Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1907-12-05

went to the houseboat of Jim Lewis.
The club he had been carrying was
found near Lewis boat
Went to Brewer Home.
Jones went to the home of Glen
Brewer. a cousin of Van Wrinkle, and
waited until Brewer returned. They
sat and talked for an hour or more
the women of the family having re-
tired at that time About 8 O'Clock
Jones remarked that he guessed it was
time for him to go. as he wanted to
spend the night at the home of Rip
Van Wrinkle, as Mr. Van Wrinkle was
often nicknamed Nothing more was
seen of Jones after he left Brewer.
Mrs. Van Wrinkle. the mother of the
murdered man. had made her home
with her son for some time, but Tues
day night she stayed with her sis ter,
Mrs Brewer. Mrs. Van Wrinkle is
blind
Taken In Friend.
Whether Jones spent the night with
,, the Van Wrinkles or not is a matter of
conjecture only. 1t is believed, from
circumstantial evidence, that he did,
and that he was given accOmmCda-
tons i'll the little cottage as a friend.
The house has but two rooms, kitch-
Ell and bed room. in which were two
beds. The position in which the
bodies were found indicates that Mrs.
Van Wrinkle occupied one bed and
that Van Wrinkle and probably Jones
occupied the other. But what took
place at the cottage is merely conjec-
tured. except that Jones or some one
else dubbed the young man and his
wife TO death some time after mid
night.
Instruments of Death.
A bloody spade and heavy muir
derOus club found in the bedroom
seem to have been the instruments Of
death There is little doubt that the
club was used and the fact that the
spade was spotted with blood, and
that there was great ugly cut in the
back of Mrs. Van Wrinkles head in
dicates that the spade. too, was WELD
ed with deadly effect by the murderer.
The blows of the murderer were
aimed at the heads of his victims
Both skulls We're crushed in by the
blows. the mans head being terribly
mashed. and the Jaw broken, while
the back of Mrs Van Wrinkles head
Twas both crushed and cut The bodies
were lying face down. and almost at
right angle. similar to the position
of the beds. Mr.. Van Wrinkle is
| thought to have been struck while he
was lying in bed the condition of the
| bed clothing and his night clothing in
dicating that he had rolled out of bed
1t is thought that the murderer
dealt Van Wrinkle blow that at least
stunned him, and that he then made
an end to Mrs. Van Wrinkle. who in
all probability was aroused by the
| the sounds. The murderer might then
have completed his work, if Van Win
kle was not already killed by the first
| blows.
Lights Left Burning.
There are two houses within 60 feet
| vi iut V al w iihlC NoN'oSV, otIS oStb
pied by Bert Hershey and another by
Mrs. LATE Sylvester and another Oppo
site, occupied by Mrs Elizabeth Mack
mer. Mrs. Mackmer was awake at :
o'clock yesterday morning. and noticed
that there was light burning in the
Van Wrinkle home, and supposed tha
the section man was arising at an un
|
still burning dimly when the house
was entered in the morning by Mr.
Brewer.
Shot Gun Missing.
That the murderer's motive was no
robbery is assumed from the fact tina
the only thing of value which is know
to be missing is shot gun which Var
Wrinkle had hanging over door. The
gun and large quantity of ammuni
ton which Van Wrinkle had recent,
purchased We're gone, and it is sup
posed that the murderer took thes
with the idea that he might find then
useful in case he was tracked.
Excitement In Village.
, Intense excitement prevails in Fair
port An Argus representative at tn
: village last night found that the mys
FERROUS circumstances of the murde
had worked on the nerves of almos
every resident and strangers ar
looked upon with unconscious susp
cion.
The great problem in the minds @
+ the residents of Fairport, as is tn
: case with the authorities. is the mC
tive of the murderer. The peOpl
Throughout the country surrounding
and on the Illinois side of the rive