The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1922-05-18
DEAD BANDIT
IS SSHONTz0F
ROCK ISLAND
Former Convict Killed in
Keithsburg; Valand-
ingham Pal.

Charles Shontz, alias Eddie
Murphy, Rock Island, was the safe
blower killed in Keithsburg yes
terday morning after blowing
safes in Monmouth.
He was identified after investi-
cations bv Chief Tom Cox of the
Rock Island police force, in an
swer to a request from the states
attorneys Office in Monmouth last
night.
Shontz is said to have lived with
Frank Valandingham, who was
arrested when Shontz was shot and
was known to the police here, al
though he had never been in trou-
BILE in Rock Island. Shontz was
employed by the Beardsley Spe-
ciaIty company some time, but more
recently had worked privately as a
painter of initials and monograms
upon automobiles. Valandingham
lived at 2007 Fifth avenue but resi-
dents there denied that Shontz had
ever stayed at that number.
Shontz was about so years of
in Burlington, Iowa. Last fall he
was released after serving a term
in the Waupun, Wis, peniteniary,
it is said, for Swallowing.
Shontz left Rock Island Monday
noon without announcing where he
was going.
Frank Valandingham, the captur-
ed yegg, formerly drove a truck
for the Mccullough Lumber COM
pany, one of the places where a
safe was forced Tuesday night in
Monmouth. Recently he was en-
ployed as a laborer in the construc-
ton of the Illinois Oil company
building at Twenty-fourth street
and Fourth ayenpe sunday might
he left Rock Island ostensibly to
go to Galesburg to see his wife.
Clears Up Case.
Chief Cox's information cleared
up several angles of the case at
Monmouth.
Valandingham implicated himself
by his own words, through the
chiefs information. He yesterday
stoutly maintained that he did not
know the dead safeblower and had
never seen him before.
Information from Rock Island
that the two men lived and were
seen together much and left here
about the same time, coupled with
the fact of their being captured
together, positively duplicates Val
andingham.
Mystery yesterday surrounded the
identity of the dead yegg. There
was nothing on his person to iden-
tify him
Recall Grand Jury.
The Warren county grand jury
will be recalled next week to hear
the case against Frank Valanding-
ham, Monmouth officials said to-
day. While evidence which posi-
lively implicated him was being
collected by the states attorneys,
Valandingham in the Monmouth
Jail, declared he had no part in the
robbery.
Valandingham served with the
United States forces in Archangel,
Siberia. His wife. whom he said
he went to see in Galesburg, is liv-
ing there. She recently left him.
"Gunshot Wounds"
Shontz, alias Murphy, was still
unidentified when a coroner's jury
in Keithsburg heard the case yes
terday afternoon Their verdict
was:
He died as the result of gun
shot wounds received in a battle
with the city marshal. The mar
shall fired while in faithful dis
charge of his duties as police Of
ficer."
The inquest was held in the of
flee Of ]. P. Gushee in Keithsburg.
James Campbell, who accompanied
Marshal Albertson at the time Of
the affair. stated that when the
shooting was going on in a steel
coal car near the NJ. & st. L. water
tank, ValandiDgham had him COW
cred with a gun. Campbell said
he told Valandingham he was un-
armed and not to shoot. He then
stated that Valandingham threw
the gun and started to run, but was
halted by the marshal.
When Valandingham was in the
witness chair he claimed he had
no part in the affair, saying that
when the shooting started he
jumped from the car and hid un-
der it. He said at no time did he
have a gun in his hand. The gun
which Campbell said Valandingham
threw away was picked up near the
spot. He denied all knowledge of
the Monmouth robberies and said
he did not know the name of the
man shot TO death. Valandingham
is 25 years of age and was beating
his way" on the night train through
to Oquawka, where he said his par
ents resided Monmouth officers
failed to gain any Information from
him by cross examination.