Evening Republican, Volume 20, Number 141, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 13 June 1916 — PIANO MAGNATE IS FOUND DEAD IN POOL [ARTICLE]

PIANO MAGNATE IS FOUND DEAD IN POOL

Body of J. V. Steger Found Floating In Reservoir—Suspect Millionaire’s Heart Failed. The body of John V. Steger, president of the Steger & Sons Piano Manufacturing Company, was found Sunday in a huge reservoir in the town of Steger, 111., which he founded 25 years ago. Thomas Northen, his son-in-law, made the discovery about 5 o’clock. Mr. Steger had left the Northen home three hours before, saying he was going for a walk. When he did not return Mr. Nothen became anxious and went to the factory, where he found the body. It is supiposed that the millionaire piano manufacturer had heart failure while feeding goldfish in the large tank. Many Rensselaer people will remember the trouble that Bernie S. Maloy, formerly of. Rensselaer and now of Melbourne, Fla., had wit.x Steger and his attorneys when he -lived... in. -Steger. Many.art.icles cpn-_ cerning Steger and bringing in the case of Mr. Maloy appeared in the Musical Courier .Exira and charge I Mr. Steger’s methods in the town as “tyrannical and despotic,” and caused much suffering among the inhabitants of the town. Steger, who took great pride in the community, had the officials of the ■ Musical Courier company indicted fpr criminal libel and there was a sensa- ■ tional and long drawn out trial. Mr. Steger won the suit and penitentiary sentences were given one ox two of the defendants. The supreme court reversed the decision after ax: appeal on a technicality and subsequently Mr. Steger dropped the prose cution, declaring he “harbored no ill feeling.” The publishers of the journal aftexwvard became his warn friends. In the same year the manufacturer, with three others, was sentenced to jail for violating an in junction granted to Rothschild & C) regarding the use of a trademark.