Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1910-07-30
RIGDON INSANE,
MRS. YOUNG SAYS
Woman in Chicago Shooting
Mystery Talks First Time
Since Wounded.
LOVED HIM AS A FATHER
Denies She Took Advantage of Aged
Spectator in Business Deals
Aided Him During Reverses.

Chicago, July 30:-The Rigdon-Young
tragedy Of suicide and attempted muir
der became a unique problem for psy-
biologists last night when from her
bed at st. Luke's Mrs. Amy Young
gave her version of the remarkable
attachment which existed between them
for five years. For the first time since
Charles W. Rigdon, the aged mining
Spectator, shot her down in the office
of John C. Fetzer and then took his
own life, Mrs. Young felt strong enough
to give the public her life story.
They have painted me as robbing
| Charlie Rigdon, of following him about
for the money I could wiring from him."
Mrs. Young said. 81 deny it. He adj
vised me as to investments and in that
way he helped me to increase my mod
est fortune. But the pocketbook, mine,
was always open. He could and did
draw upon it when he needed. The
money invested was mine, and in the
| long years of our attachment l never
received any considerable sum from
him that was not already my own.
Would Be First to Defend Her.
They would picture me bad wo-
man-and worse. 1t is not so. 1t
never was. 1t could not be- If Charlie
Rigdon we're alive tonight he would be
the first to defend my good name. He
would tell you the truth-that We loved
honestly.
I'VE loved, but we loved honestly.
He intended at one time to get di-
vorces from the mates which unlucky
chance had given us. Then we would
have married. But-well, many things
stepped between.
81 first met Mr.. Rigdon IN Philadel-
phia FIVE years ago. At that time he
was the talk of the city, known as a
lucky Spectator. He had just sold the
Nevada Wonder mining property to
Philadelphia capitalists. He had clean
ed up, as they say in Nevada.
Our first meeting was conventional.
prosaic business, in truth. In subse-
quent meetings he told me of the pos
sibilities of profitable investments in
Nevada mining property. I became in
terested, and followed his Instructions.
We were associated in several enter
prises.
Invests In Nevada.
Finally I went to Nevada to look
over the field. l invested in a number
of prospects in which he was inter
ested. We were successful and l hus-
banded my resources
There was a year of nothing more
than a business partnership. The love
IL lat
know that he had more than a business
interest in my life.
81 searched my soul, my heart rather
and was surprised to find how much
had grown to care for him. The result
ing attachment was the proposal for
double divorce and then our marriage
We believed we were going to be very
happy.
Il established a residence in Ne
vada, with the divorce in view. He
came east to secure a legal separation
from his wife with whom he had not
lived for a number of years. At least,
that is what he assured me. 1 had no
intention Of wrecking a real home.
Then came the panic of 1907 and Mr.
Rigdon was hit in a financial way. He
was practically ruined by commitments
in railroad and industrial stocks.
He decided to come to Chicago,
take a brace, and try to rebuild his
fortunes in real estate. His good
friend here was John c. Fetzer, and
when 1 came to Chicago, Jan. Is last,
soon met him.
"Mr. Fetzer and other business asso-
main here and look after him Rigdon |
would keep away from liquor and be
of some use in business.
Efforts Keep Rigdon Straight.
They offered me part of the profits |
for keeping Rigdon straight I agreed, !
thinking could be of great service to |
the man I loved in spite of his foolish |
drinking
THE business transaction I referred |
to in the letter l wrote to Mr.. Fetzer
and which was found in Mr. Rigdon's T
pocket after his awful end, was this:
Last fall l bought 1000 shares of |
Nevada Wonder in the open market |
for my sister, Mary. The stock was
on deposit with Stuart, Ellis & Co.,
brokers In Washington. l instructed |
them to send 1t to me with draft for
the amount due, $275.
Funds 1 had expected from the east
had not arrived, and I asked Mr.. Fet-
ger to recommend a brokerage firm
who would project the draft and hold
the stock for a few days.
HE sent me to B. H. Scheftels &
Co., who took up the draft, holding the
stock as collateral. That visit to the
brokers' Office was the first occasion
on which 1 ever saw or heard of Harry
Hedrick, then manager of the Chicago
branch of the firm. l saw him but
once before was shot"