The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1862-02-26

Pull QuixLAS, who left this place some.
time in January, lSGl, for the south, and was,
for some time, ut Mobile, Ala, returned this
morning ON the eastern cars, and came i'm.
mcdiately to our office to make statement in
regard to notice we published last spring,
stating that he was in the rebel army. lie
says he was not in the rebel army at the time
the notice was published, but when, through
the publication of that notice, it became
known that he had some knowledge Of mill.
tary matters, he was compelled 10 60 into the
rebel service.
Phil says he has been, tor the last six
weeks, in Memphis, and that he left that
place four days ago. lie says he frequently
saw Pat Meighan there, and that Pat has not
been in the rebel army at all. The story that
Pa. was among the prisoners at Chicago is
not true, then, or Pills story is not true. lilo
says Pat is secesh, but is not and has not been
in the army, but that James Meighan is in
the rebel army ut Columbus.
This is the amount OF his story, and wo
give it for what it is worth.
Phil looks rough, hard and dirty. lie in
CURED for his boy, who was formerly in our
employ.
While Phil was in our room, several young
men came aud looked in and hurried out
of course to assure themselves that it was the
real Phil .Quinlan.
lie asked if we knew where he could find
his wife, and we advised him to enquire of
the city marshal, who could probably give
him all the information he would desire. lie
started, as we thought, for the city council
room, but Immediately after he left our office
we heard some one on the street, in loud
voice. say, there he goes, get Il rope, get u
rope, there goes Phil Quinlan." A crowd Of
people collected near the post office. and some
ran after Phil, who had, instead Of going to
the city council room, gone towards theriver.
lie stopped, looked the people in the face,
shook hands with several, talked with them,
and they turned back while he passed around
the gas works on front street aud was golng
towards the road leading over the river to
Davenport. Before he got to the road he was
intercepted by Dept Sheriff c. A. McLaugh-
lin and Frank Halves, who took him to Jail
and locked him up.
Phil was, not long since, deputy sheriff,
in this county, and rumor has charged him
with having forged the county orders which
were found in Mr.. Waits hands. There is n
good opportunity now to give the matter q
thorough ventilation.
Phi! seems to have had rough times, in the
world. According to his own account he was
forced to be n rebel soldier, escaped and with
great difficulty succeeded in getting back, and
in half an hour after his return, is followed
with the cry of "a rope-thcre he goes, and
suddenly lands in Jail. All sorts Of rumors
are in circulation in regard to him Some
think he was among the rebel prisoners at
Camp Douglas and has just escaped-and
others think he is a rebel spy while others
think his story true, and that he really wish
ed to return. He says our notice OF him
broke him up at Mobile and drove him into
the rebel army. There are those, too, who
don't believe word he says, without evidence
to corroborate it. But enough Of Phil. We
are thankful for the credit Of our city that no
rope was brought. that no serious excitement
ensued, and that the horrible mobscene and
murder, committed at Lane, in Ogle county,
was not repeated here. People should be
careful how they call for ropes and help raise
a mob-they may, unintentionally, raise a
storm they cannot quel. If Phil. is guilty,
punish him to the extent of the law but pun
ish by law. and according to laU, not by a
mob. We have no faith in his honesty, and
no charity for is loyalty. lie is reported to
be deserter from the British army, and by
his own confession he is now Il doserter from
the rebel army We do not believe him 10y
al to any government or true to any promise.
But we do not believe in Furnishing him or
anybody else by mob law. While we de-
nounce the south for its disregard of law, and
for its violent mobs, do not let US commit the
very acts we censure them for.
Coon NEws.-Leas & Son are selling their
best -four 90 cents per barrel cheaper than
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