Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1871-1872, 1871-10-17
JUSTICE A rARcs.
On. Incompetent Police Force.


We have several times asserted that we
now have the most Incompetent City Mar
.h.l. and the most useless and worthless
police force ever foisted upon our people
since Rock Island became city. A thous-
snd incidents verify this. One Of them
srsnspired last evening, when half our popu
laion we're on the street, and was In oil its
bearings eminently calculated to make jus
tice farce, and lower the authorities Of the
Law in the eyes OF ell evil doors.
We have for some weeks taken much in
tersst ia our amiable Marshal, in view of
his un6tnsss for the position, and his pecu-
liarities so child-iks and bland. And by
way Of making his crooked paths straight,
We have from time to time pointed ont his
! duty TO him, and suggested various measures
t. for the public welfare and security A
week or 90 ago We directed him, through
our columns, to station . policeman in the
posI of6cs during evening mail hours, in
order to keep the passages clear for the
better convenience Of our business men
= he did so. Lash evening the individual or
4 duty was the obnoxious Condor
Condon has record and history in on,
annals exclusively his own. In the mem
: orabls days Of Dogberry's sessions, he va
Il the pillar and pride of that autocratic msg
nate. II We remember Alright, be was impli
" Gated in the arrest and imprisonment o.
a, the charge of drunkeness of 9 sick Casholi
price, who had been landed but . fe,
moments on our leves. Other equally di'
graceful charges were brought against hin
. When, for the credit Of oue city, be va
I'd finally shelved, We thought his occupasiO
n was gone, and that We would hear no NOR
tie Of him. But like bad penny he has surI
ed up at last, and is now . valuable men
Der of our police force, as Heterogeneous
pack % were ever msrshalled under II
y veteran eye Of beer-imbibing Falstsf. 4
We have said, Condor was on duty last ev
ming at the post Office.
A disturbance was kicked up by sou
fractions person, and Condor eollared Il
offender as be would have done HsAth'
ing Chnse. A solemn march scross TO JUST
ms Simonson's followed. The minions of q
old Law gathered in force. Simonson put
his severe magisterisl expression, balance
steel pen behind his ear, run his hands
his pockets as though to test their fnsnci
wants and capacities, and in a voice
"a thunder bad the eulpri, arise and be bic
:. The culprit arose, cleared bis voice, stepp
toward the door to consult an Instant Wi
-, friend, elinched the door-knob, few into !
hall, fed down fight of stairs, and c
dirt along Illinois street st . slashing a
amazing rate. Condon looked 9, MSrsi
Charley, Marshal Charley looked at t
hat assounded judicial Jupiter, the assound
the Judicial Jupiter looked respectively at be
do Of the others, and 9 desth-like silence pi
irss vailed. II was at length broken By
rs, sound like the snstohing Of hat, and CO
Use; don disappeared after the fugitive. T
nth mellow breezes foated back from the We
,o.s bearing upon their Zephyr like wings t
echo of rapid pressing of brick; the nel'
ious defamation of the consecutive fsppin
.,. oftvo pair of coat-tails filed the event
AL air with delicate vibrations; and then
~ was still The knsve was gone, and Cond
.,d recuperAted At the next adjacent lager be
md saloon.
A.. Just such case as this trsnspired
ar. Simonson's presence last spring. Il
needless, however, to nArrate it. The abo
will illustrate what sort of guardians
ys- have over our lives and property under t
or present Republican city administrAtion.