The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1882-04-15
SAD SUICIDE.
Nels Gutenberg and his
Death.
Intoxication Thought to be the
Cause.

Mention was made yesterday of the find
ing of dead body in boat on Rock
river, at point where the Black Hawk
nursery road reaches that stream. The
discovery was made by three little boys,
Thomas Whittick, Charles Gormley and
Dennis Mckinney, who were playing about
that locality yesterday noon. The boys
before leaving for the city to inform the
coroner of their discovery, called farmer
living near by to the scene, and the farmer
Immediately gave it as his opinion that the
deceased was Nils Cedenberg, Swede
fisherman, who lived on the river a short
distance from where the remains were
found There were no signs of violence
about the body, but as decomposition had
set in, it was quite difficult to ascertain
| the exact cause of his death.
CORONER MORRIS
was duly notified. During the afternoon
he visited the locality and held an inquest.
A jury consisting of Levi Hoskins. D. r.
Hoon, Elijah Z. Reno A. B. Anderson, F.
Peterson, and Geto Hoskins, was impanel-
ed, and the evidence was submitted.
The three boys who first made the dis
covery were called, and they testified that
at noon on Friday they were hunting for
Indian arrow heads along Rock river. All
at once they saw boat floating in the
water among the brush. They concluded
| that they would take a boat ride, but on
going nearer to the skiff they noticed that
it was half full of water, and also contain
ed body This latter they thought to be
a dummy, placed there to scare off the
boys. A closer inspection showed, how
ever, that the body was that of a dead
man.
When first seen the body was face down
wards in the boat. The face was invisible.
The BODY was clothed in a dark brown
suit and had on heavy shoes with large
brass tacks.
| THE LAST SEEN
of the deceased near Cederburg was on
last Saturday when he visited Moline. He
was addicted to the use of liquor and on
the occasion of his trip to Moline he indulg
home in the afternoon in sadly intoxicat-
ed condition. He was accompanied by his
dog which appeared to be his sole compan-
ion. He lived in a little hut on the Hos
kins farm and was chiefly engaged in fish
ing and drinking whisky. He has lived in
that locality for the past thirty years, and
had no friend and but few relatives. He
| was known to be in Strengthened circumstan-
ces, and therefore there existed no motive
for his murder, as he was poor and a
harmless old man who had no enemies who
could wish his death.
IT Is SUPPOSED
that he came to his death by drowning last
Saturday. He probably reached his hut
in an intoxicated condition, and attempted
to row down the river, when the boat ca
reened and filled with water. He probably
was thrown down and being unable to re-
gain his former position was drowned by
having his head in the small amount of
water which was contained in the skiff
His little dog had evidently followed
him to the boat and had started with him
down the river, as there was evidence
tending to show that the faithful little ami
NAL had remained after his death, but had
finally been obliged on account of hunger
to swim to the shore.
The deceased was about rs years old,
and had wife and two children living
| THE VERDICT.
was short and brief and merely stated that
the deceased came to his death by drown
ing in Rock river. A daughter of the de-
ceased is now living in Stewartville, and
another daughter was married to Charles
Ellington. of Kansas. His widow is liv
Ing with the married daughter in Kansas.
The old couple had not lived together for
many years.
| Undertaken Knox visited Rock river to-
day, and buried the body.
WE RISE TO EXPLAIN