Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-08-22
CAM STAYS SELF;
HARD LUCK CAUSE
Pawnbroker Drinks Carbolic
Acid in Grant Park After
Penning Confession

Chicago, Aug. 22.-Moses Avner,
7125 South Chicago avenue, a pawn
broker and money-lender, committed
suicide yesterday by swallowing car
bolic acid in Grant park at the foot of
East Eighth street The failure of an
enterprise in which he had placed
money and his loss of $3.50 in the last
few days in gambling caused his act.
In a note Avner told of gambling and |
bequeathed all his property to his
wife. 1t follows:
My Dear Wife, am going to
leave you. l can't stand the strain
any longer. My desire to gamble and |
spend money is too great, though
have tried to do better, and can't |
help myself.
Things have gone against me for |
the last seven years. Everything l
went into was failure and it was only |
a matter of time until l went broke.
AS our affairs stand there is little
left. Pay off the mortgage or sell the
house as you please.
| Il will to you all my real estate that
I is not in your name, and all my per
! sonal property. l went to bail out
that man this morning and met some
of the old gang l could not resist, so
l went to their headquarters, II West
Monroe street, and from there to the
Palace hotel on North Clark street and
| lost today $153. Henry Norman was
there in the game. So good-by, and
God bless you, for you have been a
noble wife"
On the back of the first page was
written in pencil: Il was there again
today and lost 500, making a total
of $3.50 in two days gambling. 1t is
no use, l can't stand it"
The letter was written on Avner's
stationery, which bore the heading,
Moses Avner, 1925 South Chicago ave-
nue.. Money to lend" There was no
date, and it is believed that the first
part of the letter was written about
two days ago and the note on the back
of one page yesterday.
knowledge of the man was disclaim-
ed at II West Monroe street The
lower floor is occupied by barber
shop and cigar factory, operated by
Charles T. Essig and Sam Summer
field. The three upper floors are occu-
pied by the Walters union AND the
Cooks and Pastry Cooks union.
In the barber shop one side of the
, room has been divided into small Sec
tons, each one containing a stack Of
racing forms. With bundle of forms
in his hand, Essig stated that he had
n never heard of Avner and that no
, gambling ever went on in his place.
IN the rear, almost concealed from
the front, was another room in which
were several tables. Men we're seated
about the tables playing cards with
chips in sight.
Il never heard of Av0er." said Es-
sig. None of them pikers ever come
in here. You say he wrote that he
had lost money in gambling? Then
you'd better go over to 81 West Mon.
roe street. That's where them guys
hang out"
Possibly some of the men in the
rear room might know him. Do you
care If go back and ask" a reporter
asked Essig.
mo one back there knows him,
he replied. Go to that other address
and ask them there"
When the letter was shown to Her
man Schuettler, first deputy supertn
tendent of police, he looked through 6
list Of gambling places on his desk and
found that II West Monroe street was
In the list.
at is supposed to be whist clut
and barber shop" Schuettler said
"and we have never had any com
plants against it. Whist is permitted
If bets are not made"
He detailed Detective Dennis Mahel
to investigate the place, and to report
any signs of gambling. No record o.
any gambling at the Palace hotel could
be found, but Detectives GoldencamI
and Doyle were sent there to investi
gate.
= Avner first became known Nov. 10
n. 1910, when he shot and wounded Rich
Ia ard Connell, a real estate operator o
If the firm of Stewart & Connell, in thu
"a Unity building. The men had quarrel
N ed over a farm which Connel haC
10 traded to Avner in exchange for 4:
q house. Avner was arrested, but wa
"a acquitted.
.