Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1898-01-04
BODY ALL BRUISES.
Was That of Mrs. M. Curry.
Found Dead at Coal
Valley.
CIRCUMSTANCES IN MYSTERY

Tse R.sIlt OF the Postmortem Ex
Tsoubis, Although There w.r. Evi.
denc.s Of srvsre Falls ,r BI ,w,-In-
q,est ST., On.
Was Mrs. Michael Curry's death at
Coal Valley fastened By brutal treat
ment at the hands o. some one, or
was her demise indirectly ,he sad
outcome OF protrac:ed dissipation?
L. is In the eudeavor to clear up the
suspicion and mystery surrounding
the case that Coroner Eckhart is still
conducting the inquest. The BODY
vas battered and bruised from head
to foot, bu. whether this condition
wa, due TO blows, or to falls while I'M
der the influerce Of l;qpor. has not
yet been determined. Mrs. curry
was widow, whose husband, enc
OF the vel ! to do citizens Of Coal
Valley township. died two years ago.
She was 40 years OF age, and since
her husbands death had lived alone
cave from the occasional companion
ship of her stepson, James Cava-
naugh. She had bean addicted to
the use Of Intoxicating beverages,
and had been found In stupor on
the floor OF her homs on different oc
casions. She was last 60 discovered
Saturday, and pat to bed. Monday
morning her dead body was found
crossways In the bed. Then the
coroner was summoned.
Suspicious Circumstances.
There were also circumstances
tending to establish ground for the
belief that the house had been
robbed. Two gold watches and 5000
in money were missing, and at fret
the body was in such position on
the bed IS to lead to the suspi ion
tina. the woman might have been
smothered The body bore evidence
OF having been dead some days
probably since last Saturday when
Mrs. Curry was last seen. 1t
was ct this time that she told
somo OF the neishbors that the miss.
ing property mentioned had been
stolen from her. This, after the dis:
coysry of her death. gave rise to the
theory that she might have been put
out OF tho way through revenge. 1t
was this circumstance, too, that led
to the arrest of her s,ep-son, James
Cayanaugh, who alone lived with
her and who had been in Rock Island
since last weak. Ga learning OF
Cavanaugh's association with the
woman. Coroner Eckhsrt .,honsd
to Sheriff Hemenwsy to nri. ava
naugh, and he was accordingly taken
IN charge by Deputy Sheriff HUI! aud
taken to Coal Valley by Bsiif DIM
sted. as reported In last nights
ARGUS. Cavanaugh wa, found in
Murray's saloon and was very much
under the influence of Cxican,s
when taken in charge.
The Tos,mcrtcm.
Dr.. G. l.. Eys,er went to Coal Val
ley this mo;ning aud held a post.
mortem examination on the body,
Dr.. Myers. OF Coal Valley, assisting.
L. WIS fou.d that death was due to
fatty degeneration Of TIE heart. Dr..
Eystcr is of the opinion that the
woman died as late as Sunday night,
as decomposition had not ret in.
The body was, however. frighttullY
bruised, but whether this had come
from blows or falls thu doctor could
not determine. The stomach
showed evidence of excessive 81.
cohcl!c indulgence, and while the
physicians were Of the opinion that
the diseased heart caused dissolu-
ton, they were convinced that de.
bsuch and ex osure fastened the
end. How far Cavanaush psrtic'-
pated in the d. sip .tior, snd wheth Z
or not be abused the woman and
struck her, the corouer's jury Is en-.
deavoring to ascertain.
A verdict OF death from alcohol
was returned.
Terrible plaques, those itching,