Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1908-07-06
DEATH IN A FALL
Jacob johnson is instantly
Killed in Accident at McCar-
thy Barn Saturday Night.
HIS SKULL WAS CRUSHED
According to Evidence Had Been
Drinking-lnquest Is Held Over
Remains of w. S. Rhodes.

Jacob Johnson, teamster for the
mccarthy Improvement company. was
Instantly killed at midnight Saturday
by falling from the hay loft at
the company's barn on Twenty-seoond
street near Third avenue. According
10 the testimony given at the coroner's
inquest, Johnson was under the in
luence of liquor at The time of the
GcCiGent. He fell distance of nine
| feet, crushing his skull in striking
| the board floor below
| About 11:55 the man was ordered
ont of a saloon near the barn by Of
tiCer kirsch of the police department.
! He went from the saloon to the barn,
anG told Thomas Purcell, who was at
the barn at the time, that an officer
was after him, and that he was going
to the loft to sleep. He went upstairs
and few minutes later Purcell heard
the thud of falling man. and found
Johnson lying on the floor, dead. Of
ficer kirsch was called, and he noti-
fed the police and had the body re.
moved to the Knox undertaking
rooms. John Kinney, another team
ster, had entered the barn just be
fore the officer arrived, and with Pur
cell examined the body to see if life
had departed.
StumbIes Into Hole.
II seems that in the stupor of drink
johnson had not noticed that a hole
I used in handling the hay was open
and he stumbled into it and pitched
keadlong to the floor below.
Coroner Eckhart conducted the in
tquest yesterday morning, the jury re
, turning a verdict that death resulted
from the fall and that Johnson wa
under the influence of liquor. John
son had been commonly known a
Old Jake" for years. He was abou
at least 30 years. He was unmarried
and as far as is known has no rela
tives here.
Inquest Over Rh0ads.
: An inquest was held over the ri
mains of w. S. Rhodes, the unfol
|
j. Saturday morning, at the Knox unde
taking rooms yesterday afternoon an
the coroner's jury brought in a We
dict of suicide. No reasons for tn
deed other than those given in hi
: letter to his family were brought OF
at the inquest. From the tone of tn
letter. however, and the fact that tn
. family was not i'll actual want as tn
letter indicates, it is believed tn;
=. Rhodes was insane at the time
u fired the shot into his brain.
While not brought out at the i
81 quest. the coroner has been informe
le that Rhodes was a victim of Il
} gambling evil. He was not a drin
- ing man.
III Native of Ohio.
- Mr.. Rhodes was a member of Il
Odd Fellows and the local Odd F.
=. lows named committee to LOT
after the funeral arrangements
soon as they were notified of the cas-
Mr.. Rhodes was born near We
he Vile. Ohio, and was 33 years old,
-e came here a year ago las 3une al
:, was employed by j. G. White & {
IN for a time as foreman on their &C
u struction work, and lately he h
II been employed by the Mccarthy
e. provement company.
ey Besides his wife. there are TO
little children surviving him. +
Is mother resides in Ohio.
NJ The body will be taken this event
., to Delaware, Ohio, for burial. De
ware is Mr.. Rhoades' old home, a
We his mother lives there at present.
10 May Trace Bullets FLIGHT.