Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1904-03-29
CLEARS A MYSTERY
Murder at Muscatine in 1896
Solved by Confession
of a Suicide.
OFFICER NIEBERr THE VICTIM
Patrick McGrath, His Slayer, Takes
Own Life in a Lonely
Church.

Kansas City. Mo. March 29.-This
is 10 certify that | am the man who
shot Policeman Neibert at Muscatine.
Iowa. in the summer of 1896. Said
Neibert was the cause of the breaking
up OF my family That is the reason
shot him. Ny belief is that l was
justified in doing so. and | think that
il was my duty. | left Muscatine.
Iowa. at the water tank. My object
in making this confession is 10 cause
the release of any innocent persons
who may have been convicted of same.
have been desperate ever since. l
shot three officers once for attempt
ing To arrest me on suspicion. Now
feel satisfied to commit myself.
(SignedD Patrick j. McGrath.
The foregoing letter was taken
from the body of dead man who
was found lying in the little church
at Six Mile, near Kansas City. Kans.,
Yesterday. The written confession.
with bullet hole in the dead mans
forehead. seems to indicate that the
man had taken his own life after he
had shot and probably killed three
officers. and had been fugitive from
Justice for more than seven years.
McGrath's body was lying in the
middle Of the church, the face turned
towards the ceiling. and beside the
body near the right hand was a IS
calibre revolver. All the chambers
were loaded except one. which con-
tanned an empty shell. At the left of
the dead man was chair upon which
were found an open bible and a lamp.
The clothing worn by the dead man
was very shabby and indicated that
he had been leading the life of n
tramp for some time. The beard
which is of sandy color, was long
and unkempt and the body bore the
general appearance of neglect and
poverty.
Crime Recaiie,'.
line 'cvru. March 90 The
.-.,-ati.n ;ua:sr D., putrick NcGrath
b., 10 killed himself near Kansas City.
r0calls one of the most foul and cold
bluoGed murders ever perpetrated in
this city. n crime that shocked the
community and one which has always
remained Il mystery. though earnest
effort was made u clear mp the trag-
CIV
Dnie"r '.tr s.'Es-t. .yai,e ia ilc
performance Of his duties ae regular
ratrolman, was shot. presumably by
tramps. at o'clock ON the morning
If June -. 1896. He was at the time
of the shooting on the loading plat
form of the Hershey Lumber com
pany. where he was found by those
who rushed to the spot awakened by
the shots ana alarmed by the cries
IF the wounded officer. The patrol
man was almost dead when found.
but in reply to questions as to who
had committed the crime. said that
two tramps had done the deed.
The murder caused a general alarm
20 be given and Il systematic search
was begun. Some cf those living
near the scene of the crime stated
that four or five shots were fired. and
as but two chambers were empty in
he dead officers gun it was thought
that the officer was wounded while in
4 battle with buns found in an empty
box car who had resisted arrest by
the officer.
The police trailed one Of the party
to a point in Musseryillc. where all
trace OF him WIS lost. They were en-
abled to trail the fellow on account
Of his having been wounded, probably
by the officers gun.