Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1903-11-13
MONEY FROM FORTUNE TELLING
Thomas Cox Acquitted of Perjury
Charge-COurt
Matters.


his finding to Judge Graves.
Some interesting facts are brought
out in the answer of the defendants
to the amended bill of the plaintiff.
Mrs. Schmid makes the answer, which
is an exhaustive document, reciting
the relations between daughter and
mother for the past 20 years A gen
eral denial is made to the allegation
contained in the declarations of Mrs
| Otto. in which she AYERS that the deed
ing of her property to her daughter
was accomplished through misrepre-
sensations by the latter, Mrs. Schmid
it is charged, with the aid of her hus-
band. frightened Mrs. Otto into the
belief that she was in danger of be-
ing involved in litigation that might
cause her the loss of all her posses
sions.
Mrs. Otto further declared that
when the property, which consisted
mostly in notes and mortgages, was
decided to her daughter she was in
poor health, and was not responsible
fer her actions.
| Mrs. Schmid in her answer charac-
terizes her mother as sharp
|
man." and says she was not at any
time and is not now dependent on the
defendant for advice as to the trans
action of her business affairs. Mrs
Schmid said that her mother often
spoke Of leaving her all to her, as
she was her only heir, and it was
only after repeated solicitations by
Mrs. Otto that Mrs. Schmid consented
TIC the drawing of the deed. Mrs.
| Otto's husband died 20 years ago. Her
| daughter Laura was married to \. +.
Schmid in 1891. The property trans
| fer was made in 1902 The defendant
states that she and her husband al
ways tried to make her mother feel
| that their home was as much hers as
their own, affording her every com
| fort that they enjoyed themselves
and giving her the use of their horse
and buggy whenever she wished it,
the daughter usually accompanying
her mother whenever she left. her
home in South Heights, where the
Schmids reside.
| Mrs. Schmid also throws a little
light on, the manner in which her
mother accumulated her wealth, stat
ing that for years she followed the
business of fortune telling. playing
upon the credulity of other people, :"
in which she met with great success.
The money She earned by telling for
tunes she invested wisely. ever show
ing herself to be a shrewd business
woman. The daughter states that the
reason her mother wished to rid her
self of her property was, as she her
self expressed it to Mrs. Schmid, that
Il certain woman had made up lies
against her" intimating that she
feared she was to be sued for dam
ages, or involved in some other liti-
CATION. As to applying for an inquiry
into her mothers sanity. Mrs. Schmid
admits that this was done, but after
the property had been signedsover by
Mrs. Otto, thereby showing that there
was no motive back of her act.
Cox Is Again Acquitted.
For the second time at the present
term of court Thomas Cox has been
acquitted by a jury of criminal
charge, verdict in his favor having
been returned at j. o'clock yesterday
afternoon after long drawn out
trial on an Indictment for perjury.
The jury was out just 30 minutes.
The Indictment in the former trial
was for aiding and abetting the alleg-
ed illegal vote of Nelson Erricks, col
ored, at the spring election in the
first precinct of the Fifth ward, Cox
having made affidavit that Erricks
was qualified to participate in the
election The testimony practically
was the same at both hearings. The
defense contended that Erricks' vote
was not challenged. He simply had
failed to register. and an ''unregister-
ed voter" affidavit should have been
used instead of the one for ''chal-
lenged voter" 1t was also claimed
that proper oath had not been adj
ministered to Cox, as the clause "by
the ever living Cod had not been i'm
serted in the affidavit The trial was
characterized by numerous tits,
reaching almost to the point of per-
sonality. between the opposing coun-
sci. the brushes between c. J. Searle
and States Attorney H. y Weld hav-
ing been particularly warm. Cox was
defended in both cases, by, Searle &
| Marshall.
GIngIes Damage Suit.
Trial was begun today of the suit
for $4,000 damages of Monroe Gin
giles against the city of Rock Island
and Rosenfield Bros, the plumbing
firm. the plaintiff having driven into
an excavation made by the plumbers
on Fourth avenue and Ninth street
on the evening of Now 2s, 1901. 1t is
charged there were no danger signals
placed around the ditch. Rosenfield
Bros. have defaulted in the suit. and
the municipality is represented by
City Attorney J. X. Scott, while H. NJ.
| MnCaSlc r-inn nrnr,ear- fnr. The rnlaintiH