Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1911-06-05
LOVERS QUARREL;
DROWN TOGETHER
William Sheldon Perishes At
tempting to Rescue Mrs.
Bessie Jarrette.
YOUNG MAN is sTRANGLED
Girl Clasps Arms About His Neck and
Both Sink in View of Party of
Friends.

Following a lovers quarrel, Mrs. Bes-
sic Jarrette, 10, jumped from a row
boat near Suburban island at 1880 last
night, and when William Sheldon, 81,
her escort, went to her rescue, she
grappled him about the neck, and both
persisted The bodies were recovered
within FIVE minutes after the tragedy.
Both victims were residents of Daven-
port, the girl living with her mother,
Mrs. Harriet Murphy, at 20S Fillmore
street, and Sheldon, who was a black
smith, at 1906 New Second street
That the young woman contemplated
suicide was made evident by the con-
tents of a note which she left at her
home before her departure for the is
land. In the note, which was address
ed TO her mother, she told Of her love
for Sheldon. bewailing the possibility
of losing him, and intimated that it
would not be long until both were in
their graves.
JUMPS FROM BOAT.
Sheldon and Mrs. Jarrette were out
walking together early in the after
noon when they met three young men
friends who were on their way to Sub
urban island to fish. Sheldon and his
companion were invited to join the
party. Sheldon said he did not care to
go. but finally was prevailed upon by
Mrs. Jarrette to do so. After arriving
at the island Sheldon and the girl
quarreled. She left the party and went
to a grass plot about a hundred feet
away and sat by herself When half
an. hour had passed she called to FL
mer Doris and asked him if he would
row her to the dam so that she could
board a car for home Doris accom-
modated her. Mrs. Jarrette took a
seat at one end Of the boat Doris so
seated himself in the boat that his
back was turned to the girl. Sheldon
and julius Gadient were on shore when
the boat moved away. When it reach
ed so feet from the landing Mrs. Jar
rette suddenly was seen to rise in her
seat and plunge into the water, which
is 16 feet deep at the point in question
GOES TO HER RESCUE.
WITHOUT removing MS coat,
set out TO rescue the girl. Gadient did
likewise, but he waited to remove his
coat and shoes. Within a minute the
three young men were at the side of
Mrs. JaTette. Gadient was holding her
head above water when Sheldon reach
ed her side. AS Sheldon neared her
she threw out both her arms to him.
He tried to quiet htr, instructing her
10 put her hands on his shoulders il
order to give him a free stroke in
reaching shore. AS Sheldon turned,
the girl, with the foreclosures of a
lioness gloating with victory over land
ing Its prey, clasped her arms about
her lovers throat and it was only a
until both disappeared. Cad
lent dived and succeeded in separating
them under water, but the girl already
was beyond hope. Sheldon was brought
to the surface. but he, too, was too far
gone. and Gadient and Doris saw to
saving their own lives.
UNHAPPY MARRIED LIFE.
Mrs. Jarrette was married when she
was Il. Ernest Jarrette, her husband,
left her five months ago and went to
Muncie Ind, to work. He still re-
sides in that city. After her husband
left her Sheldon began paying atten-
ton to the young woman 1t is said
that Mrs. Jarrette was in love with
Sheldon, but that he did not recipro-
cate.
An inquest was conducted over the
bodies this afternoon.
AnTH0IAkI lhIHfl0