The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1921-10-14
ROLAND COOCH KILLED IN
STRUGGLE WITH AUSTIN
SETTERDAHL over GUN
Lad, Is, Rushes to Aid of
Mother-Crying Babe
Started Fight.

and killed his stepfather, Roland
G. Gooch, in the family home in
Moline early this morning. but it
is probable he saved the lives Of
himself and three other members
of the family.
The boy told the coroner's jury
that he did not mean to kill
Gooch; that his purpose was 10
save the other members of the fam
lily, and that in the struggle with
his stepfather the revolver in dis
charging sent the bullet accident-
ally TO vital spot
The tragedy occurred at the
Gooch home, 2035 Thirteenth
street, sometime between l and 2
o'clock this morning. Gooch, a
veteran OF 80 years service in the
United States army, and a victim
OF insomnia and nervousness be-
came aroused about 1 o'clock by
the whispering of his baby son,
Richard. The child was lying in
bed between Mr.. and Mrs Gooch.
Take that baby out of here,
GoOch demanded. How many
times must l tell you that I can't
sleep with that boy crying in my
room"
There followed a struggle be
tween husband and wife in which
Mrs. Gooch was struck a violent
blow on the head with a coat hang
ar. The hanger was broken in the
assault. Mrs. Gooch's cries for
help brought Austin and his broth
er, Harold, aged 10, into the room.
Gooch threw both out bodily. The
struggle between husband and wife
was resumed, but Mrs. Gooch final
ly succeeded in eluding the craZed
man and rushed downstairs.
Austin again ran into his step
fathers room. Il started lighting
with him this time" he said. Il
didn't say anything. He didn't say
anything, either. l don't exactly
know Just what happened. All
know is that l was down on the
floor and he was on ton of me and
was pounding me on the back He
was also waving the revolver.
was afraid he was going to shoot
me and my mother and my brcth-
ers. l got hold on the gun and my
finger touched the trigger. I pull
ed the trigger and emptied all Of
the barrels. l merely wanted tn
empty the gun. But l would have
killed him before l would let him
kill my mother and my brothers.
After the revolver was discharged
he rolled off of me and landed on
the floor. l ran downstairs"
Two Bullets in Body.
Gooch was dead Ehen Char les
ChiIIberg, 2036 Ghirteenth street,
entered the house. Ona o. the bull
lets had hit Gooch's shoulder and
probably had pierced his heart.
Another had entered his neck 4g'he
room was in an awful state of dis
order. Plaster, clothes, blood.
wood spIinters lay scattered about
on the floor.
The central figure, the body Of
the ex-so!dier, was lying near the
east wall. Mrs. Gooch was over
come by the tragedy, and physi-
clan was called to attend her. The
police also came. and the boy, Aus
tin Setterdahl, was taken to police
Headquarters. Coroner John May
berry was summoned At an in
Quest conducted this morning the
Jury returned a verdict that the
death of Gooch was accidental
Gooch was believed to have been
suffering from some ailment con
tracted in the army. He was sub
iect to frequent spells Of violence.
A few nights ago GoOch had be-
come suddenly aroused, rushed for
his revolver and hurried dow Il
stairs. saying that there were burg
lars in the house. Mrs. Gooch stat
ed that her husband believed thar
the house was haunted
Austin Setterdahl said that mis-
stcp-father had often threatened t.
kill the whole family. When not
by nervousness he was
one of the lest men in the world
Mrs. Gooch said There wasn't "a
man in the woT.d.
she testified.
Austin CoIia7ses
austin Setterdahl, returning 70
his home after the inquest, co..
Iapsed. II is feared that he SUI
fered internal injuries in his stsug-
gle with his step-father and tdat Z
will be necessary for him to go 10
hospital for treatment tustin
weighs 100 pounds, while Gooch was
u man Of eco pounGs
Gooch was born in Tennessee
Jan. %. 1878 He had Eeen en-
pIoyed ar Rock Island arsenal since
his discharge from the army. Il.
had seen service in Cuba and tn.
Philippines and Travelled over a.
most the ertirN word GooCh AM
Mrs. SetterGahl were married i
May. 1919 They had a home in on
CT the most pleasant residence dis
tricts OF Moline.