Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1916-01-15

Joliet, Ill, Jan. 15.-John Robart,
owner of the Joliet Welding company,
is fighting for his life in St. Josephs
his brain.
"A fellows got to pay the pen
atty" he said haltingly as he gasped
for breath. If l live, I'm going back
to my wife and kids
On a slab at the morgue lies the
body Of Mrs. Lillian Fyfer, whom all
Joliet knew as Mrs John hobart. She.
had killed herself after shooting RO-
bart in his office on one of the mar.
streets
Pinned to her corset they found q
note breathing the same tragic phil
osophy that was the burden of Ro-
barts words:
The wages Of sin and deception is
death.
The tragedy brought to life Jekyll-
Hyde romance which is the most sur
! prising social sensation in Joliet's
history. For seven years Mr.. ana
. Mrs" hobart have been conspicuous
in church work Mr. hobart was al
usher in the Ottawa Street Methodist
church. His wife taught in the Sun.
day school. Both were particular
friends Of the pastor, the Rev Err
nest Wray O'Neal. They entertained
! their church friends frequently at then
! home at PA John street. They were
looked upon until the last few days as
a devoted and happy couple.
hobart had built fine business. His
| trade in wagon and automobile trim
mings, castings and accessories cover
ed the entire country. He was credited
! with a modest fortune.
Mrs" hobart went to visit her fam
| lily i'll Virginia last June.
hobart went one night to Chicago
| theater. In the chorus he saw for the
first time Elsie Buerlein, prettiest and
shapliest among the dancing nymphs.
a few days later he met her in Joliet.
She announced her retirement from.
the fCOtlights and told him she was
going TO live with her mother at Rock
daye, fashionable suburb Every
morning found hobart a welcome Wis
itor at the home Of the former beauty
OF the stage.
His romantic affair with Miss Buer-
lein was at its height when Mrs
hobart returned. She found her home
broken up, the furniture gone, the
house rented TO another. She went
to her husband. AS the story goes.
he refused to give her back her money
he would have nothing to do with
her.
Thrown on her own resources,
Mrs" hobart became a waitress at
the Woodruff inn, where she served
many of the friends of her church
circle she had known in the days of
her prosperity.
On New Years night Mrs" Ro
bart was on her way to church when
she met hobart walking arm in arm
with the other woman.
Il will kill both of YOU" Mrs
hobart screamed.
Nine days later Mrs, Fyfer called
on Ulrich at his Office Entering his
door she drew her hand from her
fur muff. 1t gripped revolver she had
charged to RObart's account. She fired
The bullet entered the back of Ro-
bart's neck and lodged at the base of
the brain. hobart staggered to the
street. The woman placed the muzzle
OF her pistol to her temple, pulled
the trigger, and fell dead.
In a notebook found in the woman,s
purse was this notation: Elsie Buer.
lein. The trouble"
The fatal affair brought ont tho
truth about hobart and the woman
VINO had passed as his wife,
In a statement to the police he said
his real name was John Ulrich. He had
deserted a wife and four children in
west Philadelphia and eloped witt
Mrs Fyfer, who had deserted her hrc-
band Samuel Fyfer, saloonkeeper