Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-12-31
YEAR is WITHOUT
GREAT TRAGEDIES
IN COUNTY LIMITS
Drowning of Three in Motor
Boat Accident Is the Most
Serious.
ARE 100 INoUESTS HELD
No Case Of Murder, Though 1e Commit
Suicide and II Meet End by
Drowning.

One hundred inquests were held
during 1914 by Coroner r. c. J. Meyer.
which IS not an unusual number in this
county. November was the heaviest
month, with a total q II. while Oc-
tober was second, with IS.
There were no great tragedies IN
vestfgated, the most serious being the
motoTboat accident AZ East Moline in
which three people, Edward and Ben
jamin Smeggie and Henry Pouwels
lost their lives as a result OF attempt
ing TO use a craft which was unsafe.
The inquest over the remains of John
3. SchoesseI OF Rock Island, who was
murdered in front of his home Nov. z
1913. was closed Aug 10. when the
confession Of Mr.. and Mrs. James
DALEY was made. the finding being in
accordance with the allegations made.
Later Orlie Gordon ana Mrs. Daley
were sentenced 10 prison on their
pleas OF guilty Of perjury before the
coroner's jury, while Daley. indicted
for perjury. plead not guilty and he
and Harry Mccoy and Ben Hamilton.
implicated in the case. are still held in
the Rock Island county jail
There were 10 cases in which it was
shown that suicide had been com
mitted and two or three others which
were in doubt. Seventeen died by
drowning nearly all in the summer
and fall. Two met death in hunting
accidents.
So far as IS known no murder was
committed in the county during the
year. Two bodies OF men which We're
never identified were taken from the
water. one being found in the Henne-
pin canal near Milan and the other
near the Twenty-fourth street bridge
in Sylvan slough.
Following Is a list giving names and
causes OF death in all cases the cor
oner investigated:
January.
3-WIlliam r. Hughes, Rock Island,
aged 40; natural cause. probably acute
pneumonia.
1O-Charles Gillapp. Rock Island,
aged IS; self inflicted gun shot wound.
2O-Mrs. Matte Whaley, Rock IS
land. aged Sc; chronic pulmonary con-
sumption
25-James Buxton. WATERFOWL hos
pitaI, aged 60; acute dilation OF the
heart
27-Miss Katherine Fret. Andalusia,
aged 5s; nervous commissions.
go. J. Furman. Rock Island, aged
30; organic heart disease.
February.
1-Emma Meyer. Moline. aged IS;
accidental burn received in a manner
by the jury unknown.
MARY Spriet, South Moline. aged
3; accidental burns.
Hans a. Stolteuberg. Rock Island. /
aged 81; gunshot wound with suicidal
intent.
12-Harry Petracos, Moline. aged IS; |
accidentally struck by a C.. r. L &
=. railway at Twenty-second street /
crossing.
1f-SteDhen Archer, Rock Island, |
~: chronic heart disease.
15-Eupolitis Boone, East Moline. /
aged %; choked while at breakfast.
16-Henry SchildmilIer, East Mo-
line. aged 70; natural cause, probably /
heart failure
25-George Edward Colberg. Moline, |
aged Is; natural causes. due 10 tuber- |
culOsis OF lungs.
March.
AHN1A - AAAfiAAs ~ eAANL L1ff II
hospital. aged 20; general paralysis. /
John Marks, Moline, aged 81: IN
hailed Illuminating gas with suicidal /
intent
24-Mina May Chflders, Rock Island. |!
aged 30; disease OF the heart.
April.
2-Maskos Stargos, Moline, aged 80: /
conclusion result OF accidental injur-
les
Emil J. AhIbers. Moline. aged 80:
suicide by shooting.
George Voelker. Rock Island.
aged q; accidental fall from 4 build
ing. breaking neck.
Emma B. Turner. Rock Island.
aged 81; heart failure superinduced by
rheumatism.
John Koepke. Rock Island. aged
Go; su1ocation due 10 explosion Of
kerosene lamp.
1S-Oiiasi Gerias, Rock Island, aged
days; natural cause. cold settled on
the lungs
15-AIbert vOnach. Hampton, aged
%; shot self in head with 80 calibre
revolver.
22-Josephine Anderson, WATERFOWL
hospital. aged 4s; hanging
27-FTederick o. Myers. Rock Is
land. aged %; injuries received in ac-
cideatal collision with auto. while rio
ing motorcycle.
2S-Unlnown man found IN canal
south Of Milan, aged 40; drowning
May.
4-Frank Francis Vershur. East NJ
line, aged I day; natural causes.
ALBERT Larson. 5foline. aged g.: ,
s-Edwerd Smeggie. East Moline.
aged 81: drowning ]
Henry Pouwels, East Moline. aged [
d
BENJAMIN Smeggie. East Moline. y
aged 10; drowning IA
11-Bettie Miller Moline. aged 46; .
suicide by taking carbolic acid. &
17-Jess-e ROsco Wilson, Moline, u