The daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1873-1877, 1875-04-24
The Version of Her friends,--Who snos
Wood

Tn this paper will be found an article
from the Geneseo Republic giving the YER
sion If the friends of Miss Helen Davis in
regard to the sad affair in Moline which
cost Charlie Wood his life. In that arti-
Gle It is distinctly stated that HASTE load
ed his pistol for Wood before he went with
Miss Davis to the party. 1t seemed singu'
lar that, at heightened party in Moline
gentlemen should carry loaded pistols, but
| it is all plain enough since the apparently
authoritative statement made by there
public. Miss Davis must, therefore, have
known that she was walking to party
with man who was carrying a loaded
pistol to take Woods life if occasion Of
lfered. Would it not have been better il,
knowing this, she had not attended that
party?
| And the statement made by the Repub-
Tic, that, ''She Informed Mr.. HASTE Of the
: true condition of things, and he loaded up
his pistol and prepared for the worst"
reminds Us Of the fact that good many
D people think that Wood did not shoot him
y self. Their reasons are these:
/. The ball entered Woods forehead
directly in the front and centre, and we
a learn that there was not upon the skin
8 around the bullet hole or anywhere upon
= his forehead the slightest speck OF discci-
Grafton or mark of powder. His fore
head, when found and up to burial, we are
told was as white, clear and fair as any
v womans. Powder marks. as everybody
knows, cannot be washed away,
rel 2. It is impossible for any man to hoio
,e an ordinary revolver in position to lodge
ball at the point where this one entered
Woods forehead without bringing the
> muzzle of it within SIX or eight inches o
I" his forehead; and at that distance powdel
marks would show. 1t is also an unnat
ID ural position. The natural way would b.
er to put the muzzle at the side Of the hea'
,p but in any event to hold the muzzl
OF close to the head, not as far away as posi-
BILE.
3. We have seen, since that shooting
Il, the effects of an experiment at shooting
~ targets covered with white printing paper
70 with the same or similar kind of II
d. volver used by Wood, and the same kind 1
lily cartridges, a1d the result is as follows:
d. At two feet distance there are sligf
"a. powder marks on the paper.
os- At one foot powder marks are thick an
uts plain.
At eight inches the marks thick
spatter a space of four or Eve inches
40, diamater.
,ne At five inches the paper is black {
law around the ball hole
I'M These experiments, taken in connects
'es. with the appearance Of Woods torches
"a u render it at least doubtful whether
killed himself, unless the bullet first pass
:. through his hat or something 10 shield
forehead from powder marks. Let ar
body try the experiment and then met
'G ~ ure accurately the distance man wot
be likely to hold pistol from his torches
zero. and see the result
HASTE testified that Wood shot NJ
lore DAVIS near the corner OF henry anu hsk
cor son streets; that he then chased him bs
one block towards the river, on Atkins
to the corner of Illinois street, firing
him and Wood returning the FIRE, and
~, left him running on while he Hast
- turned back. 1t is supposed that w
" ran through the alley between Illinois I
Main streets, to Salter. How far w
was ahead of HASTE at the corner of
pc at nois or Railroad street, where HASTE turl
the back, is not known. He might have b
st % just entering the alley, looking back as
the turned in, and have there received the
been let as he turned into the alley. He
found with his head towards Salter
near the end of the alley leading from
kinson to Salter; and if he received
the bullet as he turned into that alley, he
even, the distance of one block before he fell
ana But it is claimed that no man could
aE'y the distance of one block with bullet
start his brain More improbable things
park ,h,t hove occrrrad as exner,er
nc surgeons will testify. But it {
lam, not necessarily follow that W
ny of roce;ved the fatal bullet #
again point. Witnesses testified, at the c
ner's inquest, that they heard pistol
and saw its fash near the point wi
hows Woods body was found. Who fred
The appearance of Woods forehead
IS, of Gated that the pistol with which he
,dred shot must have been several feet if
EMS rods distant from him when it was fire
L.