The Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1885-1886, 1886-04-24
MISSED THEIR MAN.
How the Police Attempted to Catch
Robert Evans, and Their Beau.
tiful Failure.

AT about . o'clock last evening silent
message found its way into the police
headquarters that Robert Evans mention
of whose dastardly deed at Davenport in
seducing little daughter of Mr.. Senger,
of this city, and the subsequent swearing
out of warrant for the fieEd's arrest by
the little girls father. was made in yes
terday's ARGUS, had secreted himself
in the second story of 1916 Secondavenue.
the rooms occupied by Isaac Holtman's
family, and Immediately over his place of
business. The wary (?) City Marshal
Eckhart and his experienced Deputy
Hull, and the keen eyed Harris cautiously
crept over to the place named and imme>
diately commenced laying plans for sure
capture of the bird. The heart Of the mar
shall fairly leaped with delight at the pros
pect before him; the man was there, no
doubt about that and in few minutes
would be the prey OF the Rock Island pos
lice force. Yes, Eckhart was the star of
the evening ard his support was elegant,
the best that could be found-look where
you may. There was in front of that
building an array of talent and detective
genius just fit for such an occasion, as we
shall see.
Eckhart started Harris half way up the
stairs. and Hull went up to drive the
prisoner out; Harris was to catch him on
the fly, but if he should make mutf and
let him 60 by, Eckhart was to get him
on the first bounce All was in readiness
for the charge-everything was surely
guarded-but ALAS the back door had
been left open. Hull saw his man and
made a break for him, but about that
time Bob" realized the situation and
made break for liberty. The rear win
dow was open; it was on the second
floor but there was a clear field below, be
You'd which was broad plain of free
dom. He followed his first instinct leaped
upon the window sill, hustled his body
through and dropped to the ground. a
distance of twenty feet or more, as MIN"
bly, as cat. The air contained SAVIOR
of freedom, and he inhaled it with des
light. There was high board fence be.
yond, and which he was on the outer side
of in an instant-and gone.
About this time hideous yell went up
from within; il escaped from the angry
lips of the deputy marshal, who had
awakened to realization of how nicely
he had been foiled, and the know ledge OF
it was followed by a terrible humping
down the front stars. Down Second
avenue went the blue coats. They turned
on Sixteenth street and entered the alley.
1t was happy moment. The rays of the
court house square electric light shone on
human form-wbat happy moment
was thisi Harris, about this time, made
an inward vow to have the honor Of that
capture, and the thought had no sooner
entered his head than it was acted upon,
and in moment the human form was in
his grasp. Good fortune, however, had
smiled too previous, and Harris JOY turned
to remorse as he let go the coat sleeve OF
Mr. Fred Kann, of the firm of COrtas6
Kann, who had been ,44tt,.rrIc;ted BY the
noise in the Backyard occasioned by
Evans escape, and had gone out to investi
gate the meaning Harris skunk away and
Joined his comrades, who were earnestly
devising some means of capturing the
figure coming down the walk, not know
ing that Harris had attempted it in the
mean time
Without any fooling. this exploit SHOULD
be chroncled among the most brilliant o f
Rock Island police ANIMALS.
HMY!
A weird, CHASTITY rumor was circulat ed
upon the streets at an early hour this
morning, that Robert Evans, while beine
pursued by the valiant cops last night
had ran into the Rock Island house
Reaching the third floor, and finding him
self almost in the clutches of the officer,
he leaped through a window The fctic
ious yarn ended up by saying that Evans
was found on the stone pavement below
| with both limbs and rumber of ribs
broken, and was taken to St. Luke's hos
pital. Several excited persons visited The
hotel in order to get the full particular.
of the supposed horrible affair, but they
were compelled to depart with unsatisfct
curiosity.
The story is said to have originated in
the brain of one of the night watch n
the hotel who had been reading II dmt
novel, wherein in the plot was painted il
sanguinary hue and the hero wAded
through rivers of blood