The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1883-10-22
CARPENTER Gagged.
The First Decisive Step in the
Lincoln, Illinois, Mystery.
Arrest OF Orrin A. Carpenter for the
Murder Of Fora Burns---The
Chain of circumstances
Against Him.

ter has been arrested and confined IN the JAN
charged with the murder of Fora Burns. Inc
arrest was decided on after hearing Ghe testi-
mony of Rebecca Carpenter, OF Decatur at
whose house Fora had been visiting previous
to her last visit 10 Lincoln
On examination of Carpenters buggy 1t
was discovered that the cushion, lines and
shaft were plainly marked with blood, and a
warrant was Immediately sworn out for his
arrest. Ho was followed to the jail by
large and excited crowd
A bar tender at the Nolte house says that
Carpenter purchased half-pint of whisky
from him on Sunday. The chain of evidence
grows stronger as the inquiry progresses and
all doubts ARE being rapidly removed from
the minds of the citizens, that their once
most respected and prominent citizen lie
guilty of the most horrible murder on the
records of this county.
II Mr.. Carpenter is an innocent man he il
in very unfortunate position. The circum
stances are such that he will have consider
able difficulty in proving an alibi. He say
no one came to see him at his offie, where hi
claims to have been at work both on Satur-
day and Sunday nights, and he can in conse
quence find no one to testify to his presence
there at that time. No lights were seen
in his Office ON either of the nights in ques-
ton, though he might have been in his pri-
vate Office, which has curtains, blinds.
and a side rear entrance. It is positively as
serted that ON Sunday night at $50 he was
seen driving from the vicinity Of the lane
where Fora Burnss body was found by lady
and her daughter. the daughter made the
remark "Why, ma, that is Orrin Carpen-
ter Where can he have beeng" "Oh, sup
pose he has been out to his farm" the mother
replied He did not, however, visit his farm
that day, nor has he been there recently.
Still another person can be found, it
is said, who saw Carpenter half way
from Harrisburg as early as 6:30'o'clock Mon
day morning. He admits that he was there
that day to see about hi S partners affairs,
but claims that ne did not leave Lincoln until
s or 9 o'clock. The witnesses who claim to
have seen him at these places have not testi-
fed yes but win probably 10 before the coro-
ners jury when it meets again.
A letter which Burns received on the day
be was notified of his daughters murder was
from Mrs. Dukes, who lives at Pierre, D. I.
This letter is said to contain more damagingl
evidence against Carpenter than all the let
tiers brought here by the old man. 1t threw
a great deal of light upon the case, and
tended vastly to strengthen the chain Of evil
dence against Carpenter. Considerable
stress is also laid upon the fact that CaTpen-
ter said nothing whatever 10 his family
about Zorl's visit tohis Office Saturday fore
noon
Aninterview with Mrs. Rebecca J. Car
penter, widow, Of Decatur. who was
brought to Lincoln to testify in the Fora
Burns murder case, brought forth damaging
testimony against o. p Carpenter.
Mrs Carpenter, were you well acquainted
with the murdered girlg' was asked
Eyes; she visited me couple of times"
was the reply.
''When did she visit your
About last Christmas, and she also came
over about the 18th Of April, while employed
as domestic at Carpenters"
Had she acquaintance thereFn
eyes, some friends; her brother was there
also until the 4th Of last month";
did Dukes meet her in Decatur?n
Eyes, during Christmas week. He met her
on the street, when they came to my house.
They left the same day for Lincoln"
''When did you see her again?'
''The last saw of her was on the 4th of
September. She left with her brother for St
Elmo. Before going she showed me a letter
Dukes had written her, in which he told her
to be sure TO meet him at her brothers house
last Elmo OH the LIST of October, and that
week be married. I do not know whether
they, met or not.h
DID you see any other lettersln
eyes, / saw three from Lincoln They
oil no
signatures"
''Whom were they fromp
81 am quite sure they came from Carpen-
teri
"FWere they love lettersP'
mo, they were not, and not over half a
dozen Lines in length"
"What did he sayp
''One of the notes read: Take this, and do
the best you can with it,
"What did the others saygn
well, money was sent in every note.n
Glow do you know these notes came from
CarpenterF
81 know it, because while Fora stopped al
my houses she wrote him a letter, which !
mailed, in which she set forth that she was
Boarding with widow lady and was paying
$3.50 per week, and was out of money. In a
few days an answer came the note contain
ing a sum Of money"
did she use you as confidential friendg
mo, but she showed me number of her
letters, and was suspicious after she received
money and mailed letter to Mr. Carpenter:
therefore watched. She was quiet, good
and amiable, and gave few of her secrets
away. When read of Fora Burns murder
in Lincoln, | at once sent word to the city
marshal and he came after me- The reason
did this was because | at once suspected
Carpenter
Mr.. Orrih A. Carpenter came to this place
five years ago. Previous to that he had beer
on a farm a few miles out of the city
toward Hartsburgh for twenty years h
was born in the east. He IL generally
credited with being the wealthiest maj
in Lincoln, but just what the ex
tent of his fortune is no one but him
self can probably tell He still owns his farm
and,a good deal of valuable land in the vicin
ity of the town. Since coming here to liv,
he Is known to have accumulated fortune
in the grain business He owns large Gle
vator standing near the Chicago, st! Louis &
Alton railroad tracks, little north of the
depot. He also ran grain elevator
at Ill connection WIN
partner, but the latter retired recently
owing to ill-health, and the business a
that place is being wound up Mr.. Carpen
ter's residence is modest frame building
standing near the northwestern edge of thu
town In front is one of the most beautiful
and well-kept lawns in Lincoln. On tn,
alley in the rear is his barn, an extensiv,
structure, containing several wagons anC
buggies All the surroundings, in fact, indi
cate that the owner is man of wealth. Mr.
Carpenter has wife and two daughters
Five Lives Lost in an Avalanche.
MEssINA, Oct 20.-An avalanche at Asaro
Catania, overwhelmed six workmen. Five
were killed
whats Sauce for the GOOSE" Etc.
DUBLIN, Oct 2O.-The Freeman's Journa
demands that the government prosecute tn
leaders of the Orange meeting at Roslea, tn
attendants of which were armed, and ais
says the speeches at the meeting indicated al