The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1922-08-03
GABEL MURDER
MYSTERY SOLVED
Dauntless Duncan, Slick
Sleuth, Ferrets Out
Crime.
By AMOS DUNCAN, DEFECTIVE.

AHe5e 10 no longer any mystery ABOUT the
death of William Gabel. He was killed shortly
after midnight last Monday l worked con-
tinuously on the case for 48 hours without
sleep, never batting an eye until had con-
frmed all Of my suspicious.
never agreed with the theory that Gabel
was put out Of the way because OF turning
underworld informer in the federal urphihition
investigation. Neither did for a moment en-
terrain a suspicion that the crime was COM
mitted by home talent
My first lead came with the reported dis
appearance of an automobile in Monmouth
early in the evening Of the murder. NV in
ltlal move was to hasten to Monmouth. There
1 learned that many years aso relative of
Gfbei's had engaged in a fence dispute with
a 'neighbor. The latter's, name, as near as I
could learn from old settlers, was johnson.
Gabel's relative removed his family from Mon
mouth, but johnson vowed he would be
avenged on his death bed he exacted q prom
Gabel pay the price,
Monday evening two grandsons Of johnson
decided THAT the time had arrived to knock
on Gabel. They had been in Rock Island
to give Bill the up and down and to get the
lay of the land in preparation for the dirty
work that was to be done.
The big automobile was parked in one OF
| the downtown streets in Monmouth. The John.
sons, armed with revolvers that they had Dur.
chased from a Chicago mail order house II
ward on home suspicious, boarded the car and
headed for Rock Island. They covered the
distance in exactly two hours travelling leis.
urely. the while outlining their plan of escape
following the murder.
The Johnsons saw the picture at the Ma.
1estic. They had hot dogs at restaurant on
Eighteenth street They bought two PACKAGE
OF Strollers at Martins. The cigarets were
purchased from Frederick Reddy, although al
course he never knew that he was doing busi.
ness with two men who within a few hours
were to perpetrate one Of the most cold-blooded
murders In the history Of our fair city. :
At 1880 the Johnsons drove to the cour,
house to get a drink of water, but found ths
well dry. Reentering their automobile, they
drove east on Third avenue. They saw Cabe,
coming out Of the Como hotel Bill entered hi
car and the procession towards Gabels place
on Fourth avenue between Twenty third am
Twenty-fourth streets started. Being dark. oi
course Bill could not identify the men in the
car that was trailing him.
You have read the details of the shoofine
IN the daily papers After Gabel was pro.
nounced dead the murderers bid adieu to our
fair city. departing thereffom in an easterly
direction. The car was abandoned the follow.
ing day, and the slayers took the Twentieth
Century Limited from Chicago for New YORK
They have secured jobs Is walters on British
liner, having changed their names and dis
guised themselves 50 completely that even the
home folks would never recognize them,
The JohnsonS probably never will be annre
hended- Some day they may return to Mon
mouth II they ever do am satisfied the az
hcers will do their duty. Az murder is no,
outlawed BY years. We may hope yet to SCI
the murderers Of Bill Gabel brought to tustice
It provedone Of the deepest cases on which
I have ever worked
! am now getting my regular sleep
Il