The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1920-12-29
RELATIVES OF
O'BRIEN THINK
HE WAS KILLED
Claim Advanced Thai
Aviator Did Not Suicide
But Was Murdered.

Chicago, Dec. 2S.-ClaiminE to
have gathered sufficient evidence to
prove that Lieutenant Pat O'Brien
Of Momence. ILL.,, famous war ayia-
tor, found shot to death In Los
Angeles hotel two weeks ago, did
not die by his own hand, but fell .
victim to cleverly executed mur-
der, relatives Of the airman an
nounced yesterday they will de-
mand q thorough investigation of
the case by the California authori-
ties.
Every since the flyers death a
private inquiry has been. quietly
conducted in Los Angeles. it was
disclosed yesterday, by Merwin
("Jack") O'Brien, brother, and
pals, who served with Lieutenant
O'Brien as a member Of the British
secret service during the war. The
high lights Of this investigation
were revealed at Momence by Lieu
tenant O'Brien's sister, Mrs. Clara
Clegg, who was with him until c
few hours before his death and who
accompanied the body to Momence,
where it was buried Monday.
No Inquest Is Held.
No inquest was held, as the cor
oner expressed himself as "con-
vinced O'Brien killed himself" The
Los Angeles authorities stated yes
terday that as far as they are con.
cerned the case is closed" but
Chief Of Police Pendegast offered tc
lend the assistance of his depart
ment in conducting any further in
quiry the facts might warrant.
Relatives of the dead aviator
point to the following unusual cir.
cumstances which they believe pre-.
! cludes the possibility Of a suicide
theory.
Lieutenant O'Brien was in a gay
mood as he talked to Mrs. Clege
five hours before his death. He
spoke of aviation stunts which ht
intended pulling" for the movies
There were no powder marks or
the bullet wound in his right tenn.
pie.
His body was first discovered Al
s O'Clock in the evening by a won.
an. Mrs. Clegg was not notified ol
his death until II o'clock, three
Lieutenant o'Brien had beer
! threatened with death by q woman
4 on four different occasions. On one
occasion. Virgil Moore, associated
with O'Brien in his aeroplane ap
pearances for the movies, wrestel
a pistol from the woman's hand.
The revolver with which Lieuten
ant O'Brien had been shot had beer
removed from the scene when Mrs
Clegg arrived. The weapon showr
to her later was not the property o.
Lieutenant O'Brien. she says.
Letter Is Not O'Brien's.
Mrs. Clegg also claims the deatf
note, supposedly written by Lieu
tenant O'Brien, blaming a woman
for having broken up his life, wa.
not written by her brother. Sh,
believes it was written by his slay
er to cover up" the crime.
! my boy did not commit suicid,
and ] refuse to believe it," sait
Mrs. Maggie O'Brien, the heart
broken mother, last night. IF b,
had shot himself with that gun O
his it would have blown the Who'll,
top of his head OF. 1t was q lon,
gun, an army As l think he callet
it,"
DR.. George Cole, house physical,
at the Hotel Alexandria where tn,
shooting occurred, declared there /,
abundant proof in the hands Of tn,
coroner that Lieutenant O'Briel
ended his own life. DR.. Cole wa.
one Of the first to reach O'Brien'
room. DR.. Howard Seager Of Lo
Angeles, a personal friend Of Lieu
tenant O'Brien, also declared ther,
could be no doubt the aviator com
mitted suicide.