Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1902-01-16
II. G. Post Takes Morphine and
Turns on Gas at Rock
Island House.
SEEKS TO HIDE HIS IDENTITY
Proves to be n Wealthy Resident of
Wilton, Iowa-Had
Been Ill.

Rock Island house late Yesterday af-
ternoon and. unlike the first one. it
was successful. The victim was H.
q. Post, of Wilton Junction, Iowa,
and the agents he employed to carry
out his plans were morphine and gas.
yesterday afternoon about
o'clock stranger, perhaps 90 years
of age, appeared at the Rock Island
house and registered as j. ii. Minott.
of Dubuque. He seemed to he tired
and wanted n room. He paid i'm adj
vance for lodging and was shown to
room IL on the third floor.
About o'clock employees of the
house were attracted by the smell of
gas in the hallway near room IL and
investigation proved that il came
from that apartment. As the door
was locked il was necessary to force
an entrance, which was done by
breaking the glass in the transom
and hosting one of the bell boys
through to unlock the door.
Unconscious on Bed.
The stranger was found uncon-
seious on the bed. covered with n
quilt and fully dressed. The gas Jet
him was a small bottle about half
filled with morphine from which
part of the contents had evidently
been taken.
\ call for medical aid brought Drs.
j. =. Comegys and ii. III. Chase. \
stomach pump and injections were
used and then artificial respiration.
At the end of an hour or such a
matter the patient showed signs of
reviving and he was then removed
to st. Anthony's hospital and placed
in care of DIR. c. II. Foster. During
the night he continued to sink and
this morning at 6 o'clock he died.
To Conceal Identity.
An examination of the clothing of
the man showed that he had evident
ly taken precautions against being
identified. Nothing was found in his
pockets bearing his address and the
only papers upon which names were
found were two receipts, one for n
shipment of freight and the other
for box rent at a postoffice. In each
case the name of the party to whom
the receipt was made out was IT. G..
Post. These bits of paper, which
finally led to the discovery of the
bearers identity, were showed down
deep in one of the trouser pockets
and had evidently been overlooked
by him. There was but $3.50 in mon
ey in the clothing and n few articles
such as are usually carried.
Man of Wealth.
This morning, through the efforts
of w. 3. Mcintyre, who was acquaint-
ed with a man living at Wilton juno
ton of the same name as appeared
on the receipts, the identity of the
stranger was established. A tele-
phone message to that place brought
that III. G.. Post haad been eagerly
sought by the authorities there since
last evening. Just before noon he
left his home, saying he was
going up town and might not be
back till after dinner. When late in
the afternoon he continued to be alb
sent an inquiryawas made and it was
learned that he boarded the Rock
| Island train for the east. Before
word had been received from here
kilograms had been sent far and
wide in the endeavor to locate the
missing man. He evidently came di-
rectly to this city and followed out
plan previously prepared.
| In Poor Health.
| III. G.. Post it is learned. was n re-
tired railroad man who until a few
years ago lived in New York. Then,
apparently to get away from old as
sociations that he might enjoy the
competence he had accumulated, he
came west with his wife and set
tied at Wilton Junction, where he
bought a farm of 400 acres and dur
ing the past season erected a fine
residence. A few months ago i'll
health overlook him in the form of
an attack of nervous dyspepsia and
his condition rapidly grew worse.
For the past two months he had suf-
lfered greatly and lately il had been
noticed that his mind was becoming
affected. He was never known to
entertain any thoughts of self-de-
struction, however, and the deed of
| Yesterday has caused profound
shock to his friends at Wilton unc-
ton.
Upon the receipt of the information
of the tragedy here j. NJ. Rider, cash
Ter of the Wilton Savings bank,
boarded the morning train for this
city, arriving at noon, to arrange for
the shipment of the body home. Cor
oner Eckhart this afternoon held an
inquest over the remains, but no ma
terial facts were brought out in adj
dition to those given above, and the
verdict was that the case was one
of suicide.
Gard of Thanks