Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1918-08-10
MAN IN JAIL.
ADMITS that
He Slew COP
Robert Mulcahy, Arrest
ed at Arsenal, Confesses
As Slayer of Libman.

OF Tie ROCK Island police force had
been assaulted and fatally injured
by al unknown assailaGt, which as
sauIt ended in the death of the Pc
ucemaa, The perperator Of the at
tac,, was lodged IN a cell al the
police station
Robert 4IuIcahy. 2211 Sixth ave
nue.. was placed under arrest at
Rock Island arsenal at . o clock
Yesterday afternoon. charged with
being the one who attacked OHceT
L-aL an His arrest occurred but
flr hours after the stricken o1i-
Ger had been found Oh the ground
III the center OF Garas-y square n
the west end Of the city IN q pool
Ut his own blood
Detectives Tom Cox and Herman
S-Lllrt. with practically no clues
whatever 10 follow, early in the
morning after the crime had been
committed struck the trail OF the
alleged murderer shortly after noon
and quick work ended in the cap
rure o5 Eulcaly- Both detectives
have received the praise Of the 9th
lr mem beers of the police depart
urDt and the city officials for the
rapid way il which they rounded
UP the one Who assaulted Oncer
Libuan.
Il reward Of $500 was about to
be offered by the city just prior TO
tie finding of the clue which led 10
tLe arrest OF Mulcahy. 1t was
said yesterday afternoon that the
county was willing to furnish $3.50
additional TO the person or persons
who could furnish Information
which might have led to the arrest
and conviction Cf the murGerers-
The plan Of Offering rewards was
AUbta5lel directly after the police
4 DENOUNCED that clue had been re
veaIei which would lead 10 the i'm
mediate arrest Of the guilty party.
Found Working.
lLuICalr. who faces serious pen
alries. including death, for his &C
tiUus CT Thursday night, was found
On q scaIoiQ IL a building at Rock
Island arsenal. where he was paint
ing pipes attached TO the ceiling Of
tin room ID which he was working.
The detectives kept all knowledge
Of tie death Of OMCer LiBman from
Lulg-Ey al the time Of his arrest. I
he was not told Of the Omcer'S
death, which occurred at 1870 yes
ter-ay morning, until a complete
confession had been secured
When Informed Of Libman's death
Nulcaly broke down completely
and sObbed heartbrOhcLly
I'm cgufesslug to States Attorney
Floyd f Thompson and Assistant
States Attorney Edward L. Eagle,
NuIcahy stated. that he had struck
L5bman with his fists after the Off
Ger had attempted to place him IN
der arrest.
Woman in Case.
a woman also figures in the case |
She is Esther Johnson of Dayen- Z
port ana was brought from that
city this afternoon Tor the police to
question. she claims to have been !
with lLu4cahy, but says she ran
away from the scene Of the assault
as soon as the argument between
the policeman and MulCahy started. |
ed.
Persistent rumOrs, said to come
indirectly from police officials, are
TO the effect that girls employed at
the kuhr's Packing company in .
Davenport, where The Johnson WO-
man is said 10 work, were respOn- /
slhIe for the arrest Of Mulcahy
II is said that the Johnson wO- I
man told her fellow employees of /
the experience of Thursday night |
and that they became nervous about F.
the matter and called the Davenport !
police. This resulted in the police I
Of Davenport calling the Rock Is /
land authorities, who were told of |
the girls part in the case. The /
Rock Island police then proceeded ,
10 Davenport and arrested the girl, I
the rum0rs persist
On being brought to the local 20 !
lice station, It is said, the Johnson /
woman told the police where Null /
cahy worked. The muTderer's ar |
rest followed
The statement obtained from .
Nulcahy. which was taken verba- I
tim by . st6nographeT, sets forth /
that the policeman was struck down .
by blows delivered by the assail- (
ants fists. Injuries inflicted on the
victim would seem to refute this
The officer suffered a
fracture Of the skull, broken jaw
and cheek bones, and other injur-
les. I
Boasts Of Power.
,Iulcahy said that it was posi-
bic for him TO strike blow that
would break q mans Jaw bone.
The skull fracture was evidently
-ausad when Libman struck the
pavement, MUlcahy said The gun
and club carried by Libman were
.ouud at the home Of Mulcahy,
where they had been carried by |
iim after the assault Of Thursday
l.eht. 4
THE prisoner is a married man
4ut the father OF two children II
r-s murdered patrolman was also
married and the father Of six chill
.ren.
1lu-~ahy first claimed, in telling
ha police ~ his experience OF the
.aht before. that he had not been
thinking. but later confessed that
" had imHi0ed whisky An empty
whisky bottle was found near
he spot where the body of Lihman
IlIsr AT q o'clock yesterday morn
ne.
Is Boxer.
1t IS said that MuIcahy has tax
d part II several boxing matches
D the city iii the past Although
a fz not claimed 70 be a bona-GGe
ing fighter he has boxed with wei
loWn pugilists His experience
long this line evidently made it
,0sSibIe for him 10 iufict the ter