Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1910-07-21
RANN A SUICIDE,
DECLARE POLICE
OFFICERS CALLED OFF AND FUR.
THEIR INVESTIGATION OF
DEATH ABANDONED.
PRIVATE DETECTIVES STILL
CLING TO MURDER THEORY
Family of Dead Railroad Chief Insists
Burglar Did the shootins-Police
Say Wound Givos Evidence of
Powder Burns-Rawn Funeral to 30
Held Friday.

O0J vVOulO latYCS EVIGCHCC OF
Powder Burns-Rawn Funeral to Be
Held Friday.
Chicago, July 21.-"Ira G. Rawn
committed suicide, and the police will
drop the investigation and search for
the supposed murderer" said acting
Chief of Police Schuettler today.
This theory Of the killing is support
ed by the attitude of the family who
refused to permit either the police of
Winnetka or Chicago to take active
part in the Investigation. But on@
shot was heard by nost of the neigh
bors. and this is accounted for by the
volver The bullet found in the wound
below his heart conforms in size to the
bullet from his weapon-a 32-caiber
revolver he has owned for years
Detectives Investigating.
Schuettler announced his decision
after long conference with detectives
who had investigated the tragedy. All
the details point to suicide, according
to the detectives.
Notwithstanding this. private detect
les employed by the Rawn family con-
tinued their investigation and stead
fastly declared that Rawn was killed
by a burglar The bullet hole in
Rawn's night garment was carefully
examined and the police declare it's
appearance leads to the suicide belief.
The hole is surrounded by blood stains
in which there are particles thought to
be powder marks. II they prove to be
powder marks there would be little
doubt that Rawn Killed himself. While
the private detectives announced yes
terday that they expected to make
an important arrest today no one so
far has been taken into custody.
Only Ono Shot Heard.
"My men have told me shat as far
as they could learn, only one shot was
heard by Rawn.s neishbors," said
Schuettler. "They also told me that
the muzzle Of the revolver was covered
with blood, and the flesh near the
wound had been burned. which would
indicate the shot was fired only a few
inches from the body. We found moth
ins that would indicate murder"
The private detectives have nothing
new on the murder theory, according to
Ralph G.. Coburn, son-in-law Of the
dead man.
I'VE have heard nothing new and
there IS nothing further to be said"
said Coburn
Rawn's funeral has been set for to-
morrow afternoon.
Planned to Take Trip.
The last thing Mr.. Rawn did at his Of
flee Tuesday was to dictate a letter to
an official Of the Northwestern Rail-
way arranging for the hauling OF his
private car over that line for week
end trip which he had planned for his
family. He delayed going home in or
der that this letter might be written
and mailed in ample time for the ar
rangements to be completed.
Such an act, says his business asso-
ciates. does not appear to be the deed
Of a man who has worked out an elab-
crate plan for taking his own life and
showing that he was killed by a burg
lar. A careful analysis of the case,
however, showed that the mind that
WOult idSG w oihed oul dl IllIl-
cate plan for suicide might have gone
Just a step further and conceived the
idea of such a letter as a final detail
to avert suspicion from the real facts.
The most superficial investigation of
the facts at the house early yesterday
morn ning-and that was the only inves-
tigation that was permitted by the
fafnily-cast doubt upon the original
story of Ralph G. Coburn, Mr. Rawn's
son-fn-law. that the railroad official
was shot down by burglar.
Inquiry is BaIled.
After telephoning to the newspapers
and announcing that Mr. Rawn had
been shot and killed by burglar the
family took the greatest pains to block
the work of investigation at every
turn No effort was made by members
of the family to begin a systematic
search for the supposed murderer, and,
on the contrary. nobody who desired
to do so was given the opportunity for
getting at the facts at the house
The first surprising incident OF the
morning was the dismissal OF Winnet-
ka's chief of police as tho an employe
Of the family. j. NJ. Coutre, chief Of
the village police force hurried to the
house as soon as he learned Of the
shooting-about a. m.
But instead Of the excitement and
circumstances usually surrounding
such an affair the chief was surprised
to find the Rawn household looking af-
ter affairs in its own way. Instead Of
being taken to the body Chief Coutre
says that he was told that st would be
unnecessary for him to make an inves-
tigation Of the case. Mr.. Coburn in
formed that official that Pinkerton de-
tectives would be employed to take
whatever action might be thought best
under the circumstances.
To the surprise OF everybody con-
cerned the chief accepted these instruc-
tions and withdrew without a COM
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