Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1886-12-13
STEVE HULL.
The Dandy Cop" of the Night
Force on Tare.
He Tries to Break up . Quiet Party at
Turner Hall and Gets the Worst OF
it---A Little Inside History
Of Police AEairs.

Another disgraceful affair, one hows
ever that is simply on par with the
manage nent of police matters under Muir.
docks hoodlum administration, occurred
Saturday night, and while it will probably
not result in even ceusure to the offend
ing officer from the executive Of the city,
the prospects are that it will be brought
before the council at its next meeting in
such shape as to lead to Deputy Marshal
Hull's decapilation Several of the city
alderman have on this occasion seen for
themselves aud realized by this expert
ence what the ARGUS has long stated to
be the condition of the police affairs of
the city.
The factory boys at the Rock Island
Glass works had ball at Turner hall
Saturday night. As far as can be learned
it bid fair to be an orderly party, not in
the least requiring the services of an
officer. But Hull was there, and he was
btdotlN ulubhb OIL tHClS was d ulS>
turbance it was created by his irresponsi>
BILE conduct. In the early part of the
evening he became so boisterous in bis
conduct that Alderman Howard. chairman
of the police committee. finally took him
from the hall and endeavored to get him
into the station, advising him to lie down
and rest; but Hull WAS not to be per.
suaded, and Mr. Howard then appealed
to the marshal, telling him that Huh was
intoxicated and should be attended to.
The marshal expressed his knowledge of
his assistants condition but did net seem
disposed to act in the matter.
Later Hull entered the hall again and
with seeming ly no provocation, assaulted
a man named Fred Holdorf with his club,
and took him to tie station Alderman
Howard followed to the station, and
asked Ecksrt if the man arrested Was to
be locked up, and remarked that Hull
was the more intoxicated of the two.
The head of the force replied that he
would turn the prisoner out as soon as
Hull went away.
Hull afterward ordered that the ball
should cease, on the ground that it was
disOrderly aft air, and he commanded that
it break up Immediately, Alderman
howard was appealed to. and as ne saw
that everything was progressing quietly
he told those in charge TO proceed aud
pay no attention to Hull's orders At /
o'clock in the morning Hull caused snoth
er disturbance By attempting to make an
arrest without cause, and failing to cap
ture the fellow, pulled out his revolver
and fred at him. the pistol shot arousing
the neighborhood
1t is asserted that number of those
participating in the affair, then became
tired of the officers conduct, and Selling
him deprived him of his star and revolver
and cut several of the brass buttons from
his coat and vest and carried him into the
station. This ended the fracas, and those
who stripped the drunken officer of his
authority gave the city rebuke hat all
citizens viii commend especially the tax.
payers.
Aid. Winter, whU lives near the scene
of Saturday nights disturbance, and was
called out by the deputy msrshal's shoot
ing, says as far as lie can learn it was
unprovoked and unCalIed for, and that
an officer has no right to use his fire arms
unless he is handling desperate chsrac-
ter, or criminal who is fleeing from
justice. The deputy marshal could Ger
tainly have had no use for his revolver
with the orderly crowd of tina:
night. Mr.. Winter thinks the matter
should certainly be brought before the
council. He looks upon the action of
the officer as a disgrace. Aid. Schsfer,
Sho was present at the hall during
part of the evening and realized the
deputy marshal's condition. is Indignant
and says the matter should be invests
gated
It would Of course be useless to bring
the affair to the attention OF Mayor Muir
dock. He has had reason to dismiss
Deputy Marshal Hull on many occasions
before. If he had been at all conscious
of his duty he would have discharged
the deputy marshal when he assaulted
private citizen upon the streets last sum
mer, and again when he refused TO do
his duty, and prevented one of his SUBJ
Ordinatcs from doing so at Harper's the
atre week before last, in both of which
cases the mayor had an acquaintance
with the facts, or at least should of had.
The first time an officer appears under
the influence of liquor his suspension is
for here is what he says in his police
rules, a copy Of which every officer on
the force is provided with:
Officers ere forbidden to 90 into saloons
for the purpose of drinking or playing
games of any kind, whether on or of
duty; nor will any officer be allowed 10
leave the city without a written permit
from the city marshal.
At the end of his set of rules, of which
The above is one, Eckhart says
Any officer reported rs violating any
of the above rules will be suspended
until his case can be investigated
The rules went into effect August II
last, are signed by the marshal and writ
ten with type writer. But it seems that
Hull had violated some part of them be-
fore. as the following. which is verbatim
copy OF an order from the marshal, will