The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1882-03-24
THE CRIME.

Dora Heilwagon was the wife of Otto
| Heilwagon, the son of William Heilwagon
who was found guilty of her murder. She
/ had been married to Otto for some time,
and two little children had blessed theiI
union. They did not live most harmo-
| NOUS life as Otto became suspicious that
his w:fe.caled more for a relative than for
her husband. This relative formerly work
ed in the neighborhood of their humble
dwelling, and was named Valentine. He
disappeared, and shortly afterwards Otto
and his wife had some words, which result
ed in Otto making the statement that he
would leave her forever. This occurred
last summer, and he carried out his threat;
as he departed for Rock Island and Dav-
export, and was never seen about the
premises until he returned after the recov-
erv of his wife's body, and was placed I'M
der arrest for completely in the crime. He
secured work on a railroad near Daven
port and continued SO employed until his
father came down for him and informed
him that Dora was missing. The two re-
turned to Happy Hollow and were placed
under arrest. Otto proved an abb on
Monday night, Sept, 9Th, when the murder
is supposed to have been committed, while
his father was held on coroner's mittimus
until the meeting of the grand jury last
January, when he was finally indicted.
The murdered woman, on the 9Th of
last SEPTEMBER, occupied a little shanty
with her two infant children. The house
was flush with the road that passes be-
tween Watertown and Hampton. and is in
what is known as the Happy Hollow. Her
house was only few rods from the home
of the elder Heilwagons. On that fatal
Monday Dora was last seen alive as during
visit to her mother in-law's house she
made some mention of Annie Heilwagon
in light which was construed as anything
but mplimentary.
On that Monday William Heilwagon left
the coal mine, where he was at work, and
visited Hampton. His object was to col
lect some pension money which was due
him He collected the money and spent a
portion of it for poor Whiskey. He i'm
bibed quite freely, and when he returned
home about O'Clock that night he was
solely under the influence of liquor. He
also had a bottle of the temperance poison
in one of his pockets In addition to the
LIQUOR he had with him two little kittens,
which he carried in bag.
Supper was served, and while the family
were seated out in front of the house, his
wife told him that Dora had spoken dis
paragingly of their daughter, Annie He
Immediately started over for Dora's house,
saying he would see about it at once. His
wife persuaded him, however, not to 60
over, as she was apprehensive that there
would be trouble if he visited Dora while
under the influence of liquor.
The household retired ut about 10 o'clock,
with the exception of Annie and her father.
She was busy performing some household
duties, and while thus engaged she heard
her father leave the house aud open the
front gate. She extinguished the lights
and retired to her room, On the second
floor fronting Dora's house. While there
she heard noises issuing from her sister-in-
laws house, and recognized her fathers
voice and the laugh of Dora. They APP
peared to be having good time and ON
this assumption Annie went to sleep.
Annie was aroused at 3 o'clock Tuesday |
morning by her father, who told her to get |
up and prepare breakfast. He also called |
one of her younger brothers. She was
quite surprised TO be awakened SO much |
earlier than usual, but her surprise van
ished when her father informed her that
he wanted 10 shock some corn before ieay-j
ing for his work at the mine. She noticed |
on going out the kitchen door that the bag
which had contained the kittens the night
before was hanging on the line, in q WetI
and also that her fathers shirt,
which he put on clean Monday afternoon,
was soaking in pail of water.
She prepared the breakfast, and after
finishing the meal her father and brother
went out into the field and shocked two
shocks of corn in the field Immediately
west OF Dorass shanty. When the whistle
sounded for six o'clock the old man start
I'd for the mines, and did not return home