Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1915-11-06

woman In Rock Island had come to me
and said that her husband was under
arrest for stealing some chickens that
she had bought from Sam. | went 20
hts home and found him In room
gambling with four other men. We
had him up before on charge Of steal
ing cabbage. AS to his reputation.
have not known him long enough to
say anything about that. He ran
grocery store for awhile. After | had
arrested him he asked to leave nae to
go to the toilet ! told him he had
better not try to run because I could
catch him, and II not that | had some
thing that would stop him. He sail
that he had gun, too. told him
was not afraid Of his using it. ! found
no gun on him when I searched him y
Louis Bornhorst, also an East Moline
policeman. said that Smith once was
up for stealing cabbage, but was not
at that time convicted
Sheriff Richmond told the following
story to the jury:
Smith was in jail one day before
he was taken into police court. We
took the two Smiths and another man
to the court. Sam was held on two
charges and the other on one. The
third fellow who We had was dis
missed and we did not bring him back
Sheriff Shot First.
I'VE were walking on Third avenue
and just as We reached the walk lead
ing into the Jail I saw Deputy Wigers
coming out Of the south door Of the
court house. ! turned to talk to him
about case which was coming up in
Justice Kuehl's court. About this time
Sam turned and ran. Deputy Miller
yelled TO him to stop. He kept right
on running. l then took out my pistol
and fired a shot. / was standing close
TO the spot from where Smith broke
away. ! shot when he reached the
corner. He was not less than one hun
bred feet nor more than one and fifty
feet away from me at that time Mil
! Ter started running after him and
| Wigers got into an automobile and fol-
! lowed him. / turned TO Mike Smith
and took charge of him and I heard
two shots later | did not see who did
| the shooting"
! Gould you say that the shot you
| fired struck him p iuryman asked.
no, could not say as 10 that"
Did he offer any resistance when
being taken TO the police court or was
he unruly while in the Jail ?"
/ If he was no one told me about it. ~
Deputy Sheriff Miller who fred two
shots at Smith, testified as follows:
When we had reached the walk in
front Of the Jail Sheriff Richmond
turned to talk to Deputy Wigers, who
was coming out Of the court house. AS
( he did so Sam broke into a run. !
yelled to him to stop. l shot at him
twice after he had rounded the corner
into Fourteenth street. I got into an
auto and followed him. When I reached
I Seventh avenue | found Wigers and
Smith in another machine. / got out
and Smith was brought back to the
county jail"
/ In response to questions of the jur-
ors Deputy Miller said:
Il fred the first shot when | got
near the corner Of Third avenue and
Fourteenth street I don't know how
| far ahead he was l fired the second
| shot as he turned in the alley"
Captured on Seventh Avenue.
/ Deputy Jake Wigers, who captured
Smith, gave the following statement
II captured him in front Of 1913 Sew
/ enth avenue. | did not shoot at him
When l caught up with him he said he
was shot / looked but could see moth
| ing to indicate that. After we got
back to the county Jail I examined him
again and found that he had been
wounded
Deputy County Clerk Clarence
Isaacson, told the jury: q saw the
sheriff and Mr. Miller. Two men were
walking in front of them. One started
running diagonally across the street
when they reached the Jail. Mr.. Rich
mond shot at him"
Louis Erhstein. grocer, 1900 Third
avenue, said: Il was III my grocery
store. / saw a man running up Four
tenth street | saw a man running
after him. think it was Mr. Miller.
think | heard two shots"
George D. Long, attorney at East
Moline. testified; 4 was in an auto
mobile on Third avenue I saw the
man run. l heard shot Then !
heard another shot"
Questioned by juryman Long said
81 think that there were two shots
! fired before the man turned into Four.
Iteenth street.
Henry L. Wheelan, testified as TO be
ling in the undertaking parlors OF
Charles L. Wheelan yesterday wher
the wife of Smith was present. An
other woman, who acted as interpreter
was with her. He said to the best oil
his ability he found out that the mans
name was Sam Smith. He said he
could not find out how the name was
| spelled.
The inquest was held in the states
attorneys private Office. Assistant
States Attorney A. c. Edwards AM
Coroner R. C. ]. Meyer questioned tbs
witnesses.
Hold Funeral To-day.