Hide Article Text (OCR)
THE HOME PAPER OFJEFFERSON, WAYNE 8.HAMILTON COUNTIESMT. VERNON REGISTER-NEWSMEMBER AUDIT BUREAU OF CIRCULATIONSA SQUARE DEAL FOR ALL — SPECIAL FAVORS FOR NONEVOLUME XXIX—NO. 238MOUNT VERNON, ILLINOIS — THURSDAY, JUNE 30, 1949A NON-PARTISAN PAPER25e PMARINO STICKS TO LOVER'S LANE DEATH STORYClaims Two Slew Sweetheart, Forced Him to Drink Poison.By AtsoeiaWd PrtssCHICAGO, June 30.—Police today sought to unravel the mystery | of the brutal slaying of a pretty17 year old red haired girl and thepoisoning of her finance in a lover’s lane.State’s attorney’s investigators * hunted for two unidentified men accused by the fiance, Arthur Marino, as the slayer of Miss Joan Coward. Marino, 28 year old sales- . man and part time music teacher, 11 also accused the two men of forcing him to drink poison and molesting him. He is under a police guard in a suburban Blue Island hospital.Sgt. Walter Rusin, state’s attorney’i investigator, said he plannedJOAN COWARDto have Marino undergo a lie detector test today. Although he is suffering from mouth and throat burns, he was questioned by policeat length Ust nfg Viey saia he denied qu.Ax^hng , vim s Coward and could not advance any mo.tive for the attack except robbery. ,Police said Marino stuck to his first story which he told suburban Riverdale police at 6 a. m. yesterday—that he and Miss Coward were attacked after they had been surprised in a lover’s lane by two men.Girl Beaten and ChokedA coroner’s physician reported that Miss Coward, who was 17 Tuesday and had been engaged to Marino for two months, had been beaten and choked. Death was caused by a skull fracture and cerebral hemorrhage.The report showed Miss Coward had not been raped and was not pregnant.Marino was unable to speak because of acid burns on his mouth ig and throat when he appeared at id the Riverdale police station with the dying girl in the rear seat. He motioned toward his car. Police found Miss Coward stiil alive. Her shoes were off and her dress was pulled up to her shoulders. Police and firemen were unsuccessful in attempting to revive her. Marino was nude except for shoes and a wet shirt wrapped around his middle.Police said Marino related details of the early morning attack by the two men at Victory Lake, in suburban Dolton, about 15 miles south of Chicago. He said one man grabbed him, took him to the lake and forced him to drink from a bottle.He then forced him to go into 5(1 the water “and kept me there 'until the other (man) took my n- j girl.” He said the man took money es from his pockets and from Miss et! Coward’s purse. He said he was ve! in the water for an hour and a half and came out after he had heard the men drive away in a car. He said he found Miss Coward lying on the ground near his car. iis Find Ammonia Bottle ill Police said a partially filled rs, ammonia bottle was found near ts j the scene. They also found a glove t° j and a handkerchief. All were sent to the Chicago police crime laboratory for analysis.
Newspaper Details
Mount Vernon Register News
Mount Vernon, Illinois, US
Thu, Jun 30, 1949
Page 1
Full Page
Clipped by
Heather H.
USA 02 Mar 2024
Other Publications Near Mount Vernon, Illinois
Mount Vernon Daily Register
Mount Vernon Register News
