Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1905-01-13
Strychnine Placed in Salt
petre is the
Charge.
FINDS II TRUE BILLS
Indictment Against vermeesch
for Killing 0'Con-
ner.

Mrs. Mary NJ. Johnston. of Reynolds.
will have To face Jury in the circuit
court ON a charge Of having murdered
her husband. Joseph Johnston. who
died Sept. Q last from the effects. II Is
alleged. Of -strychnine poisoning
The January grand jury found an
Indictment against Mrs. Johnston for
murder in its report submitted to- Judge
w. II. Gest this morning in the circuit
court. The charge Of the jury is that
Mrs. Johnston placed the poison that
took the life Of her husband in the so
luton OF saltpetre and water that he
prepared the night of the day before
his death. and which he drank in the
morning a half hour before he was
seized with the fatal commissions.
This puts at rest the theory that
there was poison in the coffee that Mr..
Johnston drank at breakfast on the
morning he died. Traces of strych-
nine were found i'm the tumbler from
which Mr.. Johnston drank the solution
of saltpetre and water. Seventeen wit
nesses were called before the jury in
the consideration Of the Johnston case.
Mrs. Johnston is at her home in Rey
nolds. having been released on $1,000
bail shortly after her arrest following
the verdict Of the cOrOner's jury.
Seventeen True BiIis-
There were two indictments for
murder returned by the grand jury.
The second one is against Henry Yer
meesch for the shooting Of John OCon-
ner in a saloon at East Moline where
Vermeesch was serving as bartender.
Vermeesch Is i'm the county Jail. where
he has been a prisoner since the mur-
der. The grand jury found II true
bills. All are made public but one.
which Is suppressed until the accused
parties are arrested. The jury was i'm
session eight days The indictments
are given as follows:
Indictment Ar-nins, Mrs. Johnston.
MARY VI. JOHNSTON. murder:
There are two counts III the indictment.
The first charges Mrs. Johnston with on
Sept. .. 1904. '-wickedly contriving and
intending one Joseph Johnston with
poison. wilfully. feIoniousIy and of her
malice afOrethought. to kill and murder.
n large quantity of strychnine did mix
with a quantity of saItpeter and water.
which the said Joseph Johnston was
about To drink as medicine 1she the
VI.
well knowing that THE said Joseph
Johnston intended and was about to-
drink the said solution OF saltpetre and
water. and the said Mary VI. Johnston
also well knowing that the strychninc
which was put and mixed by her with
the solution OF Saltpetre and water To-
be- a deadly poison. and that the said
Joseph Johnston on the day afterwards
did drink a quarter of pint Of the so
luton of saltpetre and water. with
which the strychnine was 50 mingled
and mixed by Mary VI. Johnston" the
husband not knowing there was any
strychnine or other poisonous or hurt
full ingredient mixed with the saitpetre
and water. by means whereof he then
and there became sick. and after sick
ness occasiOned thereby died ON Dec 9
and the said grand Jurors do say that
the said Mary NJ. Johnston. in her
malice aforethought. did kill and muir
der"
killing of John O'Conn-r.
HENRY VERMEERSCH murder
yermeersch on Oct.17. igJi. In a quarrel
in a saloon at East Moline where lac
was employed a. bartender. shot John
O'Conner. OF Bloomington. Ill. who died
OF his wounds two DAYS later at the
Moline city hospital. O'Conner was
drinking in his saloon with several
COMPANIONS. OConner grew bOisterous
and when ordered by the bartender To
demezn himself more quietly. so the
story runs. the former hurled a cuspi-
dor. breaking the bar mirror. As
O'Conner was passing through the
front door he was shot by Vcrmeersch
FREEMAN = WARD. confidence
game. four indictments. ON the
18th of October last Ward
Is alleged To have obtained.
by confidence game sums Of
money from George =. Rank. Joseph
Iillman. Moline Trust and Savings
bank and Moses Ross. all of Moline
Grimes of George Gilmore.
GEORGE GILMORE. four indict-
ments three for arson and one for rob
berry. Alleged setting on fire at Milan of
town hall Nov. -. 1904. setting on fire
OF barn On premises OF Carl Ziejschel
Nov -. 1904: setting on fire OF barn
ON premises OF Mrs Emma Ke-ler MAY
MAY %. 1904: assaulting and robbing
of Carl 4 Yanka. Dec l. 1904. OF a
watch and pocsSetbOok The four of
lenses charged against Gilmore were
committed Al Milan. lie has confess
ed hts guilt in each instance.
HARRY wYIIE. burglary: WyIie is
charged with entering the dwelling OF