The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1921-10-11
MRS. TAYLOR
is VICTIM OF
NIKAS RACE
Fruit Peddlsr in Grapple
With Her Brother Ends
Own Life.

| A lovers quarrel. inspired by
| jealousy and brought to climax
by interference of the woman's rel
atiyes, ended in a murder and
. suicide last night.
The dead:
MARK NIKAS, aged 35, married.
, fruit peddler, $50 Twentieth ave-
nue..
MRS. GERTRUDE TAYLOR,
aged SO. 613 Seventh street.
Mrs. Emma Wollenhaupt. mother
of Mrs. Taylor, narrowly escaped
death when Nikas fired at her and
Louis Wollenhaupt. brother of Mrs.
Taylor rtsked mis- life to cap
ture the love-crazed Greek Nikas
was grasping the revolver when
Wcllenhaupt grappled with him.
The men struggled and fought over
possession OF the weapon, until
Nikas finally loosened an arm,
brought the muzzle of the revolver
to his temple and killed himself.
Wollenhaupt was holding the
Greek when he died.
The shooting occurred about
o'clock last night in the kitchen of
the WollenhaCpt home. The first
shot from the revolver pierced
Mrs. TayIor's heart but Nikas
fired again before she iell and
sent the third bullet into her body
as she lay dead on the floor. Mrs.
! Wollenhaupt, witness to the muir
der, had sought to halt the crime
and after the killing of the young
! er woman, Nikas turned and fired
at the mother. The bullet went
( wild, striking a stove pipe.
The brother, who was in work
shCp in the rear of the building,
heard the shots and reached the
back door of the kitchen as Nikds
fired the fourth shot. Wollenhaupt
grabbed his hand holding the gun
and the struggle ensued. In the
battle the men struggled into the
dining room and Nika5 put the gun
to his temple and fired. The bui-
let went through his head a21
pierced the picture of the baby
brother, Arthur Wollenhaupt, who
was drowned three years ago
Attempted Second Murder!
When Nikas fired the shot that
killed himself the gun WAS close
against Wollenhaupt's head and
his arms were locked in the strug-
gle WollenhaUpt does not know
whether Nikas was trying TO end
his own life or murder his assail-
ant.
Mrs. Wollenhaupt said that NlkaS
had been attentive to her daughter
for some time. He entered the
house last night without knocking
and called the mother into the
kitchen. He objected to Mrs. Tay--
Ior's work in fhe home of James
MiEnehau, 713 Eleventh avenue,
where she had been assisting in the
house duties. Mrs. Minnehan, who
died a year ago, was a cousin OF
Mrs. Taylor and Mrs. Taylcr went
to the Minnehan home at differ
ent times to put the house in or
der.
She had been there last night
and while on the way home she
met Nikas and he accompanied
her home He left her at the gate.
When she entered the house her
mother said that she was as
white as death" He returned 10
the house a short time later and
his appearance frightened the wo-
men.
Mother Orders Him Ont.
Mrs. Wollerhaupt told him that
he had no business objecting To her
daughters actions, and that she
could go where she pleased She
reminded him that he had a wife
and two children and should not
come there anywty. Nikas, tnfur
lated at this declaration fired the
Shots.
On the daily round with fruits
Nakis always stopped at the Vol
Ienhaupt home. He called there IN
the evenings and wanted to be
there every night. Mrs Taylor ac-
compauied him 10 a picture show
several times but rarely went out
CONTINUED on Page Two)