Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-02-05
HOTEL MAN FINDS
WHAT MAY PROVE
SCHOESSEL CLEW
T NJ. Smiley Discovers Re-
volver and Sap Planted IN
Attic of His House.
GUN BELONGS TO CooNEY
"a, Arrested With Ray meorath and
Randolph Waugh for Auto
Tneft.

WHAT NAV prove 70 be a possible
,,ex In the solution OF the murder OF
r,hn y Schoessel. who was shot 20
18th IN front Of his own home. 2S2S
seventh avenue. the night OF Nov.
: last. was found this morning BY T.
N Smiley. proprietor 81 the Park
hotel. &c Twentieth street
Following suspicious that he might
have had people registered az his hotei
On the night Of the murder who might
NOV something OF the crime. Mr.. Smi-
-sv carefully searched his house and
.ound a revolver covered with mud.
snd = SAP" The gun was 32-calibre.
he same as the weapon from which
he fatal shot was fred which killed
schoessei-
when seen today. Mr. Smiley de-
ellned 20 discuss the matter further 1
nan 20 admit that he had found the I
weapons and that about II o'clock on 1
tie night o. the murder two men drove 4
70 his hotel II 4 taxi and remained I
there during the night.
Talked Of Murder.
Il Is claimed that the men were in .
an excited condition. and from other I
euests az the hotel IL IS learned that .
The two engaged in animated talk. Mr..
Smiley at once reported his find Of this
morning to States Attorney +. E.
THOMPSON. who, with Detective Tom
Cox. has been working diligently for
many weeks in an attempt TO get at
the bottom OF the facts surrounding
the murder. States Attorney Thomp-
son also received a tip that the wea-
pons were planted at the hotel, through
a woman in Davenport, and he at once
communicated with Mr.. Smiley.
cooney's Gun.
States Attorney F. +. Thompson IS
sure that the gun which Mr.. Smiley
found belongs TO J. J. Cooney, who
with Ray McGrath and Randolph
Waugh. are now in county Jail under
Indictment on a charge OF grand lar
eeuy in connection With the theft Of
automobile tires from the machines OF
P. E. LOrenz. Moline. and L. W. Mitch
Ell OF this city. The latter was at the
home OF George Huntoon, Moline, at
the time.
Arrested on Suspicion.
On the night OF the SchoesseI muir .
der. two Of the men in question. Waugh ;
and McGrath. we're arrested at the
Park hotel on suspicion. The follow :
Ing night Cooney was picked up.
Waugh vas much frightened after be-
Ing taken 70 the station. and In order r
10 clear his skirts OF the murder,
@pearhed- about the theft OF the auto
mobile tires In Moline.
What connection. II any. the trio
nay have had with the murder OF
sehoessel remains 10 be- seen. States
Attorney Thompson claims TO be sure Z
nat COOney had in his possession on
he q GIT Of the murder the gun which
vas found this morning at the Park
ho,sl. and that IL is the same calibre C
o. the gun used in the killing. The
Chambers were full. but this might L
have been easily remedied after the
crime
States Attorney Thompson. Detec-
tive Cox ard others working on the
case are bending every energy 10 I'M Il
Earth the IDENTITY OF the SchoesseI as
'assins. and expect 70 have some sen $
'a;ional Developments soon.
What Did He Mean7 f,
question that is agitatiag the pub
-e a; this time f.. what did Mr.. Schoes- +,
81 mean when he said, in a dying state
aent 10 his wife and son. when they
ound him on the back porch. -Four u
Len. al the foot OF the stairs" Did he t
'sier 10 the stairs in front OF the house
hose a. the back porch2 Could a 81
nan In the condition OF Mr.. Schoesssl ! Il
Z NE time have walked up the flight
ne steps. in front of his home and TO
ne rear OF the house?
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