Rock Island Man Dead; Was Beaten, Relatives Claim
Investigate Case of Watchman; Report Well-Known Resident Mentioned.
State's Attorney Francis C. King said today he is making an investigation of the death of George C. Sewell, 68-year-old guard at the Rock Island waterworks reservoirs in reservoir park, which occurred at 7:20 last night in Moline Lutheran hospital.
Mr. King stated he had received a complaint from a relative of Sewell that the man had been beaten and injured during an altercation with a well-known Rock Island man in or near the park early last November while Sewell was on duty at the park as a guard and police officer. The relative, according to the state's attorney, reported that from the time of the alleged altercation Mr. Sewell had continually complained of pain in his abdomen.
Dr. F. H. Lamb, Davenport specialist, has been retained by State's Attorney King to make an examination of the deceased man's liver and other organs in an attempt to determine the cause of death.
Sewell's physician said that Sewell had told him that he was beaten by a well-known Rock Island man. As no warrant has been issued for the man's arrest, the Dispatch is not using his name.
Coroner J. W. Seids said today an inquest would be held at 8:30 tomorrow morning at the Esterdahl mortuary in Moline, but Mr. King announced he has asked that the inquest be delayed until a report is made by Dr. Lamb and other physicians.
At the request of Mr. Sewell's family, according to the coroner, an autopsy was conducted this morning, the results of which were not announced.
Mr. Sewell resided at 1500 Thirty-fifth street, Rock Island.
In Rock Island 43 Years.
Mr. Sewell was born on Sept. 26, 1874, in Jerry Run, W. Va. He had been a resident of Rock Island for the last forty-three years. He married Miss Fannie Peak in Petersburg, Ill., on March 21, 1920 [sic: 1900]. Mr. Sewell had been employed by the city of Rock Island as watchman at the Rock Island reservoir since Dec. 13, 1941. He was an active member of the Fifteenth avenue Christian church of Rock Island and served as chairman of the board of elders.
Surviving are the widow; three daughters, Mrs. Vern Bolender of Rock Island, Mrs. W. T. Nichols of Decatur, and Miss Alverda Sewell at home; two brothers, Danieal W. Sewell of Springfield, and W. A. Sewell of Atlantic, Ia.; one sister, Mrs. Anna Bennett of Pittsburgh, Pa.; five grandchildren and one great-grandchild. His parents, five brothers and seven sisters, preceded him in death.
Funeral services will be held at 2 tomorrow afternoon in the Fifteenth Avenue Christian church with the Rev. N. A. Bollinger officiating. Bural will be in Rock Island Memorial Park cemetery. The body will remain at Esterdahl chapel until 11 tomorrow morning.
From The Dispatch (Moline, Illinois), Friday, April 9, 1943.∼Rock Island Township. Daughters: Beulah L. b, abt. 1901 and Clara G. b. abt. 1907.
Investigate Case of Watchman; Report Well-Known Resident Mentioned.
State's Attorney Francis C. King said today he is making an investigation of the death of George C. Sewell, 68-year-old guard at the Rock Island waterworks reservoirs in reservoir park, which occurred at 7:20 last night in Moline Lutheran hospital.
Mr. King stated he had received a complaint from a relative of Sewell that the man had been beaten and injured during an altercation with a well-known Rock Island man in or near the park early last November while Sewell was on duty at the park as a guard and police officer. The relative, according to the state's attorney, reported that from the time of the alleged altercation Mr. Sewell had continually complained of pain in his abdomen.
Dr. F. H. Lamb, Davenport specialist, has been retained by State's Attorney King to make an examination of the deceased man's liver and other organs in an attempt to determine the cause of death.
Sewell's physician said that Sewell had told him that he was beaten by a well-known Rock Island man. As no warrant has been issued for the man's arrest, the Dispatch is not using his name.
Coroner J. W. Seids said today an inquest would be held at 8:30 tomorrow morning at the Esterdahl mortuary in Moline, but Mr. King announced he has asked that the inquest be delayed until a report is made by Dr. Lamb and other physicians.
At the request of Mr. Sewell's family, according to the coroner, an autopsy was conducted this morning, the results of which were not announced.
Mr. Sewell resided at 1500 Thirty-fifth street, Rock Island.
In Rock Island 43 Years.
Mr. Sewell was born on Sept. 26, 1874, in Jerry Run, W. Va. He had been a resident of Rock Island for the last forty-three years. He married Miss Fannie Peak in Petersburg, Ill., on March 21, 1920 [sic: 1900]. Mr. Sewell had been employed by the city of Rock Island as watchman at the Rock Island reservoir since Dec. 13, 1941. He was an active member of the Fifteenth avenue Christian church of Rock Island and served as chairman of the board of elders.
Surviving are the widow; three daughters, Mrs. Vern Bolender of Rock Island, Mrs. W. T. Nichols of Decatur, and Miss Alverda Sewell at home; two brothers, Danieal W. Sewell of Springfield, and W. A. Sewell of Atlantic, Ia.; one sister, Mrs. Anna Bennett of Pittsburgh, Pa.; five grandchildren and one great-grandchild. His parents, five brothers and seven sisters, preceded him in death.
Funeral services will be held at 2 tomorrow afternoon in the Fifteenth Avenue Christian church with the Rev. N. A. Bollinger officiating. Bural will be in Rock Island Memorial Park cemetery. The body will remain at Esterdahl chapel until 11 tomorrow morning.
From The Dispatch (Moline, Illinois), Friday, April 9, 1943.∼Rock Island Township. Daughters: Beulah L. b, abt. 1901 and Clara G. b. abt. 1907.
