Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1908-02-19
BLOODY BUTCHERY OF A BABY
OF SALVATION ARMY OFFICER

and razor and certain of the papers
found on the table were also taken to
be used as material evidence in the
investigation of the crime.
There were three families residing
in the building, Mr. and Mrs. Booth
and Mr. and Mrs. L. r. Bland having
rooms on, the second floor, and Mr. and
Mrs Thomas Dunning living on the
first floor in rooms directly under those
of Mr. and Mrs Bland. The room oc-
cupicd by Mr.. and Mrs Booth is about
Is feet from that of Mr. and Mrs.
Bland, and is separated from it by a
hallway into which the stairs ascend
from the front entrance.
Fathers Explanation.
After the police had been notified
soon after the murder, none of the
other occupants of the building were
aroused, until the officers entered and
aroused Mr.. Dunning, and later awoke
Mr.. and Mrs Bland while making an
floor. When he others entered, Mr..
Booth gave his explanation of the af-
fair. saying that some one had come
into the room and killed his baby. He
said, according to the testimony at the
inquest, that the child had been left
III the rocking chair in front. of the
fire in order that it might be kept
warm. Mrs. Booth had awoke, and
found that the lamp on the table was
not burning, and she aroused her hus-
band and asked him to see what was
wrong, and to stir up the fire. The
envoy, on arising, had discovered, by
the fight from an arc lamp on the cor
ner, that the drawer of the commode
had been removed and was on the
table. He had picked up the baby,
he is reported as saying, and had fell
the warm blood, and had assumed that
the child was vomiting Laying the
child down again, he had tried to re-
light the lamp, and had found that the
chimney was still hot, the lamp seem
ingly having been just extinguished.
When he succeeded in securing a light,
he found that the child had been muir
dcred. He told his wife, and she had
herself summoned the police.
Asked if he had any enemies in this
city, he replied that he had none to
his knowledge. Mrs. Booth, in the
hearing of Officer Bennett, inquired of
her husband: DO you think he could
have come up from Monmouth" bul
no answer was made, and no explana-
ton as to whom the inquiry refer
red to.
While the others were in the room
Mrs. Booth said she had hoped the
baby would die, and not be murdered
as it had been. She gave the same
explanation of the case as her hus
band did.
Hind Heard No sounds.
The other occupants of the house
testified that they had heard no sounds
until the arrival of the police, but al
expressed an opinion that had any one
entered the building and opened ant
shut doors, they would have beer
awakened.
that the mother had seemed to thinl
great deal of the baby, and tina
neither of the parents had seemed t.
regard it as a burden. Dr. Paul alsC
stated that the mother seemed pleased
with the birth of the child, and hat
acted in a natural manner. He salt
that the child had been ill for severa
days, and that he had prescribed med
icire for it. He could not identify tn,
contents of either of the glasses. no
could he give any explanation of tn
remark of Mrs. Booth that she ha,
hoped the child would die rather thai
be murdered.
officers Bennett and Gordon testifie
that they We're convinced by an exam
nation of the premises that no on
had entered or left the house With