- One of the most mysterious murders that ever occurred in Davenport took place Friday night, Sept. 5, 1873. About half-past 11 o'clock on the night of Sept. 5, 1873, John N. Crawford living on the corner of Eighteenth and Brady streets, was awakened by a terrible noise at the next house, occupied by Mr. Fox. He soon ascertained that it was made by a man on the back porch of the next house, knocking at the door and begging to get in. Mr. Crawford went down town and got Officers Feid and Maquire, who returned with him, and took the man into custody. They found him very weak, so much so that they had to send for an express wagon to remove him to the hospital on Main street. Mrs. Fox says the man beat her back door loudly and persistently and begged most piteously to be taken in. But they feared to do so, fearing he was a burglar. The man had gained his entrance through the back gate, the front one being locked. On the way to the hospital the officers questioned the man and he said his name was Robert McQuestian and that his home was in Alpha, Ill. He said he had been attending the fair and had been in a fight that night, and had been kicked and struck in the head and robbed of $80 in money. He had received a terrible kick in the stomach and died from the effects of internal injuries. He appeared to be under the influence of liquor and was evidently in great pain. He died that night. The body had on a gray scotch suit of clothes. The vest pocket on the right side was slashed open, and one would naturally suppose he had been robbed of watch and chain. He bore the appearance of being a man of 40 or 45 years of age, weighed about 130 pounds and was about five feet eight inches in height. His face was covered with clotted blood, which had flowed from a wound in the temple, and he was otherwise badly bruised and cut about the head and body. The body was placed in a receiving vault at Oak Dale Cemetery, to await recognition. On the morning of Sept. 9, a brother and two friends of the murdered man from Alpha came to Davenport and identified the body as that of Robert McQuestian, of Alpha, who had left his home for the purpose of attending the fair at Davenport. he was a quiet, inoffensive man, but to some degree addicted to drink. He was a widower with one child. Nothing was elicited as to the cause of his death.
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- 1873
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