Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1917-09-12
The King Mystery.

Mrs Maude a. King. an Illinois w0-
man who was left a million or more
when her husband died & few years
ago was killed by a revolver bullet
last week while walking in the woods
at Concord, n. G. Several friends. one
Of whom had been acting as her bus
mess manager, were in her company
on the day she was killed. 1t was
their theory that it was an accident,
that the weapon was discharged while
she was examining it preparatory to
engaging in target practice. The
brothers Of the woman. VINO are resi-
dents OF Morrison. H., refuse 10 &C
cept the accident explanation. despite
that a coroner's jury at Concord has
conceded in that deduction.
Investigations are under way from
different angles and the farther they
progress the darker II looks for those
who helped Mrs. King in he manage
ment of her fortune. Her brothers
cant understand what has become of
a considerable portion Of the large in
heritance she was said TO have come
into possession Of after the death OF
her husband. One Of the latter's larg-
est benefactious was endowment OF an
old peoples home in Chicago. toward
which it is claimed he contributed
more than two millions. Subsequently
a will, alleged to have been drawn by
King a few days prior 10 his diss0Iu-
ton, was displayed by Mr.. Means. bus
mess manager Of the widow ignoring
the old peoples home bequest, and
-. d
King. Those chose 10 King in tile lat
Ter years of his life, and knowing his
wishes In reference to the disposition
or his fortune, aver that the docu-
ment held by Means Is 4 forgery In
support of this charge they point to
the fact that it never has been offered
for probate in d court of record, q fact
Of itself which utilities its provisions.
Standing with Means in his explaua-
ton OF the manner in which Mrs.
King met her death is q sister of the
latter. a Mrs. Melvin. though no Nom
Der OF the party that was with the We
man on the day OF the tragedy has
come forward to admit having person
ally witnessed the alleged accident
The body has been exhumed upon RE-
quest of the brothers of the dead
woman and the examining physicians
wound which killed Mrs. king could
not have been seIf-inficted. leaving no
other inference than that she was
victim of foul play,
While there have been any number
of theories advanced as 10 how Mrs.
King might have killed herself.
these coming from persons who
are suspected CT knowing more con
corning her death than they have so
far told. relatives Of the woman see
IN the effort to cover up her financial
affairs a possible motive TOR getting
her out Of the way What may de
velop into a significant lead is he
statement Just made that Mrs. King
was contemplating her third marriage /
when she met death IN aveuf OF her /
taking q husband il was to be as /
summed that she would transfer the di- !
rection Of her fortune to him from the +
hands Of one who had heen serving her 4
in that capacity since the passing Of /
her aged heIpngate Tn such an event
those who had been living Ell ease upon F
the income from Mrs. Kings estate /
would have been turned out into the
cold. Also there would have been a +
minute accounting demanded. II Is 4
strongly intimated that Means was not ]