Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1899-09-23
TRIES TO KILL TWO.
Moses Harper, a Jealous Lover,
Uses Revolver With Muir
derous Designs.
TRAGIC FINALE TO A PICNIC


While Returning From the Emancips-
tion Celebration-Both Wounded-As-
saiIant Escapes.
Frenzied by jealousy, Moses Har-
per, a colored teamster, returning
from the emancipation celebration at
Huber's garden last night, fixed two
lives-those of Miss Sadie Robinson,
the girl he loved. and Thomas Turk,
her escort-as the price of healing
his wounded feelings.
Miss Robinson is at st. Anthony's
hospital, suffering with three bullet
wounds, one in the right side and one
in each hip. Turk is at his home in
Moline. with a flesh wound in the
right leg, and the police are securing
the country for Harper.
The murderous attack occurred
shortly after midnight on Fifth ave-
nue. between Thirtieth and Thirty-tirst
streets. The emancipation picnic had
Just broken up, and those VINO had
participated in the festivities were re-
turning to their homes.
Had Quarrel.
Miss Robinson is an attractive mu-
latto, the daughter of James Robin
son. Her mother being dead. she
makes her abode with Mrs. Lydia
Ousley, 20i Third avenue. Harper is a
teamster for the Rock Island Fuel
company. Ha had been paying con-
siderable attention to Miss Robinson,
but they had a spat, and Moses did
not shine around her as pleasantly
during the dancing at the garden as
ba baH on fnrpnr SinnS
He appeared ugly and desirious of
picking trouble. He hung around the
pavilion, taking a drink at intervals,
until Miss Robinson departed. She
was accompanied by Tom Turk and
Miss Johanna Palmer, both colored
the latter also residing in the west end
of town. At the Rock Island depot +.
j. Mueller, a young white man, whose
home is in the west end. joined the
party. Turk and his lady walked
ahead and Mueller and Miss Palmer
followed.
At Thirty-first street Harper
brushed by. He saluted Miss Palmer,
who asked him if he was headed for
home. He replied: I'm going to
have trouble and 1 don't care what it
costs me-"
BY the time the last word had
dropped from his lips he had reached
the couple ahead. He dealt Miss
Robinson blow with his fist in the
neck that sent her reeling- Turk
stepped back preparing himself to de-
fend his companion, when he found
himself face to face with a revolver
Harper admonishing him, Now you
keep quiet, or I'll murder you right
here.
Begins Using a Gun
Removing his coat, Turk told Har-
per not to fight like a coward. For
an answer there came a shot from the
gun, which went wide of its mark,
but the next one caught Turk in the
right leg.
Then turning on the Robinson wo-
man Harper fired twice into her body,
and as she fell to the pavement fired
a third time, saying, There, die like
a cow"
Officer Barney McCabe was block
away when the shooting occurred, but
when he reached the scene Harper had
fled. The patrol wagon was called
and Turk and Miss Robinson taken to
police headquarters. The woman was
later removed to the hospital, where
Drs. j. p. Comegys and G.. q. Craig,
Jr., dressed her wounds.
The police searched all night long
for Harper, but got no trace of him.
They hope to have him before many
days.
One bullet was found lodged against
Miss Robinson's backbone and re-
moved today. Another had passed
through the thigh. Prospects for her
recovery are favorable.
1t is said a call was sent to police
headquarters from Huber's garden at
the solicitation of a colored woman,
who said a man was threatening to
kill her. an hour before the shooting
occurred, but the police gave no heed
to it.