Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1915-04-27
Daniel Hurley Claims Com
pact With Sweetheart,
Katherine Roller.
HE PURCHASES POISON
Motive Is Seen in the Break
ing of Their Engagement
to Marry.

Lincoln, Ill, April 27.-After night
of solitary confinement Daniel Hur-
| ley. 10. charged with administering
| poison which caused the death Satur-
day of Katherine Roller, Il. told the
states attorney they had made a sui
eide pact. He gave no reason why
/ they had agreed to die and remained
silent when asked why he did not
keep his end Of the bargain Hurley
said he had been engaged to Kather-
inc nearly year. From other sources
it was learned the engagement had
been broken of by the girl, whose par
ents objected
The boy asserted he bought the
poison at the request of Katherine,
who telephoned him Saturday before
he called to be sure and bring the
stuff meaning strychnine Hurley
said when he learned it was poison he
tore up the envelope containing the
powder and threw it in the roadside.
The envelope was found near a well
at Broadwell Hurley bought candy
and sandwiches and gave the girl
cup of water in the evening. Ten
minutes after leaving Broadwell in
/ his buggy she became ill. he said.
Chicago, Ill. April 27.-Daniel Hur-
/ ley was arrested in Lincoln, Ill. yes
! terday on a charge of numbering Kath-
/ crime Roller. IT years old The girl
went into commissions Saturday while
: riding in a buggy with Hurley. She
died four hours later after he had
hurried TO her home with the uncon-
scious girl.
/ Hurley admitted. the Lincoln police
say, he purchased poison in Lincoln
on Saturday, but after several evasive
answers to questions the police say he
declared he had bought the drug at
the request of Miss Roller.
After States Attorney c. f. Smith
of Logan county had placed a formal
charge of murder against Hurley the
prisoner was held to the grand jury
without bail. He contended all day.
under a severe examination by county
and city officers, that he did not cause
the girls death. Hurley is 10 years
old.
Thought Pt0maine Poisoning.
The girl was the daughter of Jacob
Roller, a wealthy farmer of Broad
well. Hurley, the son of retired
farmer, worked as a hand on a farm
adjoining the Roller place. The cou-
pie had kept company for IS months
and Hurley was anxious TO marry. The
girls mother favored the match but
her father opposed it, and the girl is
reported to have shown an inclination
to yield to the latter's influence.
Shortly after o'clock Saturday
evening Hurley called on Miss Roller
with is rig and prevailed upon her to
accompany him. She was in the best
of health then. On the outward jour
ney he stopped at a store and purchas-
ed her candy Upon the return trip he
purchased her a sandwich and gave
her a glass OF water. Soon afterward
she was seized with commissions and
he drove her home.
The attending physicians. DR.. G. G.
Taylor of Elkhart, III, and DR.. II. b.
Brown of Lincoln. Ill. Immediately
suspected poison. but presumed it was
ptomaine poisoning from the candy
until authorities found in the road
that the couple had traversed an
empty poison container and later dis
covered that Hurley had purchased
poison on the representation that he
wanted il for a sick horse.
The discovery of this supposed tell
tale evidence. however. did not dis
cOuntenance Hurley. He admitted
making the purchase, and said the poi
son had been given to his brothers
horse He insisted that the trip was
most enjoyable, and that he ate some
OF the same candy and sandwich
Coroner Ryan brought TO Coroner
Ho6man's laboratory in Chicago the
organs of the dead girl and requested
chemical test.