Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1896-03-09
A CAP RECOVERED.
But It Does Not Look Like
Fred kuschms m 8.

But It Does Not Look Like
Fred kuschms m 8.
FOUND NEAR TIE OLD DIETHLERY.
Another Maa Who Saw . Hofse and
Rider the Might Of the Murdsr-Hsnry =.
Baseian Again Intsrviswed.
Another revelation in the case Of
the murder of Frederick Kuschmann
has been developed in the finding of
. cap which in q general sense an
swers the description of that worn
by the unfortunate young man, but
whether it will contribute as q con-
Meeting link in the chain of strange
circumstances surrounding the crime
or merely tend to complicate the sit
uation depends upon how closely it is
identified as the property Of the VIC
tim. The cap was found Saturday
close to Mill creek and near the old
distillery south of Milan. 1t was
first discovered by John Solomon and
Ralph Prescott, of Milan. who did
not disturb it, but later Adam Nc
Burney, a farmer in Bowling, in
driving out home from Milan Satur-
day night. saw the cap. and picking
1t up, took it home with him and yes
terday morning he brought it back to
Milan and turned it over to c. A.
Zeitschel, a restaurant keeper there.
That gentleman permitted Peter
Philebsr and w. T. Drips to take the
cap out to the house of Henry F. Bas-
tisn. for whom young Kuschmann
worked, for Identification. While in
a general way Mr.. Bastian recognized
the similarity of the cap to Kusch-
mann's. the lining. he said, was the
same. being Of red material, and SO
was the roll about the rim, but it had
become so faded from exposure that
he did not feel that he could posi-
lively assert that it was the same.
The cap, which was plush, was not
torn. There was a small hole in it
and it looked as it had been slightly
cut. After exhibiting it to Mr..
Bastian. Messrs. Philebar and Drips
returned it to Mr.. Zeitschel.
Mr.. Bsstian Interviewed.
Representatives of The ARGUS WIS.,
tied Mr.. Bastian in the afternoon.
His home is situated fully three
fourths of q mile from the main road
and is reached by a winding drive
running along Mill creek and finally
gradually ascending the bluff on
which the house is situated. Mr..
Bastian is suffering with quinsy and
on this account his friends and rela-
tives, quite q number of whom were
present. were at first indisposed to
disturb him, but when the mission of
the visitors was made known, he
courteously admitted them. When
asked as to his opinion OF the cap,
Mr.. Bastain said: 81 am not sure
whether it's the cap Fred wore or not.
The lining is the same and so is the
roll, but it has been so faded BY the
water that I would not like to say
positively"
A new theory was in this connec-
ton learned at the Bastian home
with reference to the evidence pre-.
sented in TEE ARGUS of last Wednes.
day that the horse supposed to have
been ridden by young Kuschmann
came across Mill creek bridge in the
outskirts of Milan and shortly after
returned again going out. This lat
ter theory is supported, The ARGUS
representatives were told, by the
assertion of Oscar Anderson, farm
hand on the place of Frank Nc
Michael, who lives below the Mill
creek bridge, and who saw horse
and rider. travelling rapidly. cross
and recross the bridge on the fatal
night between 6 and z o'clock. Now
the theory suggested yesterday to
The ARGUS is that young kuschmann
rode almost to Milan when the horse
became frightened and unmanagea-
BILE and turned with the rider and
returned home, getting as far back as
the scene Of the finding of the body
before Kuschmann was thrown of;
that the cap blew of into the creek
as the horse sped over the bridge
and floated down to where it was
located. This was of course given
merely as a surmise.
As to the Former Case.
Mr.. Bastian was asked as to the
former case, heretofore alluded to, of
man having disappeared from
the neighborhood and of the
belief of some that there was
a mystery enveloping the mat
ter. This mans name was Lau-
derbach, and Mr.. Bastian in reply to
the Interrogation said: HE did not
disappear, and there was no mystery
about it. and by the way l would
like that corrected"
In response to further queries, Mr..
Bastian stated that the mans full
name was John Lauderbach; he had
worked for him about q year. coming
in search Of employment, as farm
hands usually do, and that he was a
stranger and had no relatives about
here. He left the middle OF March .
year ago, and Mr.. Bastian said he
had driven him to Rock Island when
he left. he going first to Omaha and
then to Montana.