Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1901-06-18
MURDERED IN A BOAT
Dead Body of Carl Wendt, Cordo.
va Fisherman, Found in
Mississippi.
FOUR STILES BROTHERS ARRESTED
Suspected of Having Killed the
Old Man as Result of
Dispute.

The discovery yesterday of the
dead body of Carl Wendt, Cordova
ii herman, in the bottom of row.
boat in the Mississippi river, prom
ises to develop one of the
most cold blooded murders in the
history of Rock Island county.
The weapon with which the
killing was done was not more
than 90 feet distant VIXEN it
was fired. as two gun wads were
found imbedded in the victim IS face.
the lower Jaw was torn to pieces and
the brain penetrated.
Mr. Wendt had followed the voca.
ton of fisherman at Cordova upwards
of so J ears. Every day duriug the
fishing season he would slant
out bright and early To run his nets.
returning never later than IL o'clock
for his dinner.
When be failed to reach home at
his customary hour yesterday mis-
children became worried and. fearing
ching had gone wIong, decided To
pay VISIT to The scene OF their faith
er's fishing operations, about three
miles above the village.
Charles, the son, accompanied by
neigh boring boy named q, orge CJCp p
er set out in a skiff. They searched al
hour in vain for II aces of the old gentle
man, but finally as they were floating
down along the Iowa shore their at
tention was attracted to a familiar
appearing empty boat lodged on a
sandbar between two small islands.
Body lowed Homo.
This boat contained the body of the
dead fisherman. He lay on his back
with his hands clenched tightly to-
gether. The oars were in the locks
This, with the position of the body.
indicated that he was rowing when
shot The murder is supposed to
have occurred about 10 O'clock in the
morning. The body was tOwed in the
skiff TO Cordova by the dead mans
son.
In the meantime the news of the
finding of the body reached Cordova,
and Dr.. w. K Freek organized party
to 90 by boat for the remains, the in
tention being TO take them to
Princeton. Ia the party were
Harvey. Elmore, Pearly. and
Edward Stiles, brothers and fisher
men. who live a. Princeton,
Iowa, just across the river from Cor
dova. They seemed "a shocked as the
other people in the vicinity over the
tragedy and were likewise as much
mystitied.
During the absence of DR.. Freek's
expedition suspicion was aroused
against the Stiles brothers. who were
l. a. lie,
with Mr.. Wendt over fishing terri
tory. and were said 70 have threat
ened to throw him into the river the
first time they caught him out in his
boat.
stiles Brothers Placed Under Arrest
When the Stiles brothers reached
Cordova they were met by Coroner l..
" Eek hart. who had been summoned
from Rock Island TO conduct an in
quest, Marshal Les Baker and Con-
stable Wilbur Bruner and placed
under arrest. They were locked up
over night in the village caIaboose.
Coroner Eckhart impanelled as n
Jury Harvey Reeves, Charles Ssllows,
q. II. eager, Charles Jackson, Jared
sexton and Jasper Forsyths. Ad
iournment was taken till 9 O'Clock
this morning. when the Stiles hab-
itation in Princeton was visited
and n shot gun found. One barrel had
been recently discharged. while the
other was clean. indicating that it
had not been used lately. Mr.. Wendt
was not the owner of u shot gun. He
did own arsvolver. but this he kept
at home, where il was found.
excitement in the upper end of the
county aud no effort will be spared to
bring to justice any who might have
been connected with the murder.
Mr.. Wendt was known as a peace
able citizen and was respected by all
who knew him. He was a man who |
wanted his rights regarded, however,
and it is likely. if the alleged dispute
between himself and the Stiles broth
ers did occur, he tcld the latter in plain |
language what he expected them to
do The story is that the new com
ers tried to crowd Mr.. Wendt
out of territory whose privileges he
had enjoyed for many years.
MIR. Wendt was 50 years Of age. lie
was a civil war veteran and belonged
to the e. A. 4. post in Davenport.
His wife died IL years ago. He is
survived by his son, Charles, who is
fisherman also, and four daughters,
Mrs. Emma Lindstrom, Belvidere,
III Mrs. Agnes Long, lie Claire,
Iowa. and Misses Dora and Matilda
Wendt, at home.
The Stiles brothers reside in Har-
lin, Ill. They came to Prince
lon only recently and little is known
Of them there. They are the own
,rs of launch, which they use in
heir fishing business.
The coconer's jury resumed its in
at 10 O'Clock this morning,
with great elaboration
ieorge Cooper, who was with Charles
Nendt when he found the remains of
lis father, DR.. Freek, who made the
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