The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1868-04-06

language and appearance" Oh YES. doubt-
less. to affiant No. A, he looked drunk sn,eJ.
ed drunk, ought to be drunk, and, therefore
"ia his opinion" was drunk. Afiant No
4, is very Bunsby on opinions and very
wise in an afterthought. If ae was drunk
why didn't he SO swear at the time of the
trial?
Affiant No. S, says the stranger was ac-
tually brought to the jail, and left there by
the Policeman and Atfiant No. /. This is
very important testimony, very, make a
note on't.n And the stranger talked in
coherently.p No doubt, to high officer In
the arresting line, the threatening to write
up the pedigree" of Policeman would
sound rery incohereaf. ~
Affiant No. says he was present at the
trial. Was he produced and sworn as q
witness? If not, why not? when, as he
says,..his testimony corroborates that of the
Policeman. Did he assist in the arrest, did
he hear the fearful and dangerous threats of
writing up the pedigree2 And further, says
this affiant, the letter signed Thomas Thorn
ton, in a late number of the ARGUS, is an
unqualified tissue of falsehoods. Does afi-
ant No. mean to say there was no arrest,
no pretended trial, no fine imposed, no TAX
ing almost the last cent he had from poor
stranger (partially demented at that, if we
NAV credit all their official twaddle) and then
sneeringly telling him to go to his own
friends for help, if he wanted any a.? John,
you have sold your birthright for a very
small mess of potage. =
Afiant No. is the City Marshal. He
says he endorses the action of the Policeman
in arresting the the stranger. IT'S well. The
crank of the Universe turns the easier forit.
The extreme urbanity and courtesey of the
Magistrate, the kind aud considerate conduct
of the Policeman, and the tender, gushing
sympathy of the City Marshal, all duly en-
dorsed, properly set forth, severally sworn to,
and printed in the Union, is the fatal broad.
side, which has laid me lifeless, and drawn
out these mourning atlantis. What beauti-
full juxtaposition, what lovely contrast, all
this kindly solicitude, official consideration,
and tender sympathy presents to the law
less and presumptuous conduct OF the strang'
er who presumes 10 reprove little boys for
swearing, dares to threaten Policeman
with writing up his pedigree" and implored
the sanity Justice to spare him sufficient OF
his orn noney to pay his passage out OF
town. The lovely and amiable conduct OF
the whole bGrnacle tribe was so perfectly
portrayed, and so shaped into exultant, ex.
pressive, and triumphant rejoicing at their
own forbearance and clemency in not taking
the strangers uttermost farthing, that the
story of their great and generous goodness
enn0bles in high degree the sacred and
lofty calling of Policeman. and impresses
the mind still more deeply with awful rev.
eranee and unbounded respect for the severe
virtues and exalted dignity of a Police Jus.
tice, who so uprightly tempers Justice with
Mercy sworn to, and fortified by dollars
worth of atfidavits and % cents worth OF
editorial comment.
Nevertheless the great fact still remains,
that in the year of grace 1868, in the city OF
Rock Island, a stranger was apprehended,
thrust into jail, kept in durance vile over
night, brought to trial fined on the clubbing
testimony of his captor, and sent adrift de-
prived of nearly all his money, with an IN
kind sneer at his condition and a gratuitous
fling at his countrymen, all of which is sub
stantially as narrated in my former COM
munication; and all the opinions ofcxperts
and officials, and the "supposes" of this or
that one that his condition indicated drunk
euess or insanity will not and does not in
reality alter my statement that harmless
and inofensive stranger (who, if intoxicated
at all was so in much less degree than
some of those concerned in his trial often
are and who was in no manner violating
any law of the state, or ordinance of the city,
was seized upon because he was stranger
and an Irishman, roughly and harshly used.
and most uniustly fined. His fine | say
should be refunded.
Thomas THORNTON.
Rock Island April 6, 1868.