Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1916-06-27
CRANCRAFT DEAD
FROM GUN WOUND
End Comes After Eight Days of In
tense Suffering in Hospital-Had
known He Could Not Live.
SEVEN MEN FACE INDICTMENTS
Victim of Shooting Identifies Assail.
ants on Death Bed-Thompson
Confers With Coroner.

Nicholas Almo Crancraft died in the
Moline city hospital early this morn
ing from a bullet wound inflicted by
an unknown hand in the Silvis yards
late the night of June 10. The man S
suffering had been intense and was
augmented by the knowledge that he
could not live.
Seven men are in the Rock Island
county Jail facing probable ndlct-
ments for murder. They are Tony
Thomas. Mike Nodios, Antoni Sener.
Patino Enulio. Domomez Seior. Petri
Bonibucio and Garcia Josa. All are
Mexicans who lived in a box car near
the scene of the attack which resulted
in CranCrafts death.
Victim of the shooting identified sew
eral of the men as his assallants.
Identification of the MeXicans was
made by Crancraft, who was also
known as "Cozrast," while he was on
his death bed in the hospital. He did
not know which of them pulled the
trigger, however, which sent bullet
into his lung. Coroner R. c. J. Meyer
and States Attorney F. E. Thompson
held a conference today and it is prac-
ticallv certain that the men will be
held to the next grand jury on charges
of second degree murder,
B. L. Crancraft, brother of the
murdered man, arrived in Moline today
to take charge of remains. As accu-
rate an account OF the affair as can be
obtained from his statements and those
of Nicholas Crancraft is as follows:
The man left Mount Ayr, Iowa
where he lived. Friday, June 16. He
went to Des Moines, where he got a
Job painting. This work occupied
Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Mon
day he decided to go to Detroit anG
seek work in the Ford factory.
Although Crancraft had consider
able money, he preferred to save il
and ride on a freight car. He got az
far as Silvis and jumped off in The
yards shortly after the evening o
Monday June 10,
Bumps Into Stranger.
He started to cross the yards II
the moonlight he did not have mucl
difficulty making his way. He becam
conscious, however, that someone wa
following him. This was about 9:15.
Almost concurrent with the discov
cry he bumped into tall man with ha
pulled low over his eyes. Then sey
eral others leaped upon him. Gran
craft believed himself the victim of
holdup, and although frightened by tn
number of his assailants, he did no
think his life in danger. He wa
robbed of SIS in cash
AS the victim started to leave on
of the men grabbed him by the collar
Crancraft is thought to have persiste
in his effort to get away.
You hold on there or it will b
worse for you" is the statement cred
tied to the ringleader Of the gang
Then one of the men pressed revolve
to Crancraft's chest and pulled tn
trigger. The victim fell. blood cover
ing his shirt bosom. The gang lef
him on the ground TO die.
The only motive which is apparent
and the one which it is expected tn
state will advance in its prosecution
OF the case, is that the victim Wa
killed by the hOldup men to proven
his giving information which would
have prompted their arrest
A laborer, on his way to work, founc
Crancraft early the morning of Tues
day, June 20. He was taken to tn,
city hospital. 1t was evident from tn,
first that he could not recover.
First arrests made in connection
with the case were those of Ton,
Thomas and Mike Nodios, FOLLOWED
speedily by the sensational Identified
ton of the other assailants by the dy
ing victim.
Native OF Des MOines.
Remains were taken to the Kno,
morgue and Coroner R. c. ]. Meyer il
making arrangements to hold an in
quest
Nicholas Almo Crancraft was born
in Des Moines, Iowa, March >, 1876
He had lived in Iowa most of his life
l.,