Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1904-08-31
Funeral Services in the
Room Where Double
Tragedy Occurs.
SHOCK TO COMMUNITY
Murderer Planned Destruction
of Entire Fam
lily.

Henry Stewart and his wife, the vic
Tins of the tragedy of yesterday after
noon. the details of which appearing
exclusively in The Argus shocked the
community. were buried in the same
lot at Chippiannock cemetery this ar
ternoon. The funeral services were
conducted at the home of Mrs. Fred
Black, BIG Thirteenth street. Mrs.
Black is the sister of the murdered
woman The services were for the
members of the families only, and were
said in the room where Mrs. Stewart
was felIed by bullet from the revol-
yer fired by her husband and where he
also shot himself.
The funeral rites were conducted
by Rev. Ed f. Klimpke. pastor OF the
German Evangelical church on Ninth
street The pallbearcrs were Joseph
Holzhammer, Charles and Henry he.
Robert Kimbel, Peter Stephens and
George Reddig.
The statement that Stewart was
drunk when he set about to destroy
his family was erroneous. He had not
taken a drink since last Saturday,
when his wife told him that their lives
in future lay in different directions;
that she had withstOOd his abuse as
long as she was able to. On that day
she filed proceedings for divorce in the
circuit court, alleging drunkenness and
cruelty. II. NJ McCaskrin had been re-
tanned as her attorney. Stewart loved
his wife and his children: how devoted
" he did not realize until he saw them
passing away from him. He could not
stand TO live apart from them. He
would rather see them and himself
dead
wife Causes His Arrest.
Thursday of last week Stewart, after
abusing his family while on spree.
was arrested on a warrant sworn by
his wife charging him with assault
and battery The hearing was called
at police headquarters in the evening.
Stewart then was drunk He asked
and was allowed a continuance until
Saturday afternoon at = o'clock. Sat
urday morning he was sober. He Wis
tied the Office OF Police Magistrate
Johnson and entered plea Of guilty.
He was fined so.
At O'Clock in the afternoon. the
hour set for the hearing, Stewart re-
turned TO the court. His wife and
their little family were there. Magis-
trate Johnson told the Stewards that
il would not be necessary 10 have a
trial. He told them that he would not
enforce the collection of the fine that
he had imposed on Stewart providing
that he would return home with his
wife and children. let drink alone, and
demean himself toward them III future
as a loving husband and father should.
Gould Not Believe His Promise.
Stewart was happy in the thought
that he was TO be given another chance,
but his wife said that she had done
with him She had heard his promises
before She would have liked to be
lieve that he meant To behave. as he
said he would but in the light of the
unhappiness he had brought to their
home in the past. she could not. Stew
art followed his wife into the hall of
the Buford block and implored her TO
forgive him. She was determined.
She had made up her mind. The filing
of the divorce suit followed the same
afternoon. Stewart had made threats
that ne would destroy his family and
himself. Mrs. Stewart went TO the
home of a relative in Moline. Stewart
hunted for her in vain. Yesterday he
grew desperate and procured re
VoIver.
One Last Appeal Ia Her.
He would make one last appeal tC
his wife to come back TO him. He was
living with the five children at the lit
tie home on Seventh street. He knew
that his wife called 10 see her sister
frequently He went To Mrs. Blacks
home in the morning. His Wife had
not been there. Then he posted him
self in the neighborhood and watched
the house He was rewarded in the
afternoon. His wife came at 3:5(
O'Clock. He followed her in the house
He asked her if she intended remain
ing away from him. She stated that
she did Then they talked over iii
vision of the furniture, and regarding
money. II seems he had recently giver
her SO. He asked her what she haC
done with it, She stated that part OF
il had been spent in buying clothe:
for the children He could have wha
was left If he wished il. Stewart theI
went into the back yard He seemed
to have lost his nerve momentarily
When he returned he rushed to the
side of his wife. and. looking her il
the eyes. repeated the Interrogation i
she was to come back To him. He di,
not wait for an answer. placing TIT
revolver. a S2-caiibre, close to III,
back of her right ear. She died al