Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1907-12-05
POSSES ARE OUT
Careful Search Being Made for
Harry Jones, Suspected
of Fairport Murder.
TWO CASES ARE COMPARED
Similarity Between Van Wrinkle Case
and Tuman Tragedy as Argument
Against the Man.

Three armed posses are searching
today all about Fairport, Iowa, for
Harry Jones, who according to the
verdict of the corOners jury, is guilty
of having murdered Mr.. and Mrs viii
VAN Wrinkle in their home at Fairport
Tuesday night or yesterday morning.
The authorities believe that the man
is in hiding in that locality yet, and
are determined not to allow him to
escape if careful search will prevent.
No trace of him has as yet been found
Did Another job, Too.
The authorities, from a comparison
of the records of the two cases, have
come to the firm conviction that the
man hunted now is also the man who
committed the double murder near
Fairport five years ago. when Mr. and
Mrs. Jesse Tuman were the victims.
They too were dubbed to death by a
man who secured lodging in their
home. and at the same time Jones
disappeared.
The Tuman murder occurred Aug.
16. 1902. The scene is about a half
mile from FairpOrt.
beatty Real Name.
Harry Jones' real name is believed
to be Harry Beatty. for he writes from
Fairport to his wife and children at
Washington, Pa. under that name.
Why he came west is not known. In
fact his entire life is mystery.
Tho +l,1
that he had no motive for the crime
except a fiendish desire to kill, pro,
duced by the use of alcohol.
Mrs. Van Wrinkles family arrived
from down the river today. but could
throw no light on the case. They
claim that the murdered woman. so
far as they know. had never known
Jones before she met him in Fairport.
Grounds for Suspicion.
The peculiar circumstances of Jones'
arrival at Faiport and his actions
while there Tuesday night, coupled
with his having mysjeriously dropped
out of sight since he started for the
Van Wrinkle cottage. form the basis
of the suspicious that lie committed
the double murder.
The motive he may have had is not
explained. 1t is suggested that he may
have been acquainted with Mrs Van
Wrinkle and that this may have fur
nished some motive for the crime. II
is also suggested that he may have
committed the crime while made a
demon from drink, and with no other
motive than a desire to kill, induced
by the alcohol he had taken.
Wanted Presence Unknown.
Jones went from Muscatine to Fair
port early in the evening. He was
walking along the road when he was
overtaken by Adam Brossart. Mr.
Brossart was hauling lime from Mus
catine to Fairport. Jones asked for {
ride. and was taken to Farport by
Mr.. BrOssart. riding from a place nea
Wyoming Hills, about three miles be
low Fairport. He had been drinking
and on the way offered Mr.. Brossar
drink several times. As they neareo
FairpOrt. Jones told BrOssart not t,
tell any one that he was in town. ant
added that he would find it out i
Brossart told He stopped at a house
boat on the edge of town and asket
for water to mix with alcohol Their,
were two men at the hOuseboat ant
they noticed that Jones was carrying
a heavy club. He was cautioned tina
he had better put the club down o
the dog might bite him. He had eH
planned to BrOssart that he was afrai
of dogs. and carried this club as a pro
lection. When he left the hOuseboa
at Z o'clock, he took the club with hin
He called and asked George Feuste
where Van Wrinkle lived, and late