Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1919-04-23
SHOOTING NEAR JOY GIVES
POSSE new HOPE OF EARLY
ARREST OF GIRL s SLAYER
Man Uses Revolver From
Under Cover of Pile of
Straw in Barn.
Especial to The Argus.)

AledO, Ill, April Z3.-ShOtS from
man concealed under straw in a
corner of barn west Of Joy last
night spurred a posse of II deputy
sheriffs to renewed vigor today in
the search for Lee Landers, dis
charged soldier. accused of the
murder of Miss Maude Sanders of
New Boston
Boyd Gaines, hired man, went
into the barn of Walter Tomlinson,
two and one-half miles west OF JOY,
after dark last night for the pur-
pose of feeding the horses and
stock He stepped on a pile of
straw and felt a human form be
meath his feet He dashed from
the barn.
AS he passed out the door a shot
rent the air. 1t came from revol-
yer in the hands of the man con-
caaled under the straw Search was
immed .ately taken up. but the man
had disappeared. No trace Of him
10 identify his footprints in the
mud
We have every reason to believe
that the man in Tomlinson's barn
last night is Landers," Sheriff
day. We have a posse of II men
in thar neighborhood searching
every barn and house and they will
continue their hunt through the
night II would appear that Ian
degs is desperate and is armed.
Tnere is no reason for anyone else
hiding in a barn and shooting. as
was the case last night.
Has No Doubts.
I'm my mind there is no question
but Landers is the murderer Of
Miss Sanders. He was seen with
her at II o'clock Sunday night.
That was the last seen of him. He
did not return home that night. His
family does not know of his where
abOuts.'
The remains of Miss Sanders
were to be removed over the Bur
lington from GaIesburg to New
Boston tonight 1t was expected
today that the inquest will be held
tomorrow
The victim Of the tragedy who,
as related in The Argus yesterday,
died in a Galesburg hospital at 2:30
o'clock yesterday afternoon, is a
native Of New Boston, the daughter
of Mr. and Mrs. Orlando Sanders.
SAe was % years old. born Jan. %,
1896. She is survived by her par
ents. three sisters, Mrs Bella Res
ner, Mrs. Clara Gilmore ana Mrs.
Minnie Allison. and six brothers,
Clyde, Walter. George, Melford,
Earl and Clifford.
Lee Landers. a former artillery
man who came home from France
three weeks ago, is a great hulk OF
n man. He is 6 feet > inches tall,
broad as a door, they say, strong
rs a man can be He was in love
with Maude. He haunted her pres
ence He would not let her alone.
He swore she must marry him. 1t
made no difference that she was in
love with Carl Cooper of Muscatine,
Iowa.
Letters Are Returned.
Maude was working at the home /
of her sister. There is a baby there !
and she was taking care of him. /
Landers went into the house sew |
rraI times a day and if she happen |
cd TO be out he waited till she I
came in. /
She was forced to accept his COM /
pany. She had received dozens of /
tCttGtS l4OAI AAAAA ~ AAA-S LC a. Al
France. a sofa pillow top, and many
souvenirs. She had written him
once, but returned all his letters.
and had destroyed the picture his
mother gave her. But the fact that
she had once answered one of his
letters made her his girl"
He shouted it IN the cigar store
only a few days ago. said Mrs.
Minnie Allison Maude'S twin sis
ter, that # he didn't marry her no
aody else would. What could
S1aude do? She finally agreed to /
90 to the picture show with him
sunday night They were seen
walking together late that night to-
ward the r-ver, and the next morn +
ng we found her left to die"
BeaIen with Army Gun. /,
she had fought him, fought him
1ard. and without the slightest 1
chance OF success. She was just
girl and he IS a giant He beat her
With his army gun. we think. The I
sheriff thinks so. too il
There s little Goubt that he did
his The marks of his shoes were
'ound in the mud nearby-big foot /
prints. that only one man in all :
Mercer county could have made.