Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1896-03-06
REWARD OFFERED,
Board Of Supervisors on kusch-
mann's Murder.
PUTS UP $500 FOB THE CRIMINAL.

PUTS UP $500 FOR THE CRIMINAL.
States Attorney searls Has NO Doubt - to
the Mature Of the Dsed-Asks for 81. 900
which d Split IN Two-Governor to BE-
Appealed To
The Rock Island county board of
supervisors offered . reward of $500
this morning for the capture and ap-
prehension of the murderer of Fred.
erick Kushmann, who met his death
in Black Hawk township last Satur-
day evening.
The action on the part Of the board
was responsive to statement made
by States Attorney G. j. Searle, in
which he gave it as his opinion after
careful Investigation that the cir
cumstances of the case left no room
for doubt that . murder had been
committed, and while the states
attorney said the authorities had
some clues. they were all of an ex-
ceedingly delicate nature. and the
crime was one so difficult of solution
as to the guilty that $1,000 would
be little enough for the county to
offer to obtain skill sufficient to
probe into the mysteries enveloping
the dark deed. The board, however.
split the amount of the recommends
tion in two and placed the offer at
$500, although Supervisor Gahagen's
resolution called for the sum in
cluded in the states attorneys rec
ommendation, but Supervisor Trent's
motion to limit the reward to
one-half prevailed. 1t is proposed,
also, to appeal to Gov. Altgeld for an
equal amount for the conviction of
the murderer.
Murder Theory Growing.
The theory that young Kusch.
mann's death was due to murder,
which when first advanced by The
ARGUS was not upheld by a number
Of people in the immediate neighbor-
hood, has now through the revela-
tions made and presented become
pretty generally sustained. As has
been stated, the public generally in
Black Hawk became aroused at the
early advancement of this suspicion,
but there were many who secuted at
the idea and who had formed their
opinion doubtless from the investi-
cation Of the coroner's jury and the
testimony Of DR.. Eddy as to the ma
ture of the wounds. DIR. Eddy, in
fact, is one of the number who still
and very indignantly. too. repels the
thought that q crime was committed.
He is positive that Kuschmann's
death was purely and entirely acci-
dental, and SO expressed himself
with emphasis to ARGUS representa-
tives in Milan last evening. The
case is one of those, nevertheless, in
which doctors disagree, and holding
to the absolutely opposite theory Of
that to which DR.. Eddy so steadfastly
cliugs is the statement given out by
Drs. Barth and Hollowbush, OF Rock
Island, that the wounds in young
Kuschmann's skull could not have
been inflicted by other than vicious
blows by a sharp cornered instru-
ment.
Investigation by the Authorities.
I The investigation on the part of
the authorities a result of which
was the offering of the reward this
morning by the county board is still
going on, and ex-Ald. Kuschmann,
whose firm stand led to the closer
examination of the injuries. states
that he will not rest until every
shadow Of suspicion is removed bear
ing on the tragic and violent death
of his nephew. There have been all
sorts of rumors prevailing as to ar
rest and important disclosures, and
as stated in The ARGUS of yesterday.
sensational particulars may come
boldly to light at any moment. The
coincidence Of the incendiary fire and
attempted robbery at the McLaugh-
lin farm adjoining that on which Mr..
Bastian lives two days previous. the
fact that the cap of the unfortunate
young man has not yet been found
and that the money he is said to
have had. with the exception of 81, is
still missing. together with the lay of
the land, are all circumstances which
point to the fact that the blood OF
young Kuschmann is on Somebody