Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1899-04-24
BOHART A MURDERER,
Former Rock Island SaIoonkeep.
er Kills Sarfina Garvoldi
at St. Louis.
HIS WIFE TRIES TO SHIELD HIM.

Persists In the Declaration That She
Fired the Fatal Shot, But Her Story Is
>sot Believed, and the Coroner's jury
Fixes the Crime Her Husband-He
Pleads Innocence.
John Bohart, formerly a proprietor
of saloon on Third avenue and
ITwenty-second street in this city, is
under arrest in St. Louis charged with
che murder of Sarfini Garvoldi, an
Italian laborer. The tragedy occurred
Friday morning on Edwards street.
where Bohart conducts a combination
saloon and restaurant.
Although Mrs. Bohart declared that
she shot Garvoldi and insisted so in a
written statement, her husband, John
Bohart, was held accountable by a
coroner's jury for the deed and she
was given her liberty.
1t is now reported that she has come
to the rescue of her husband and
placed herself in the way of the gal
lows for the one she loves. If such is
the case it is n remarkable instance of
woman's constancy, especially so be-
cause Mrs. Bohart maintains that her
hus band has frequently abused her.
| When the jury came in with the
verdict naming Bohart as the slayer
of Garvoldi. the husband was thun-
derstruck. In the inquest he had not
been mentioned by a single witness as
having fired the fatal shot. Indeed,
no one knew who did the shooting, but
Mrs. Bohart came forward and per-
sistently declared that she shot the
man because he WAS attempting to
assault her. Repeated questions were
put to her, but in every instance she
stuck to her story that she did the
shooting. No effort was made by her to
place the blame upon anyone but her
self. She was willing to stand it all
alone, and her husband sat back in
chair calmly observing his wife. He
persistently denied all knowledge
of the shooting, but what the jurors
thought of him is easily told by their
verdict.
Few Eye Witnesses.
Numerous witnesses testified, but
there were comparatively few who
were eye witnesses TO the shooting.
Merriam Henrica, resident of Dago |
Hill, was probably the most important |
witness. Through him it was first |
drawn out that the shooting was ex-
actly in the rear of Bohart's saloon,
and that some one other than Mrs. |
BOhart might have fired the shot. |
After spending the evening at the |
Club saloon Hcnrica started home. |
As he passed Bohart's place flash |
came out from the back steps, pass
ing within four feet of his face. AS |
GIrvoldi went Keeling TO the ground, |
some one on the porch where the shot
came from rushed back into the house |
and slammed the door. At almost
the same instant Mrs. Bohart went
running up the sidewalk. She had
been standing in the rear yard a
few minutes later he said he heard
some one in the saloon rip out sue
cession of violent oaths, but he could
not say who it was. The witness
would not be sure that the woman did
not fire the shot, but he did not think
she did. She had nothing in her
hand. Neither did he see her throw
a revolver into the street, as Mrs. Bo-
hart said she did.
Mrs. Bohsrt's Two Statements.
The police officers testified to the
arrest of Mrs. BOhart, and their ina
bilitv to find the revolver, which she
said she had thrown in the street ut j..
the corner of Shaw and Edwards
streets. 1t was then told how Mrs.
Bohart fed from the scene of the
and took refuge under the
house, where she lay on ,
Inc damp ground for three hours, I'M ,
Ill she was found by the police. Her :
Implicitly was dwelt upon at length.
At first Capt. McNamee said she told
him that her husband had shot Gar
rOldi because he was Jealous of other
men who shared her company. To 4;
some length she recited how the kill ;
ne took place, and said that her hus- ,
Iand had done it.
Continued sweating in Capt. Nc
Samee's Office caused her to make an :
'ther statement. five hours later, a
which was entirely different.
At the second interview Capt. Nc
Nance said she admitted to him that
he did the shooting. but was too :
fraid TO tell ii at first. In the same d
manner she went on to describe an O
ther scene of how she drew her re- T
oliver and sent the bullet at Garvoldi.
apt. McNamee had her statement f
AIKEN in full and she signed it. I
BOhart was then placed on the +
tand. When asked what he knew
bout the killing he replied that he
new nothing. Upon further ques- v
Joining he admitted that he bad driv- {:
n his wife from the house that night o
n account of her relations with other e
zen. After he closed his saloon, b
sw minutes after l o'clock. he knew a
othing of the affair until he awoke. II
lie said his two rifles, 22-calibre each. q
Thich he always kept behind the n
ar, were in the back hall, as if
hey had been set inside through the
'indow- He denied that he had used
hem or that he had fired any shot. r,
Mr. and Mrs BOhart were married a.,