The daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1873-1877, 1874-11-18
A Rumanly Gang,
Rufiauly railroad rowdies seem to infes

numQ0ly railroad rOWOIeS 6eom w Aui0es
every town in the country and defy the po.
lice everywhere. About halt past one o.
clock yesterday afternoon. one James San
ford, freight conductor on the G. K. l. q
P. railroad, and Wat Huntington, brake
man on the same road, on their way up
Illinois street stopped in front of Miller's
saloon and boarding house on the corner OF
Illinois and Madison street and commenc-
ed worrying an old negro who was busy at
work banking up the house. They want
ed to get some money from him with which
to get into the saloon and buy some whisky.
The negro declared he hadn't any money,
they turned his pockets inside out, pulled
off his coat and vest, and handled him
rather roughly. At this junctnre Miller,
attracted by the noise and scutfling in front
of his door. opened it and stuck out his
head Huntington promptly hit it, and
Miller fell or staggered hel plessly out up
On the door step. "A, hit him again, which
lai1 l,nj out on the sidewalk, and picking
ma yrick, he was about to lurl it at Mil
Ter 8 head as he lay PROSTATE when San
ford seized his arm and the brick flew out
n, on the street Then the two ruthans
| went on up street.
Miller lay insensible for short time,
bleeding freely from several wounds On his
head, which was badly bruised. BY the
aid of the negro and other friends he re-
yiyed and his wounds were dressed. The
aid of the police was asked to arrest the
rutfians, Marshal HAYES and officer Ank-
run went to the bridge and that vicinity.
and officer Brennan towards the
depot Brennan soon came upon
them in caboose the other side
Of the C. r. l. L. p. R. Il. depot and
attempting to enter the caboose they shut
the door in his face. He told them to-
open or he would open it by force. Hun
tington opened it then, and, standing in the
doorway with crowd behind him, told
Brennan that before he arrested him
somebody would have to dropl' just
then .niller came up, excited and evident
ly impatient to help arrest Huntington,
bul, as soon as H. saw him he jumped
from the car in rage. attempted to draw
knife, and with a terrible oath swore he
would "cut Mlller's id heart out y
Brennan and two or three of HIS friends
seized him and restrained him from car
ryiug out his threat. Miller, in fear for
his life, drew an exceedingly small pocket
pistol. and after nervously discharging it
into the ground at his feet, started off on
run aud disappeared.
This left Brennan alone again. Hunting
ton aud Sanford and their friends, thirteen
in numb rushed back into the caboose,
after this little episode, and let down the
curtains to the window. Brennan followed
them in, but Of course couldn't do any.
thing with such crowd, for each one OF
| the brakemcn and city roughs composing
it were doubtless as we'll armed as he was,
He had, however, quietly sept boy for
help and he hoped to keep them cornered
until help should come. In Il few minutes
there was an authoritative knock at one
door, and. Brennan thinking it was one OF
his comrades, opened In stepped Super.
ntendent kmball, who come over to see
what was up-and out jumped Huntington
at another door and escaped. Almost iul.
mediately Marshal Halves and Ankruul
came up. Sanford was arrested aud sent
to Jail and the crowd then dispersed.
1t was expected that Huntington would
fly to Moline and take his regular train
there, so Marshal Halves aud Brennan
went to Moline. About halfpast four q
clock freight train came rushing through
Moline at an unusual speed, not even stop
ping or Stacking up. AS it passed the de-
pot there were a number Of heads visible
at the caboose windows. and, after it ha'
passed short distance, Huntington came
out upon the rear platform of the car witt
several men, and in u uIenacing way. Hour
ished pistol 10 one hand and club in the
other! 1t is pity the police did not go t.
Geneseo and take Huntington there, anc
bring him back. The whole thing seems
to be a part of the Tom Atkinson, AL Nc
Gnnis, ALI Murdoch affair, and it is to be
regretted that our police have not beer
more severe with these rowdies. They
+ should not shoot at them, except 10 self
defence -but they should seize them OF
tt e slightest pro?ocation and club then
into submission and lock them up.
Sanford very ~iNingiy plead guilty tt
disturbing the peace and was let off with i
fine of IS and costs--much less than he
would have been fined had Magistrate
Chopper have known the whole facts in ,h'
case.