 81
: just wanted to "ini him once more, that
70 all" She has not been seen in the eli
. since that time. Il may be that she form
; him at Toledo, and that she ''peAched Q
Z HIM after another quarrel
r We don't think ,hers is any partioal'
= Use in going TO the expense Of securing biz
as hanging murderers seems to bo sbO
e played out" The only srgumsn: that ca
be advanced in favor Of prosecuting him,
that he probably hasn't much money at h
command, and wouldn't be able to buy I
a court house, judge and jury.
II BANQUET TO TEE GLASS