CASES
Here are some very old court cases of Rock Island County
CASE
At the September, 1840, term of the Court the grand jury found a true bill against Joseph Gerard for the killing of Zaccheus A. May he won the 22d day of May, 1840. It appears that Gerard struck Mayhew with a carpenter's chisel under the left arm, inflicting a wound, from the effects of which Mayhew died within five days. A trial was had at the same term in which the indictment was found, and Gerard was found guilty of manslaughter and sentenced to one year in the penitentiary. An arrest of judgment was granted, for the reason that the jury did not assess the fine, and the defendant was discharged. A motion for a new trial was overruled.
At the May, 1841, term, an indictment was found against Gerard for manslaughter. He was tried at the October term, in 1841, found guilty and sentenced to three years in the penitentiary and to pay a fine of f and costs. A motion for a new trial was overruled and the Court passed sentence, 20 days of the three years being spent in solitary confinement
CASE
At the October, 1843, term an indictment was found by the grand jury against Wm. McKinney, Geo. Blalock and Isaac McKinney for the murder of Edward A. Philleo. It appears that on the 29th day of May, 1843, Philleo was shot with a rifle in the left hip. He lingered until June 1, when he died. Win. McKinney was tried at the May term, in 1845, found guilty and sentenced to be hung July 14,1845 , between the hours of 10 a. m. and 4 p. m. A reprieve and subsequently a pardon was granted. McKinney lived and died in the county. Blalock and Isaac McKinney were never tried.
CASE
David Stoddard was indicted for the murder of Eliza Stoddard at the November, 1854, term. He was tried at the June, 1855, term, convicted and sen tenced to be hung on Friday, July 13, 1855.
CASES
The People against Hugh McCartney, Isaac Ball, John Hughes and Samuel Ingram.
Hugh McCartney was indicted in November, 1855, for murder. He was brought.before the Court, pleaded guilty of manslaughter, and was sentenced to five years in the penitentiary.
Isaac Ball was charged with the murder of James Congdon, Sept. 1, 1856. At the November term of the Circuit Court an indictment was found against him, and in September he was tried for the commission of the crime, the jury returning a verdict of not guilty.
Samuel Ingram was indicted at the March term of the Circuit Court, in 1857, for the murder of his wife, Hannah Ingram, Dec. 17, 1856. After due trial, he was sentenced to be hung, the execution taking place.
CASE
At the March term of the Circuit Court, 1857, John Hughes was indicted for the murder of Charles H. Lewis, by striking him on the head with a poker, on the 17th day of February, 1857. After continuing the case from time to time, it was finally stricken from the docket.
CASE
On the 10th day of July, 1859, Charles L. Bean was shot with a rifle and died the next day. Jasper Hampton, Turner Hampton and Joseph Langley were arrested for the commission of the crime, indicted by the grand jury at the September term fol lowing, tried and acquitted.
CASE
The grand jury at the September term, 1859, also indicted John Farrell for the killing of Jesse W. Bollard, by striking him with a club. After continuing the case on the docket for six years, it was stricken off on motion of the Prosecuting Attorney, with leave to reinstate. Farrell was never arrested
CASE.
On the 24th day of June, 1860, Patrick McGurtry was killed by being struck with a stone. Alexander Abbott was charged with the commission of the crime, and indicted by the grand jury at the September term following of the Circuit Court. After being continued from time to tim the case was finally tried at the January term, 1865, the jury rendering a verdict of not guilty
.CASE
George Sinnett was shot with a pistol on the 17th day of August, 1863, and instantly killed. Daniel Thrailkeld was indicted by the grand jury at the September term of the Circuit Court following, was tried, he was found guilty of manslaughter, the jury fixing the verdict at three years in the penitentiary. A new trial was granted, and on the 19th day of January, 1864, the jury rendered a verdict of not guilty and he was set at liberty.
CASE
On Saturday, May 23, 1863, the remains of a child were found in the upper story of a wagon shop in the city of Rock Island, lately occupied by A. G. Johnson. The remains proved to be that of Lorena Roe. A coroner's jury was empanneled, evidence heard and a verdict rendered that the child came to her death by violence, and implicated A. G. Johnson as the murderer. The grand jury found a true bill against Johnson, and at the January term, 1864, he was tried and a verdict of guilty rendered by the jury. A new trial was granted and a change of venue and taken to Henry County. At the March term, 1864, in Henry County, he was tried and a verdict rendered of not guilty.
CASE
On the 21st day of August, 1867, Hiram Reynolds | was shot and instantly killed. David Edgington was indicted by the grand jury for the commission of the crime, tried, found guilty and sentenced to the State prison for life
CASE
On the 18th day of July, 1867, Myron D. Hill was killed by being stabbed with a large knife. Homer Marion was arrested and indicted for the commission of the crime
CASE.
Geo. W. Jones was indicted at the May term, 1867, of the Circuit Court for the killing of Robert McCluskey by shooting him with a gun, the shooting taking place Feb. 27, 1867. He was tried at the September term, found guilty and sentenced to three years in the penitentiary.
Indictments found against Wm. Dolan, Nicholas Schlitz, Wm. Blair, John Toomey, ----- Lynch, Timothy Butler, Halsey Hammond, John Galagher, John Campbell, Oliver Clandanis and James Cronan, at the January term, 1870, for causing the death of Moses Davis and Wm. Armstead or Armstrong, on the 9th day of July, 1869.
Change of venue taken by all except Lynch. After trying to have the indictment quashed, he was tried at the September term, 1870, and sentenced to ten years in the penitentiary.
At the June term in the following year, the defendants, except Butler, were tried, and each found guilty save Hammond and Galagher; were sentenced to the penitentiary, their terms ranging from one to three years. The case against Butler was dis missed. This case created much excitement at the time. The men indicted, in a row caused Davis and Armstrong to jump from a steamer into the Mississippi River, hoping to swim ashore. They were drowned in the attempt.
CASE
George Brace, on the 11th day of April, 1875, was shot, dying the next day. The grand jury found a bill of indictment against John Masters for the com mission of the crime, at the May, 1875, term of the Circuit Court. He was tried at the September term, 1875, found guilty and sentenced to ten years in the penitentiary .
CASE
Joseph Rosenfield was killed on the 12th day of March, 1879. John Kavanaugh, Bernard Heeney and Patrick Heeney were indicted for the murder. Kavanaugh and Patrick Heeney were tried at the May term, 1879, the former being found guilty and sentenced to the penitentiary for life, while the latter was also found guilty and sentenced to 14 years in the penitentiary. Bernard Heeney took a change of venue to Henry County, was there tried in June, 1879, and sentenced to the penitentiary for life
CASE
On the 5th day of September, 1881, Dorothea Heilwagon was murdered near her residence in Hampton, her body not being found until the 9th. Wm. Heilwagon, the father-in-law of the murdered woman, and J. Otto Heilwagon, her husband, were arrested for the crime. On the preliminary examination the latter was discharged, but the former was held to the Circuit Court to answer to the charge. At the January term of the Circuit Court, he was tried, found guilty and sentenced to be hung March 24, 1882. It is supposed that Heilwagon made improper proposals to his daughter-in-law, which being resented, for fear of exposure, he murdered her. He was duly executed.
The Trial of Col. George Davenport's Murderers
Portrait and Biographical Album of Rock Island
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