The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1920-12-01
SLAYER OF JAP
!, MAY HIVE Been
LIQUOR CRAzED
lass Murderer Il Sad to Have
Been Addicted to the Use Of
MoOnshlne whisky.

MoOnshIne Whisky.
Vague Authorizations continued
today to cloud the incentive for the
murder of George Nakayama. Jap |
anese manager Of the Moline Y. M.
&. A. cafeteria, yesterday, by An
drew Postelnyk, Russian Y roomer,
who killed his fancied enemy by
running him through with a sword
Just before the MONDAY luncheon
hour.
The first move TO clear up the
motive for the crime was made this
morning BY Coroner John Mayber-
ry, whose verdict caused POstelnyk
to ,be held to the grand jury with
out bond on q charge of murder in
the first degree. The Russian was
committed to the county Jail and
may be tried at the next term OF
court.
Investigation by Edward Eagle.
assistant states attorney OF Rock
Island county, advanced a possible
motive for the tragedy in the fact
that Postelnyk was known from
time to time to have consumed var
led potions OF moonshine liquor.
Alleged disclosures purported to
show that Postemyk's brother Wal
ter had been importing large guam
titles OF moonshine from Chicago.
The theory that Postelnyk was
so addicted to the consumption OF
the moonshine that Authorizations
concerning the jovial Japanese
crazed him to the point OF cold
blooded, premeditated murder. is at
present the volatile chain of cir
cumstances with which the county
xpfIicials hope to ensnare the real
motive for the crime.
wFostelnyk himself would not or
could not reveal the incentive for
his murder of the cafeteria mana
ger The Russian appeared today
to comprehend fully the conse-
quences Of the crime, for in reply
ing to questions of Alderman r. w.
Entrikin, states agent for property
formerly occupied by the accused
man at 1878 Third avenue, he ask
ed:
"Will they kill me the way !
killed him?'
Despite all protestati0ns to the
\ contrary by friends and associates
J Of the murdered Japanese, Postel-
Y nyk adheres doggedly to the stick
with which Nakayama is alleged to
have annoyed him. Incoherently
at times almost uninterpretable, he
recants what officials say he be-
lieves to be justifiable murder te
which he was goaded by relentless
persecution.
Thought Russ Harmless.
Alderman Entrikin, who has the
Russians affairs in hand for the
state, told the police and coroner
that Postelnyk had always appeared
to him as mild. harmless type OF
foreigner, who had also been thrifty
and Industrious. The alderman. like
other officials, is baffled completely
+ as to ascertaining a motive for the
crime.
The theory Of premeditated mur-
der was established when Postel-
nyk explained to Alderman Entrikin
that he had sharpened his sword for
sne eApleSs purpose vi kAl'hs
$500 ;r,na oo, Sis,,onnd '. q,
grievances as Postelnyk might have
entertained by testifying that they
knew nothing of an embittered
mnrdorar ord tic victim NoLa.
,ama,s arraaahia a;.nns;,;on was
.s.ah,;.haS 80 ,,n. N
A. on a,tarms,h ~ tho ;,,res,
tho states attorney. will nrohahIy
ann,v for a commission y, a,ien;s,s
to examine Postelnyk as to his men.
tai condition. although no date TO,
such action has vet been deter
mined. States Attorney Eagle re-
ouested at the inquest that the in.
sanity theory be minimized as mucf
as possible, indicating that thu
state believes Postelnyk was no
insane when he killed the Japanese
The coroner's verdict, verbatim
was: George Nakayama came t
his death at the hands Of Andrew
P0stelnyk by a stab wound in tn,
abdominal vortex, with murderoul
intent in the Y. NJ. c. A. building
Moline, death being almost instan
taneous." The jury also recon
mended that Postelnyk be held To-
murder without bond.
Nakayama's white widow brok,
down on the stand after afiirmin,
that she had bssn the l-wful wife o
the murdered man. She collapsed
and had TO be led from the inquest