The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1881-09-16

/ 1t was afterwards discovered that th
injuries received by Mrs. Dilley were il
flicted by broken scoop shovel, as til
remnants of that implement were found i
the yard, in close proximity to the house
The deceased was not a wealthy man, a
he was obliged to borrow $15 with whic
to pay his hired hands on the day proceed
ing the murder. A few dollars in none
were found in Mr. Dilley's pockets undis
turbed, and about $50 in jewelry was ais
found, after the murder in one of the bv
reau drawers Two silver watches wer
found missing, and it was through thei
| fundamentally that the murderer was al
rested, convicted and executed.
/ THE ARREST.
| At first there was considerable myster
attached to the double murder. as it wa
quite generally concluded that robbery wa
not the chief motive in the crime. TIL
| theory was then advanced that the frs
| husband of Mrs. Dilley had killed thu
couple in revenge. 1t appeared that Mrs
Dilley had previously been married to 1
man in Ohio. For some reasons, she haC
received divorce from her first husband
much against his will and wishes. and haC
married Thomas Dilley, It was stated il
tulS COHucCtiOU tudI ucT LISL HuSDdHO
taken solemn oath that she should moi
long enjoy life with her second choice
This theory was not substantiated by any
facts, as no strange man had been seen
about the neighborhood during that time
and, of course, the theory was abandoned.
The coroner's jury were unable to secure
any evidence that would convict, or at
least permit the arrest of the suspected
party. The jury accordingly rendered a
verdict to the effect that Thomas Dilley
came to his death from wounds inflicted
by parties unknown to the jury. 1t grad
ually came to light that the deceased had
two laborers engaged on the farm, whom
he had paid off the day previous to the
murder. They had gone, so it was stated,
to Colona that night, and were seen in a
store buying some cartridges. Suspicion
Immediately attached itself to these men,
who could not be found on the day follow
ing the murder.
REWARD.
The board of Supervisors of Henry
county. with commendable enterprise and
energy, was convened and offered reward
of 81 900 for the apprehension and con-
viction of the guilty parties. Jas. K.
Bish chairman of the judiciary committee;
L. E. Milchrist. States Attorney; B. III.
Goodel, Sheriff, and F. G. Welton, county
Clerk. were appointed committee to rep
the county, and to take such other
action as the exigency of the case would
demand.
The law abiding citizens of Colona also
subscribed 5000 to aid in the arrest of the
murderers.
The Governor Of the state was also visit
ed by the energetic denizens OF Henry
county andthrough their opportunities,
the state authorities offered an additional
$500 for the same purpose, making total
of 81 400 reward for the arrest and con-
viction of the murderer.
To these earnest measures is due the
speedy arrest, trial and execution of the
man who killed the Dilley's last December.
GALLON.
Suspicion pointed to the two men, who
worked for Mr.. Dilley and measures were
taken to effect their arrest. One of them
Clement GALLON, was arrested at Clinton,
Ia, a few days after the affair and brought
back to Cambridge. He protested his in
noceRce, and stated that after leaving the
employ of the Dilley's on the fatal Friday
night, he had walked to Colona, where he
had purchased pistol and had then gone
to LIE Claire, Iowa. An investigation of
his story, revealed the fact that GALLON
had disposed of silver watch at LIE Claire,
receiving gold one in return. 1t was
also learned that the pistol, which he pur-
chased at Colona, he had disposed of at
LIE Claire A second silver watch was also
seen on his person at LIE Claire, which
would account for the disappearance of
.hese two timepieces from the residence OF
he murdered man.
One of these watches, the one he dispos-
ed Of was identified by the Dilley children
as the timepiece formerly owned by their
parent. GALLON was at the hotel in lie
Claire the night before and after the muir
Ter. but not there as he claimed on Friday
hight when the crime was committed. He
vas seen at Watertown, short distance
rom the Dilley farm, at II o'clock that
Friday night. He appeared at LIE Claire
,arly Saturday morning and took breakfast
1t one of the restaurants. He was very |
excited, and, by his strange demeanor, |
frightened one of the walters so that she |
eft the room.
A second coroner's jury, impanelled to
investigate the cause of Mrs. Dilley's death |
brought in verdict, charging Clement
3alIion with her murder. He was accord |
ngly held in jail to await an indictment by
he Grand Jury and a subsequent trial.