The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1882-04-01
Eriekcr near thai of old man Klinau.

Frickcy near that of old man Klinau. !
soon became acquainted with Dora KlInau,
his daughter, who afterwards married Otto
Heilwagon. / loved the girl, but was
poor farm hand, and was called q tramp.
She would have married me but her father
objected. | knew / couldn't get along if
the old man refused TO keep me, SO LETT
the country I started down the river IN
the spring of 1879 and worked up the riv-
er as harvester for three years / saved
/ up my money intending to comeback and
marry that woman. Last September L
came back to Rock Island on the steam
| er Gem City. got here on the 3rd OF
September which was Sunday. | intended
to get off at Hampton but the boat did not
stop there. SO came down to Rock Island.
Monday started up to Hampton and made
some inquiries about old man Klinau, and
his daughter didn ask many questions,
| for fellow in love don't noise it about
| very much. Somebody told me that Dora
was married, and told me where she lived.
thought i would strike the house at
night, as / did not care about
meeting her husband. Monday night
passed up the road on foot and saw old
man Heifwagon and his family in front of
| his yard. / heard them talking about
Dora, and the old man started over to her
house can see him just as plainly as L
did little while ago In that alley. Some
woman pulled him back and / passed on
| looked into Dora's shanty and saw her
there, with two little children. That made
me frantic. and I swore would have that
woman or die in the attempt | walked
There was still light in the old peoples
house so jumped over the fence and
knocked at Dora's back door. She opened
it, and when she found out who | was she
came out We had long talk. She told
me about Otto; how he had left her. |
asked her to run away with me, but she
wouldn't do it. She said it was too late.
| told her that had resolved to get her;
how I had saved up money, and that l
would not 90 without her. She commenc
ed to cry and started back to the house.
told her that rather than see her live I'M
happy would kill her, and she said she
wished would. picked up stone and
she started on the run, | after her, and
stone and she fell over dead. [ carried
her down to the corn field and left her. 1
came down to Rock Island and then went
tc st. Louis. | commenced to lose my
flesh and appetite, and from the strong,
healthy man that was, I dwindled down
to a skeleton. | could not sleep, and tried
TO kill myself, but had not the courage. /
came back to the trial, and heard the evil
dence, and did not dare to speak, for fear
I would commit myself. am out of money
and have no friends who will care for me.
Ever since the hanging l have had two
spectres constantly before me, Dora and
her tather-in law. A little while ago | saw
the old man in shop He was white, but
looked straight at me. L fell down and
here | am.
The emaciated criminal gave his story
with difficulty, as his breathing was labor
ed. He soon became unconscious for a
second time, and DIR. Carter was sent for,
but failed to be of any assistance, as the
spark of life had died out before the ar
rival of the physician, and the soul of the
self-confessed murderer had passed to that
land to which all humanity is slowly wend-
ing its way. good many people of good
sense still believe that Hoilwagon, who
was executed last Friday, was guilty of
the crime of murder, they will consider
that the above fiction was written on April
Fools day, and is therefore a hoax. If
the proper effort could be made by the con-
stabulary of this county, there may be
some corroborative evidence obtained that
will substantiate the confession in minor
particulars, and thus prove beyond all
question the real guilt of the self-accused
murderer.