Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1918-01-24
Elmer Davis Arrested for
Staying Which Occurred
Nov. 7, 1918.

The third member of the gang that
murdered John d. Schoessel on Nov.
:. 1913, is in custody.
Elrle- Davis. IS, formerly Of DAY.
export. was placed under arrest in
Idaho Falls. Idaho, late yesterday aft
crnoon. Detective Tom Cox left to-
day for the western city to bring him
back.
Two men are now serving time in
the peniteHtiary at Joliet and with the
arrest Of Davis, police are left with
but one other TO apprehend TO COM
p.etely clear the case. The man being
sought is said 10 be the one that dis
patched the bullet into Mr.. Schoessel's
body.
Davis was arrested through ruse.
Rock Island police have been on his
trail for two years. They were unable
TO work efficiently, however, because
OF the distance separating Davis from
this city. He has been in the west the
greater part of the time following the
murder. About a year ago, police
heard Of him in Boise. Idaho By the
time they notified officials in Boise to
arrest the fugitive he had left that
city. He did not stay long enough in
one place to give the local officials an
opportunity to get in communication
with the authorities in the city.
About a week ago, however, Davis
wrote a letter to friends in Davenport
asking that they send him some per-
sonal belongings that he had left
there. Police in Davenport were mott
fed. The address he gave was gen
cral delivery, Idaho Falls. A decoy
package was prepared and sent after
notification had been given to Sheriff
Olney of Idaho Falls to be on the look
cut for him. A photograph and de-
scription was sent the sheriff. Yes
terday afternoon Davis called at the
Icstoffice in Idaho Falls for the pack
age. Fortunately the sheriff and dep
rty were on hand. They arrested Davis
Comes Back Peacefully.
Davis, thought il is not known, that
lie has confessed to being the man
wanted, made no effort to fight his
return here, saying he would come
back without eXtradition papers. How
ever, as the trip is one of 1900 miles
to the western city, local authorities
decided it would be best to secure
requisitiCn papers, which were wired
for at once and, accordingly, Detective
. Cox will be armed with the necessa-y
papers should Davis change his FinG
about submitting peacefully to being
returned.
Davis was waiter and cook. lie
was known as Day" in the circles he
Travelled in. He was known as petty
larceny thief and has been in custody
in this city before In fact, after the
murder. he and another man impli
Gated in the shooting. were arrested
by police here for stealing sugar They
were turned over to Davenport auth
critics at the time. 1t was not sus-
pected that they were implicated il
the murder of Mr.. Schoessel.
Verne Madden and George Johnson
both of whom were arrested in May
1915. following a tip a woman gave the
police, each pleaded guilty to the
charge of murder and are serving sen
fences of 90 years each i'll the pen1
Tertiary at Joliet at the present time.
Mr.. SchOessel was returning home
from church about 9:45 o'clock or
Il cay evening. Nov 7. 1913. In from
Of his home, 282S Seventh avenue, h,
was attacked by four men. One flashed
light on him and another drew {
gun With an umbrella he had in hi:
hand. M. Schoessel attempted t.
fight them off. One of the four sho
him twice. the bullets penetrating II!
abdomen.
The gang ran. The victim staggered
I'D the terrace leading to his home
and fell on the back porch. His son
Arthur. rushed to the door ant
operea it.
-Four men at the bottom of thu
steps" was his dying gasp.
Woman Gives Tip.
Madden. The first man arrested. wa:
taken in custody on May 6, 1915. l
was through tip Ruth Lambert gave
the police that Madden was nabbed
Ruth was enamoced of Madden ant
through quarrel they had sh'
tipped the police Off to the fact tina
Madden knew something of the muir
der. Madden confessed the day fol
lowing his arrest.
He told a story of having burglar
lied a saloon in Davenport the nigh
before the Schoessel murder and tina
the gun that was used in the shoot
ing was obtained in the burglary. II,
said that he, Johnson, Davis and al
another man. planned to stick up thu
saloon at the corner of Thirtietl
street and Seventh avenue, Rock Is
land on that night. They laid plan!
for the job in their rooms in Daven
port and made the trip to Rock Isiaut
early in the evening. They stoppe;
al the Casino saloon at Twenty-fourtf
street and Seventh avenue, and 60
several drinks.
Despite the fact that they had take1
on some liquor, when they reache,
the saloon they proposed TO stick vi
they lost their nerve and turned ives
on ScTenth avenue. As they nearet
Mr. Schoessel's home, they spotted
him walking east Davis turned ;
lashlight on Mr.. Schoessel. He raiset
his umbrella as if to attack the gang
and one OF the Gangsters fired.
The gang then dispersed, runnin,
.across the street north, heading TO
Davenport. While running the maj
who shot Schoessel threw the gul
in the yard of the Eugene Fieit
school. TWO days following. the gun
was found in the yard. Because i
had become rusty Though exposure
Il the elements some police officers d
first thought that it had been there TO
ONE time and was not the gun use'
in the Schoessel murder. Madden
confession, however, proved conc!us
{yely that tley were wrong. Davis