Divorcee Slain By Lover - Killer Arrested as He Returns for Coat and Hat

The headlines were a real eye catcher.  Who could resist reading the story. 

The paper: Daily Republic - Ottawa Illinois - Thursday February 23, 1933
Price of the paper was THREE CENTS

"Infuriated because he found his sweetheart in the bedroom of another man, Arthur Ringney, 46 a Hannibal MO, steel workers employed on the waterway at Marseilles, shot and killed Mrs. Patsy Schubnell, 21, a beautiful titian haired divorcee, at the home of John McCormick on the Ottawa avenue road in Naples, at 2:30 this morning."

Lots of clues here: 1. Arthur Rigney - 46 - from Hannibal MO
                             2. Arthur's place of employment
                             3. Patricia aka Patsy - hair color
                             4. Location and time of murder

The article goes on to include Arthur returning to the McCormick residence 45 minutes after the shooting for his coat and hat. (Remember this was Illinois in February).  He made a statement: "I'm sorry I didn't have more bullets to shoot McCormick." He was taken to the county jail were he confessed to Sheriff E J Weiter and Elmer Mohan state attorney.  The witnesses McCormick, Wajculas and the Jeffries were jailed as witnesses until after the coroner's inquest.

The article then relates how Patsy ended up being there in Ottawa, residing in the McCormick home and her plans to return to the Chicago area the day of her death.  It is said that Ringney was going to accompany her to Chicago.

McCormick and Wajculas shared a room while Patsy stayed in the other bedroom.  Around 1:30 am McCormick and Wajculas went to to bed and the Jeffries went to Patsy's room to sleep.  Patsy and Arthur stayed downstairs for a short time and Patsy told Arthur she was going upstairs to sleep in her room. When Arthur went upstairs a short time later he found Patsy laying fully clothed on McCormick's bed.

McCormick was not aware Patsy was there until Arthur started yelling that Patsy was double crossing him and pressed the trigger of the revolver that failed to fire.  He then went downstairs and loaded the gun. During this time Patsy went to her own room and closed the door. Arthur returned, taunted back and forth with Patsy about killing her for double crossing him, and he shot her five times. One was in the region of the heart, another a short distance away and three in the face. 

McCormick grabbed the gun from Arthur, who then ran down the stairs and out the front door in his shirt and pants.  McCormick placed the gun on the table by the front door and ran after Arthur.  During this time the gun disappeared and according to all accounts was never recovered.  Much more information to come including contact with Arthur's living relatives....