The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1878-11-26
The Supposed Suicide on Big Island.

The Supposed Suicide on Big Island.
Circumstances attending the supposed
suicide Of Joseph Theviot, on Big Island
Sunday morning, an account OF which was
published in this paper yesterday, have
given rise to the belief that it was a muir
der. These circumstances consist in the
report that before he left bis boarding
house on Saturday evening some one
called him out Of the house, and, after
talking awhile On the street, they went
away together; that he had some trouble
with Ben Bengstfom under whom he
worked in the Peoria yard, who owed him
some money and who discharged him,it is
said, last month for asking for it; that the
deceased had employed counsel to protect
himself against Bengstrom and Fluegel with
whom he owned property and anticipated
trouble; that Fluegel is reported to have
said that he had an appointment with the
deceased on Saturday to pay him $50. and
mortgage Of $3.50. which appointment he
says Theviot tdid not keep; that Fluegel
says that Mrs. Bengstrom told him Ben
went away on Saturday afternoon and did
not return till 9 o'clock Sunday morning
and when be came home acted strangely,
| like crazy man, that he dressed up and
went away and did not return till midnight
and left the house Monday morning with
out bis breakfast. Also that the deceased
told him that Bengstrom owed him money
and had threatened to make him trouble
about it; that he was supposed to have con-
siderable money about his person when he
left home and that only $l.55 was found
on the body. The further circumstances
are that of finding the body leaning
against tree in such a position as to pre-.
clude the possibility of his having shot
himself and that the tree showed indica-
tons of the body having been slid down
against it; that the stock of the
gun was smeared with blood; that both
boots were off when it is reasonable thai
/ he would only have taken of one had he
shot himself; that no account or trace o
, the boat in which he claimed to have
reached the island was found by the par
tiea 10 the shanty where, as was shown be
fore the coroner's inquest, he stopped dur
I ing the night; that no reason has beer
: shown or theory advanced why he shoulC
s visit the island after dark Saturday night
: that in the examination of his effects thu
$3.50 mortgage. on which he was to receiv
g the money, was not found; that his ow
e hands were clean and he could not hay
, smeared the stock of the gun himself.
These circumstances induced Oonstabl
Hull to swear out warrant for mur6e
against Bengstrom, who was arrested las
night. The very important PAL
in this arrest will be to sho
. Bepgstrom' 5 connection with the decease
after be left the shanty at o'clock in tn
re morning, and it would seem thai the tW
fishermen from whom 1t is shown he pu
chased the gun, would be important wi
lie nesses. Yet up to noon to-day they ha
a. not been detained although they were
y the city yesterday. Another circumstant
v of seeming haste was that Fluegel,c i Mo
IS, day morning, took out letters of admin
i'll tration to Theviot's estate, qualified and
once demanded possession of his effects
his boarding house, which were refused
81 him By the landlady on the grounds tn
he and Theviot were not good friend, al
that later in the day he resigned as admi
istrator.
:. In the face of these things either Il
:, coroner's jury, or the parties making Il
>. arrest are chargeable with undue haste
~ with bupgling job. 1t is now the impe
alive duty of the coroner to make a tho
=. ough investigation of all these facts al
=, rumors. If Bengstrom is guilty the su
position is that others are knowing TO t
facts. 1t is suspieioned that the who
outfit on the island is mixed up in
to more or less.
z. S.-Since the above was in ty
Jennings, and the two fshermensLimest
od and Keefer have been arrested and will
o. hold until the matter is thoroughly inv
TT tigated. One more arrest should be mat