Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1916-09-25
SURRENDERS and
CONFESSES THAT
He KILLED WOMAN
Archie Mckay Tells Police He Gave
Mrs. Alvina burst Grain of Strych-
nine and Deserted Her.
SAYS SHE CRIED FOR THE DRUG
Man Last Seen Alive With Woman
Found Dead Thursday. Delivers
Himself After EXonerated.

Himself After EXonerated.
- killed her"
Drunk and showing the signs of
hours Of dissipation. Archie Mckay
dashed into the Rock Island police sta
ton asst night with this statement on
his Ups lie referred TO Mrs Alvina
burst. whose dead body he deserted
Wednesday night after she had died
while the two were on a vacant lot on
the northwest corner of Fourth ave
nue. and Fourteenth street.
II couldn't sleep or eat All l could
do was drink Il nearly drove me
crazy I gave her stryChnine. She
wanted dope. Then She died" he cried
after be- was arrested and Detective
Tom COX was called in to talk TO him.
TODAY. sober. after a restless night
~ police headquarters. Mckay supple
mente1 his statements OF last night
with lengthy confession TO States
Attorney Floyd Thompson. Mr..
Thompson refused TO make public the
contes sion today.
Merits of the alleged confession will
be investigated before the officials will
make any statement. Mr.. Thompson,
Detective Cox and Coroner r. C. J.
Never went into consultation this aft
erno0u 20 consider plan OF action.
II is understood that officials are
doubtful of the sincerity Of the state
ments made by Mckay.
IT may have only been a delirium
he was suffering" the coroner is al
legged 10 have said
Mckay told police the girl wanted
dope He said She begged him for IL
He stated he kept 80 grains of strych-
nine in his house He finally acceded
TO her appeals. he declared, and Sc
cured One-half grain.
she felt so happy for a time that
later she wanted more. I went in the
house and got another half grain.
Then she began jumping around and l
tried to quiet her. l got several
glasses Of water. 7 later got her a
glass Of salt water. thinking maybe il
would remove the poison from her
stomach" he said in his confession
today.
Died at 2:3O A. VI.
Her death occurred about 2:20 in the
morning. according 70 his statement.
He left her then. The next day after
her body was found by William Jen-
nings. 1901 Fourth avenue, Mckay was
arrested AZ his home, 314 Fourteenth
street police having learned that he
was with the woman when she was
last seen alive.
He first told police that she died
while he was with her. An hour later
he told newspaper men that she was
alive when he left her and went into
his home. next to the vacant lot
Thursday when a COrOner's jury in
Quired into the death Of Mrs. burst
he said she was alive when he left her
but complained of being weak and i'll.
The coroner's jury eXonerated him.
Whether or not McKay's confession
will be corroborated later by investi-
lltiOn OF authorities he showed all
signs OF having battled with his con-
science. despite denial5 he made 10 the
coroner's jury.
Il was considered probable today the
remains Of Mrs. burst would be disin-
TERED and a post norton held. The
boly was removed TO Dixon, Iowa, her
late home. Saturday. Burial was made
in the afternoon The body would still
be in condition for a post mOTtem
which would disclose some facts con-
corning the cause OF her death. If the
post mortem shows she took a grain
OF scrychnire il is believed that Off
Gals viii place more weight in Nc
Hays statements.
Question Ills knowledge.
several questions have arisen fol-
lowing the confession. which officials
refuse 20 answer since they have an
nounced they would not discuss the
confession until full investigation has
been made One IS whether or not
Nckav knew the strength Of the tab
lets when he gave them 20 the woman
and il he was aware that they would
cause her death Another question is
whether or uC- Mckay is addicted to
the drug habit himself. He explained
no motive for having given her the
strychuine except that she wanted il.
Although common impression is that
strycLuiue rerards and the woman
would not have appeared as happy as
Mckay said she did when he gave her
the first tablet. Coroner Meyers said
today srrychniue is a stimulant second
in order 10 nitroglycerine and McKay's
story from that angle appears plaus-
ib-c