The Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1885-1886, 1886-01-25
WINE, WOMEN AND SONG
ENDING WITH DISGRACE, MURDER
AND SUICIDE.
Tragic Close of Life Which Had Every
rrosp of a Brilliant Future
Cloves and His Mistress Found Dead in
a Dis; reputable House.

CHICAGO, Jan 81 love her better than
lfei" exclaimed Charles Cloves, agent OF
the Western Export association, to a group
of young women who were seated about hi in
in Carrie Watson's house of i'll fame Thurs
day afternoon And l sometimes wish
were rot married." Then he arose, put on
his ;ercoat and escorted little woman
dressed N, rich furs and silks out of the
toor and north on Clark street The little
woman was Blan Ee Gray, an inmate of the
hoUs,. who had been Cloves mistress for
the past six years 1t was his practice to
seek out the girl when intoxicated and get
her to accompany him on a spree This
was the case Thursday.
About 9 O'Clock the couple returned
Both appeared to be in good spirits, and
chatted merrily with the women in the house
until 10 O'Clock, when both retired to
room in the second story. Three hours
later the reports of two pistol shots were
heard. An officer then rushed up the stairs,
and by series of powerful kicks tore the
door off its hinges
Cloves lay on the floor neac the bed
Blood. which was still flowing from huge
hole over his right temple, had stained the
bosom of his shit and discolored the heavy
carpet upon which he lay The officer
bent over the PROSTATE man and
lifted his head upon his knee. The
dying man gasped once or twice and
then expired Blanche Gray lay in the bed
with her arms folded across her breast
When the officer lifted the woman upon a
pillow a rent in her chemise disclosed
wound just over her heart. The revolver
had been held so close to the woman's breast
that her only garment had been burned by
the powder. Patrol wagons were then
summoned, and within an hour after the
shooting the two dead bodies were lying on
the marble slabs Of the morgue
Charles A. Cloves was the secretary of
the Riverton Alcohol works, and was init
mately connected with H. B. Buffalo
Miller in the management of the great
western whisky pool, and was 80 years OF
age. Cloves inherited fortune from
his father, who died few months
ago, at Springfield, Ills As his own dis
tiliery was at Springfield, he made his head
quarters there until year ago, when
he and his Widowed mother moved here, the
mother taking home at Hyde Park. In
March last Cloves married at New York
Miss Steele, a very well-connected and
beautiful girl. He brought her to this city.
and ever since they have been residing here
His wife's uncle, speaking of the tragedy,
said: Gloves told his wife before his mar
riage of his relations with Blanche GRAY
and said they should cease Since the wed
ding the woman has been incessant In fol
lowing up Cloves She was continually
writing him notes, meeting him on the street
and upbraiding him for getting married
He always showed the notes to his wife ana
kept telling her that he would get rid OF
the woman
Gloves had made all arrangements for
leaving the city next Tuesday to spend the
balance of the winter in Florida with his
wife, and my theory is that he went to See
Blanche Gray to have a final settlement
with her He left our house after
lunch, saying that he would be back to SUD
per. he was in several places down town
during the afternoon and was in excellent
spirits.
Now, / do not believe that Cloves shot
the woman, but that she shot him and then
herself. think he told her that their rela.
tons would have to cease, and that she
Killed him in spirit of jealous rage Ny
theory is borne out by the fact that there
are no powder burns On his body, but there
are n hers"