The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-06-17
EAST ST. LOUIS THUGS.
Lawlessness Rampant-A Town in Which
There Is NO Protection for Life or Property

ST.. Louis. June is The threatened reign Of
terror in East St, Louis, incident upon the sus-
pension of the entire police force of that city,
has begun. and peaceable citizens are daily being
robbed and assaulted Some time ago Mr..
Kirk, reporter, charged, in his paper. one of
the city officials with various illegal acts
among them being maladministration of Office
and misrepresentation of the public funds. Il
transpres now that on last Monday night he
was attacked by three men with revolvers and
knives, who evidently intended killing him.
having been employed to do the work, it is said.
By the official whose crimes he had exposed.
Last night Henry Steinert, nephew of the late
ex Mayor Bowman, who was mysteriously as
sassinated last December. and who was active IN
the exposure of the municipal frauds, was at.
tackled and severely beaten by two men, and
afterwards robbed. His condition this evening
is serious.
This evening J. d. Miller, q reporter who, to-
day. wrote for his paper accounts of the above
occurrences, az he was about to cross the bridge
on his way to this city, was assaulted, brutality
beaten and left for dead. He was found, soma
time afterward, in an unconscious condition. and
was taken to the hospital. where he now lies in
precarious condition. Besides these the most
fragrant assaults. several minor affairs of similar
nature have occurred. This morning stranges
in the city, while walking past saloon. was
asked by the spokesman OF a gang of roughs to
pay for the drinks for the crowd. He refused.
when he was attacked by the crowd who car
ried him into vacant lot near by, rihed hia
pockets, and proceeded to treat themselves.
Ladies have been stopped on the streets in
broad daylight and requested to give up their
purses by thieves, who whenever met with re-
fusal, snatched the money and made away with
it, their escape being made easy by the fact that
there are policemen to make arrests Women
and children fear to be the streets at night al
all, and men only venture out when fully armed
and prepared to resist an attack.
Extensively signed petitions have been pre-
scented to the Mayor to reinstate the police or al
least appoint few patrolmen in order TO make
the safety of the citizens more certain. His
Honor can do nothing however, without the con-
sent of the City Council who refuse to act in the
matter on the plea that the bankrupt condition
of the city treasury will not warrant mourning
the expense In the meantime lawlessness pre-
walls
Excitement among municipal authorities again
runs high, caused by much less sensational af-
fair, however than the trial Of the city clerk for
safe blowing. The cause this time resulted from
a fistic encounter between City ClerlS Comfy and
City Attorney O'Melveny. The relations ba-
tween the two men have been strained for some
time, OMelveny having charged the city clerk
with maladministraton of his Office. Today
the formers Office was invaded by the city clerk.
who demanded of the attorney retraction OF
his statement OMelveny replied that this was
free country, and that he had right to his
opinion "Wel you can't express your opinion
of me in the way you have been DOING said
Comfy at the same time striking the attorney
vicious blow on the back of the head, telling
him 70 the floor The PROSTATE man rose to re-
turn the blow, but was again knocked down by
the enraged clerk, who reached toward his hip
had interfered and persuaded Comfy to desist A
large bump upon OMelvenys head, black eye
and a ruptured friendship are the result of the
encounter.