Rock Island Man Dead; Was Beaten, Relatives Claim
Investigate Case of Watchman; Report Well-Known Resident Mentioned.
State's Attorney Francis C. King said today he is making an investigation of the death of George C. Sewell, 68-year-old guard at the Rock Island waterworks reservoirs in reservoir park, which occurred at 7:20 last night in Moline Lutheran hospital.
Mr. King stated he had received a complaint from a relative of Sewell that the man had been beaten and injured during an altercation with a well-known Rock Island man in or near the park early last November while Sewell was on duty at the park as a guard and police officer. The relative, according to the state's attorney, reported that from the time of the alleged altercation Mr. Sewell had continually complained of pain in his abdomen.
Dr. F. H. Lamb, Davenport specialist, has been retained by State's Attorney King to make an examination of the deceased man's liver and other organs in an attempt to determine the cause of death.
Sewell's physician said that Sewell had told him that he was beaten by a well-known Rock Island man. As no warrant has been issued for the man's arrest, the Dispatch is not using his name.
Coroner J. W. Seids said today an inquest would be held at 8:30 tomorrow morning at the Esterdahl mortuary in Moline, but Mr. King announced he has asked that the inquest be delayed until a report is made by Dr. Lamb and other physicians.
At the request of Mr. Sewell's family, according to the coroner, an autopsy was conducted this morning, the results of which were not announced.
Mr. Sewell resided at 1500 Thirty-fifth street, Rock Island.
In Rock Island 43 Years.
Mr. Sewell was born on Sept. 26, 1874, in Jerry Run, W. Va. He had been a resident of Rock Island for the last forty-three years. He married Miss Fannie Peak in Petersburg, Ill., on March 21, 1920 [sic: 1900]. Mr. Sewell had been employed by the city of Rock Island as watchman at the Rock Island reservoir since Dec. 13, 1941. He was an active member of the Fifteenth avenue Christian church of Rock Island and served as chairman of the board of elders.
Surviving are the widow; three daughters, Mrs. Vern Bolender of Rock Island, Mrs. W. T. Nichols of Decatur, and Miss Alverda Sewell at home; two brothers, Danieal W. Sewell of Springfield, and W. A. Sewell of Atlantic, Ia.; one sister, Mrs. Anna Bennett of Pittsburgh, Pa.; five grandchildren and one great-grandchild. His parents, five brothers and seven sisters, preceded him in death.
Funeral services will be held at 2 tomorrow afternoon in the Fifteenth Avenue Christian church with the Rev. N. A. Bollinger officiating. Bural will be in Rock Island Memorial Park cemetery. The body will remain at Esterdahl chapel until 11 tomorrow morning.
From The Dispatch (Moline, Illinois), Friday, April 9, 1943.∼Rock Island Township. Daughters: Beulah L. b, abt. 1901 and Clara G. b. abt. 1907.
Investigate Case of Watchman; Report Well-Known Resident Mentioned.
State's Attorney Francis C. King said today he is making an investigation of the death of George C. Sewell, 68-year-old guard at the Rock Island waterworks reservoirs in reservoir park, which occurred at 7:20 last night in Moline Lutheran hospital.
Mr. King stated he had received a complaint from a relative of Sewell that the man had been beaten and injured during an altercation with a well-known Rock Island man in or near the park early last November while Sewell was on duty at the park as a guard and police officer. The relative, according to the state's attorney, reported that from the time of the alleged altercation Mr. Sewell had continually complained of pain in his abdomen.
Dr. F. H. Lamb, Davenport specialist, has been retained by State's Attorney King to make an examination of the deceased man's liver and other organs in an attempt to determine the cause of death.
Sewell's physician said that Sewell had told him that he was beaten by a well-known Rock Island man. As no warrant has been issued for the man's arrest, the Dispatch is not using his name.
Coroner J. W. Seids said today an inquest would be held at 8:30 tomorrow morning at the Esterdahl mortuary in Moline, but Mr. King announced he has asked that the inquest be delayed until a report is made by Dr. Lamb and other physicians.
At the request of Mr. Sewell's family, according to the coroner, an autopsy was conducted this morning, the results of which were not announced.
Mr. Sewell resided at 1500 Thirty-fifth street, Rock Island.
In Rock Island 43 Years.
Mr. Sewell was born on Sept. 26, 1874, in Jerry Run, W. Va. He had been a resident of Rock Island for the last forty-three years. He married Miss Fannie Peak in Petersburg, Ill., on March 21, 1920 [sic: 1900]. Mr. Sewell had been employed by the city of Rock Island as watchman at the Rock Island reservoir since Dec. 13, 1941. He was an active member of the Fifteenth avenue Christian church of Rock Island and served as chairman of the board of elders.
Surviving are the widow; three daughters, Mrs. Vern Bolender of Rock Island, Mrs. W. T. Nichols of Decatur, and Miss Alverda Sewell at home; two brothers, Danieal W. Sewell of Springfield, and W. A. Sewell of Atlantic, Ia.; one sister, Mrs. Anna Bennett of Pittsburgh, Pa.; five grandchildren and one great-grandchild. His parents, five brothers and seven sisters, preceded him in death.
Funeral services will be held at 2 tomorrow afternoon in the Fifteenth Avenue Christian church with the Rev. N. A. Bollinger officiating. Bural will be in Rock Island Memorial Park cemetery. The body will remain at Esterdahl chapel until 11 tomorrow morning.
From The Dispatch (Moline, Illinois), Friday, April 9, 1943.∼Rock Island Township. Daughters: Beulah L. b, abt. 1901 and Clara G. b. abt. 1907.
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