Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1900-10-15
DEATH IS HIS CHOICE.
Charles r. Haiistrom Kills Him.
self Rather Than Submit
to Arrest.
SENDS TWO BULLETS INTO BODY
While Officers Stand at Door OF
His Home With a War.
rant for Him.

Preferring death to arrest. Charles
F. Hallstrom, a laborer, aged 81
years, residing at 1903 Thirty-eighth
street. Saturday night. while two
officers were standing at the door of
his home with warrant charging
him with assault, sent two bullets
from 4 32-calibre revolver into his
breast. Hallstrom died at 2 o'clock
Sunday morning at St. Anthony's
hospital. He was native of Sweden,
unmarried, and made his home with
his sister, Mrs. Frank q. Lund, at the
above number.
A week ago Saturday night Hall
strom figured in an ugly fight, grow
ing out OF a political argument, in
Moline. He received black eye and
an injured hand. Gus Swensson, of
Moline. was stabbed. Who in the
party did the cutting Swensson or the
police were unable TO ascertain until
some days later, when they fixed the
blame on Hallstrom.
Warrant Issued.
Accordingly, q state warrant for his
arrest was issued. 1t was handed
Officer Rose patrols the territory in
which Hallstrom was usually found
Saturday nights.
About $50 O'Clock Officer Rose met
Officer Sid Pearson, of the Rock Island
force. He told Pearson he believed
there was a man living on his beat
whom the Moline police wanted. He
gave Pearson the name and made an
engagement To meet him at 1 l o'clock.
Pearson having located Hallstrom's
home, the two officers called there at
1870 O'Clock. After rapping on the
door two minutes. Mrs. Lund respond
ed. She said Hallstrom was not in.
She refused to let the officers inside,
and called her husband. Mr.. Lund
also denied to the officers that Hall
strom was home.
Two Shots Heard.
Permission was asked to visit his
room, and just as the officers stepped
inside the house two shots rang out.
The sound came from the direction of
the second floor. The officers went
Upstairs and found Hallstrom lying
almost nude on his bedroom floor.
blood streaming from his mouth and
Il hole in his breast. The smoking
revolver was located under the bed.
Hallstrom was still conscious. He
complained of being cold and he was
lifted up and his trousers placed on
him. In the meantime DIR. f. M.
Sala. who had been summoned, ar
rived. and ordered Hallstrom reno we'd
to the hospital. Although only one
wound was found, Hallstrom said he
had fired two bullets into his body.
He said he sent them both into the
same spot. Two of the chamber of
the revolver were empty.
Unable to Locate Bullets.
DR.. Sala probed for the bullets, but
was unable to locate them. He found
that the windpipe had been pune
tured. He said death was caused by
loss of blood and the accumulation of
blood in the lungs.
Hallstrom, according to the testi-
mony of Mr.. and Mrs. Land. had
brOoded considerably over the Moline
fight in which he had participated.
He knew Swensson had been seriously
hurt. He told Mr.. and Mrs. Lund he
hoped Swensson would recover, but
that if he did not. he would kill him
>eI- IL Is SuPPoseu tuaL I1aIIslTotu'
on learning the officers were after
him, thought Swensson had died, and |
carried out his threat.
COroner's Inquest.
Yesterday morning Coroner l.. V.
conducted an inquest over
the body. The jury, w. A. Giles, |
foreman; +. II. Warren, F. e. Boyd. |
J. M. Spur. f. C. Alexander and |
James Bowling, returned a verdict !
that Hallstrom came to his death by |