Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1889-11-18
BRINGING THEM NEAR HOME.
Rev. MT. Lindeblad, or Moline, Re.
ceives q "Ftre Cap" Letter--Advtsed
TO Quit Town without DeIay--.Ny-
bladh Must be Avenged.

As the Rev. ii. o. Lindeblad opened
and read his mail this morning. his littlt
girl. who happened to be at his side. said
as he opened one letter. That's an invi-
tstion." As he glanced over it. he saw
the letter was signed Fire Caps" anc
that it said Nybladh should be avenged
IF you don't leave town in twenty-foul
hours we will make you wish you had.
The letter Is illustrated with skull anl
cross-bones.
Mr.. Lindeblsd, however, does not al
all look upon this as serious. He says
that ON the 18th Of of this month he will
have been here ten years. He has al
ways been heartily and well treated. no,
only by the members of his own church
and by the Swedish people as whole,
but by all persons Of the different ma
tionalities and creeds Under this ten
years none except one druken person, has
at any time shown him any kind of dis
respect OF unbecoming behavior. In a
convention lately held in regard to the
moral status OF Moline, he said: TAX
ing everything into consideration, Mo-
line can in moral status compare with
most any town of its size, and is ahead
of good many in many respects" He
considers the letter more of Joke than
anything else, and Is not scared at all, as
he feels his is righteous case for the
good of morality. We may state that the
letter was not mailed In Moline. The
writing. he says, of name and address is
similar to twelve unopened letters re-
ceived in February from Galesburg -
Moline Dispatch.
1t seems from the Galesburg Repubii>
can Register that several threatening let
tiers have been received at the home of
LAWYER G. A. Lawrence within a week
or so. and the attempt of Thursday was
in the direct line of fulfllment of the
threats. 1t seems that the first idea of
the sneaking and dastsrdly crew was to
destroy Mr.. Lswrence's barn. Wednesday
Mrs. Lawrence paid visit to the barn on
some errand. She found that one OF the
windows had been opened. and that
some one had entered that way and had
unlocked the back door. To her
CONSERVATION she observed that on
the barn floor there had been
heaped pile of boxes, surrounded with
paper and kindling, and lined with dry
kiudling. Near by were found couple
of sheets of unruled blank paper rolled
up, in which was loose bundle of
matches. The purpose of the whole ar
rangement was unmistaksble- 1t was
this attempt, which, by the way, Mr.
Lawrence deemed best to keep from the
press, that caused him to have officers
patrol his residence that night. Early in
noise was heard at the window. He
made mighty spring and in an instant
was outside with revolver in hand. He
could see nothing. In the shutter, how
ever. was found another threatening let
ter. How it came there was big mys>
terry. Next afternoon. Thursday, Mr..
Lawrence was down town. Mrs. Laws
renee was standing in the kitchen looking
out of the west window. 1t was about 3
o'clock She saw two men standing near
the barn conversing. Mrs. Lawrence was
feeling lonely. and she stepped to the
telephone TO talk to her husband and tell
him that there were strangers around.
She then stepped out upon the front
porch to keep watch. While she was
thus engaged she smelled something like
clothes burning. and so remarked TO her
domestic. She hurried inside. and as she
did so heard loud rapping on the door
that, as she says. caused her heart to sink
nearly 10 her feet. She threw the door
open and saw standing there Mrs. J. B.
Boggs, her next door neighbor. who said
YOU'VE house 10 on fire." The alarm
was speedily sent and the fire depart
meht was soon on hand. but its SER
vices were not needed. II seems that
Mr. Boggs was also keeping watch of
the Lawrence premises. She very
fortunately glanced out OF = window of
her home In time TO see mass of flame
and smoke issue from under the porch,
on the southwest side OF Mr.. Lawrence s
house. She rushed to the spot, and lean
ing far under the porch. she seized the
edge OF piece Of sscking that seemed to
contain the fire and drew all of the burn
ing material out before the porch had
ignited. A six-inch tile with joint one
side had been stuffed with shavings,
kindling and paper. all saturated with
oil. Around this tile, cloth was wapped,
also saturated. Then the sacking had
been rolled around several times, making
q dangerously infismmsble mass.
The Republican Register continues:
Tue general opinion is that the purpose
OF this persecution is to intimidate Mr.
Lawrence, DIR. Hsterius and others and
cause them to yield to the Nyblsdh in
terest. This Is the whole burden of the
warnings. The communications are
especially designed to terrify the women
folk, and abound in phrases insulting to
them and threatening them and their
children. They are by all means toe
filthy to be given publicity, and only the
most groveling and debased mind could
have conceived OF such terms.
Even F. s. Murphy. Esq. Nybladh':
attorney, is affected over the turn affair:
are taking. He is quoted as having re-
marked to q reported: The truth is tina
am getting frightened myself. lam al
ready for the trial here. but sentiment ID
so aroused that l have q notion to have
| this case transferred to the United States
circuit court at Peoria. am going ou
to Nyblsdh's this friday afternoon and
| have talk with him."
Attended the Great Trial.