Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1895-12-02
QUEER QUARTERS.
Those of Three Strangers in
Masonic Temple.
HAVE AN UNFINISHED ROOM

fActuter8-On0 OF Them Under Arrest.
Confined in the county Jail is a
strange gentleman giving the name
of w. F. Pickerell. who is tarryiDg
there in default of $500 bonds, pend
ing a hearing tomorrow afternoon to
the charge Of obtaining money under
false pretenses, and awaiting fur
Their investigation concerning his
banking affairs. Pickerell's arrest
was affected late Saturday afternoon
by James Larkin, the Forty-eighth
street grocer. to whom Pickerell
falsely represented some goods which
he sought to dispose of few days
previously. Pickerell and two COM
panions LAUGHED here a couple of
weeks ago and secured office head
quarters in the Masonic Temple,
where they claimed to manufacture
world-beating disinfectant. 1t was
while trying to sell an order of this
article to Mr.. Larkin that the gro
cerymau's suspicious became fired.
Pickerell said he had about fifteen
agents around the city Introducing
the disinfectant. and he was DESTROYS
Of making MIR. Larkin distributing
agent, attached to which there would
be good commission. Mr.. Larkin
was favorably impressed with the fell
low, who said his name was Black.
Mr.. Black was anxious to leave some
of his goods, for which he wanted 81
or IS. and attempted to strengthen
his talk by telling Mr.. Larkin that
the article was manufactured in
Rock Island by a newly formed COM
pany OF local capitalists.
Black Turned Down.
II there was a new mandatory in
Rock Island Mr.. Larkin had not
heard of it and thought probably. he
was not posted, so Mr.. Black was
STAYED off until the authenticity of
his statement was confirmed. Upon
inquiry Mr.. Larkin found the agents
story to be faky. Saturday after
noon Mr.. Larkin met the agent and
proceeded to inform him that he was
a prevaricator. The agent denied
his identity and told MIR. Larkin his
| name was Brown. This made Mr..
Larkin all the more suspicious, and
he followed the man to his boarding
place at Pearson's Fifth avenue res
taurant and summoned the police.
PickerelPs arrest was also to hold
him until inquiry is made concern
ing check purporting to be from
his father-in-law at Evansville, Ind.
for 800 and Endorsed by Mrs. Pear
son and cashed at Mitchell & Lynde's
bank Saturday. Pickerell is young
man Of probably 80 years and has a
pretty little wife. They have been
stopping at Mrs. Pearson's since
their arrival here. The disinfectant
mandatory was abandoned after
Pickerell's experience with MIR. Lar.
kin. and the agent said at police
headquarters he had secured a po-
sition with T. H. Ellis as advertising
solicitor. Pickcrell's partners are
about the city yet. but are not
wanted by the police.
Mysterious Quarters.
An air Of mystery seems to pervade
the little gloomy room in the rear OF
the second floor of Masonic Temple
which Pickerell claimed that he and
companions employed as a laboratory
to manufacture their disinfectant.
1t is devoid of furniture or fixtures
or machinery of any description,
and the discovery Of this state of af-
fairs set some of the occupants oil
Masonic Temple to thinking whether
or not the Office was being used as a
rendezvous for band of schemers.
The men rented the room about Nov.
20 with the permission of holding it
a year. Having brought no furni-
ture into the building. the fact that
new occupants we're there was not
discovered for several days by office
holders-and but a couple at that
knew the men had quarters there.
w. B. Ferguson, whose insurance
office is across the hall from the
''disinfectant mandatory" noticed
the men and Immediately became
suspicious that all was not right in
that neighborhood. ITO satisfy my
self as to what was really going on
in there" said Mr.. Ferguson, ..early
One evening opened the door. which
was usually kept locked, with the
excuse that l wished to get some
thing out of the large dark room
which adjoins this one. But one fell
low was in. l asked him if he had o
lamp. so could find my wav. He
replied in the negative and seemed
uneasy when 1 lit q match.
Only a Satchei.
The room was bare, as sus-
pected," continued Mr.. Ferguson.
There was not even a chair in it.
| All could see was a satchel, which
reposed in a corner. There was not
the slightest evidence of their hav-
ing employed the place for manu-
featuring or storage purposes. The
men passed but little time there dur.
ing the day. After dark they con-
gregated and transacted whatever
business they had without the
use of lamp. always keeping the
room dark and silent as a tomb y
The men were apparently very care
full lest someone might get a peep
into their headquarters. One door
leading into the room from the south
was nailed shut, and the front en-