Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1918-02-01
HOLMES WAS NOT
HIMSELF BEFORE
NIGHT OF Staying
nerense Produces Numerous Wit.
nesses to Show Defendant Had
Worried Greatly.
YELLOW EMPLOYEES EXAMINED
Say the Man Lost Weight and Acted
strangely Several Months Prior
TO May Is.

Through means of character wit
resses and others who had been asso-
dated with John a. Holmes in his
york at the Ma-seilles plant in East
Moline. the defense in the murder
rial Yesterday brought out how
Holmes changed both physically and
mentally several months before he
cred the shot that caused the death OF
Mrs. Emma Ghys on the night OF May
g. 1917.
Usually exceptionally efficient in the
capacity Of fire marshal at the plant,
noticeable inetiiciency, absent mind
edness and slackness characterized
his work for several months before the
shooting indicating that he had some
great trouble on his mind. according
10 the testimony. When he first came
10 the plant lie was painted as robust
man weighing near the two hundred
pound mark He had lost 40 pounds up
10 the day Of the shooting, it was tes-
thed and had changed from talk
alive man 10 one retiring in manner,
and only spoke when he was ques-
toned.
According to Arthur Dietrich. a
former fellow employe, Holmes acted
strangely before the shooting. In one
Instance he came up to him and asked
lin who was boss. when the question
had not been raised or any orders CIV
en- Dietrich to dispute this fact. At
another time Holmes ordered Diet
rich to fix a certain bell at the plant
and when he went to investigate moth
ing was found wrong with the gong.
Frank Walker stated that on the
Sunday night before the shooting
Holmes came to the plant and stayed
after midnight. He said Holmes would
lie down awhile then get up, and ap-
peared TO be uneasy. Walker added
that In other instances Holmes would
give orders and after they had been
carried out he would return and give
them over again.
Ben J. Rough. manager of the Mar
settles plant, testified that he was sup
erintendent prior to the shooting OF
Mrs. Ghys. He stated that Holmes had
always been efficient in his work and
took pride in it. but that toward the
end Of his service there was notice
able change and they were seriously
considering the question of keeping
Holmes in their service because Of his
apparent Indifference to his duties.
E. J. Glasgow. who succeeded
Holmes in the position of fire marshal
at the plant. had previously worked
under Holmes as night Waterman. He
explained that, although Holmes was
only required to remain at the plant
until tile night force came on, in many
Instances he would remain until late
hour Glasgow stated that on the
night of the shooting Holmes was at
the plant early'in the evening. He
acted strangely that night said
Glasgow. He called the Moline Dis
patch to tell them of storm that
swept four states over fifty years ago,
and then phoned to a furniture store
with regards to furnishing a fiat on
Seventh street, East Moline" On the
Thursday night prior to hat time,
Glasgow stated that Holmes came to
the plant at ] O'Clock in the morning
and remained there until 5 o'clock.
Others who testified to Holmes good
WAL hAtNl w II. NOSht Asi' "a
Heald and z. Cornell.
iii al His Home.
Mrs Harry Frankel. with whom
Holmes and Mrs. Garrison took rooms
when they broke up housekeeping.
testified that on the Saturday night
prior to the shooting she heard him
going several times from his room to
the bathroom and that she judged
from his actions that he was i'll. On
cross examination she stated that she
did not know whether Holmes was in
tcxicated or not on that night.
Other witnesses examined were S.
J, Shippard, shop manager: William
Sackyille, G. II. Genander. John Pur-
cell. T. j. German. Fl. J. Schmidt, Joe
Van Hoe. W |. Tayes, D. G. 1ngwer-
sen, Frank c. Scott, E. J. Purcell and
tharles Ross.
With regard to Charles Ross, the
defense sought TO cross-examine him
on his testimony at inquest. The state
objected and decision was held up I'm