The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1882-03-24
The indictment was read charging the

The indictment was read charging tn
prisoner with murder. It contains si1
counts as follows: The first count enumer
ates the use of hammer; the second stated
that he used his hands and feet to deprivs
her of life; the third narratcs the use of q pls
toll; the fourth club; the fifth describes
the use of large stone, and the sixth indi
Gates that the deceased woman was as
saulted by William Heilwagon in some wa,
and manner and by some means, instru
ments and weapons to the jurors unknown
and did then and there with malice afore
thought deprived her of life.
Two days were consumed in securing {
Jury, but this work was accomplished By
the selection of the following persons:
F. n nisksfsif, E E F HaSlisr;.
d. P. Gregg, j. Taylor,
j. Hill, 8. 81. Mclaughlin,
Jacob Evans. j. w. Breton,
The testimony was commenced and the
witnesses included large number of per
sons in that neighborhood as well as the
members of the family.
The defense called no witnesses as they
relied on the weakness of the circumstan
tial evidence which had been promised by
the prosecution.
The evidence was of q circumstantial
character until Friday when man from
Charlotte, Iowa, by the name of L. e. STRAIT
ton was placed On the stand. He claimed
to be detective and stated that He'll
wagon had talked with him on the Thurs
day after the murder. During the CONVEX
sation Hailwagon had confessed the killing
of Dora and detailed how the horrible
crime was committed. He stated that
Dora was first struck on the head with a
club which felled her to the ground. She
got up and asked Heilwagon not to kill,
but he inflicted another blow which result
ed in instant death. The ARRAY was located
near Dora's dwelling and after she was dead
her murderer carried her to the field where
her remains were found on Friday. The
witness claimed that the prisoner de-
sired him to work up a case against some
body else, and for thaG reason volunteered
the information about his own guilt.
The alleged confession created quite a
sensation in the court room, as it was not
known that any direct testimony was to be
submitted. 1t took the defense completely
by surprise as they had been promised
circumstantiai evidence and were confront
ed by the most damaging of all direct evl-
derce. The counsel for the defense did
not ask the witness single question.
The pris oncr himself was placed on the
stand and denied all guilt in the crime. He
explained his whereabouts on the Monday
night when the murder was committed by
stating that he never visited Dora at all
that evening. At II o'clock he went to
sleep on the kitchen floor and did not
occupy his bed. He got up early for the
purpose of shocking some corn before start
ing for the coal mines where he was en-
gagged. He denied that he killed Dora. and
claimed that he did not know anything
about her murder.
At the conclusion of the evidence the
attorneys for the prosecution and defense
made their arguments and the case was
given to the jury on Friday night. The
jury took the first vote at 9 o'clock when q
unanimous verdict of guilty was pro-
The question of punishment,
however, occupied "a much longer time in ar
irving at a conclusion, nine favored the death
penalty and three were for life imprison-
ment. It was not until o'clock Satur
day morning that the twelve men decided
upon the death punishment.
The verdict was read in open court Sat
arday morning. The prisoner was not
overcome in the least, He believed that
ais punishment would not be more severe
han life imprisonment, but evinced no
emotion when his hanging was announced
o him.