Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-02-04

q sehoesseI al his own doorstep ISIS
s.vsnth avenue. on the night OF Nov
-,.., As he vas returning home from
80, B-ae,ice at the German Lutheran
church.
:. begins 10 look as though this con
...,ure might possibly be true
- despite all OF the diii'
-. eHorts Of the authorities,
80 has not been discovered one
..,gible clew that can shed any light
on the identity OF the assaiiants-
DID sehoessel Know?
Z, e no. certain that Mr.. Schoessel
t,,.self knew his cowardIy assassin
The shooting is alleged 20 have occur
-sd under the glare Of two arc street
lights. one located on Seventh avenue
mar Tventy-eishth street and the other
n Twenty-ninth street. both belri
within rs feet OF the spot where the
attack i said 20 have been made II
,bere was a struggle. the torn and
tufsted umbrella Is -he only mute evil
deuce OF this fact.
he point his finger At the guilty par
,,s. or was he shot from some Sc
cluded place.
Within = minutes after the time
scboesseI staggered onto the back
rorch AZ his home and uttered faint
CIV FOR help he had passed away
large artery in the abdominal cavity
having been riddied by a buie-. the
s-orv related at the time goes mat
Mr.. Schoessel. attracted b. her nus
hands CRY. called 10 her son. Arthur
and ;he two went TO the rear door.
where the father was taken into the
house. on the porch he muEmured but
tao sentences. The first. In reply 10
his wife's question. Were you held
M Wha-'s the matter. john was,
-Four men al the foot OF the stairs
A second and fainter sentence was
the last he said and was In warning
10 his son not to lean too Tar over him.
Presvmption at the Time.
The presumption at the time was
tina. his assailant made an aitemp; 10
rob him Of his money and watch and
that he attempted TO defend himself.
A large bruise was found on the crown
Of the head and a similar one on the
muscle Of The left arm These are
What led 10 the theory OF a crime by
hold-up men.
A remarkable fact Is That NJ was
able after being shot through the in
testiles TO climb the steps. nine in
number. leading up the terrace Of his
house before he succumbed- Ia view
o. this fact there are those who doubt
the theory that he meant al the foot
a the outside steps I'm describing where
he was attacked. II It was on his own
lot so much greater the outrage
Gun Is Planted.
SchoesseI was killed by an auto
matte 52-calibre revolver a day OF
tao after the murder. a weapon was
found in the Lincoln schOO. yard,
which it was at first thought was The
gun used in the killing but officials
i1cluding Detective Cox. who later eX-
amined f. swore before -he coroner's
inquest that IL had been planted .
and gave il a. their opinion il had not
been used in months.
Who pu- the gun there? Why was
Il planted? Who would have any mo- /
tive in placing il there for the pur-
pose Of foolins the detectives who Z
we're working On the casez These ,
and countless o-her questions CON J
corning the murder have been repeat J
edly asked but never satisfactorily .
answered
Still Mystery.
Even an effort 10 find a motive for !
the crime Is still lacking. The first I
supposition was that II was robbery [
and that footpads had attempted 20 /
hold 10 Schoessel. Yet SchOsssel had I
made Il a life practice not 70 carry f,
much money with him and this was 4
generally known by his friends. What I
little money he had on his person. as 4
vel as his watch. was intact when 4
his wife found him IN a dying cOndi- 4
lion on the porch. /
One theory was advanced that # !
vas the work OF amateurs who became I
excited when Schoessel resisted ;heir I
attack and losing their self control. 4
hred a. the defenseless man. Yet the
police authorities were notified OF the /.
h-Irder within a few minutes after the 4
occurrence and threw out a drag ~
covering the tri-cities and every
avenue q escape was closely guarded.
But what vas the result2
Every suspicious character In the
community was picked up and taken 10
'ns station but not IN a single instance
-@s there the slightest BIT OF evidence
% connect any Of them In the crime
ne guilty parties escaped.
Where did the Williams 20? How
Nere they abe 70 elude the watchfuI
yes Of the police7 Although II was
-0t late a. night. why was II that not
single person saw the murderers?
sO' witness who testified before the
soroners Jury and several claimed
% nave heard the fatal shot. could give
: eoherent statement relative 20 see
'-B the men One woman. who re-
rIIHIw