Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1896-09-14


C'sticls up ia tho new Chicagoese for
''hold up'). vino is now regarded as per-
mancnt fixture Tho daring citizen goes
about armed 20 The teeth, the discreet citi-
zon stays indoors after dark, and the pious
citizen rrays twice daily 10 be delivered
from footpads and burglars.
The Chicago newspapers treat the cpl
dcmic of crime as IL sort Of natural phc-
nomenon and devote their energies to the
collection OF interesting statistics regard
ing the growth OF highway robbery. The
esteemed Iimcs-H Herald recently demon
str,ltod that the common, everyday thieves
of Chicago steal half n million dollars u
yCar. From January, 1898, to December,
1880, they stole miscellaneous property
worth 81, 703, SOB. This year they expect to
rake in SG00,0 600.
Further pursuing their Investigations,
the Chicago papers have discovered young
rascal called Sleepy" Bark, who was cdrl-
Gated in IL reform school and has run the
whole gamut of crime He has posed as a
horrible example with such success that he
now regards himself as quite hero an
opinion evidently shared by q considerable
portion of the public. Him the papers have
interviewed and written up with great as
siduity as Il person whose views of life are
important and interesting. He has told
the story of his life half dozen times TO
as many different newspapers, and in u re-
cent number OF The Timcs-Herald he tells
How 1t Feels TO Hold ID Il Man,
In this essay SLEEPY" takes high moral
ground, rs witness: "When went to stick
up a man, it never occurred to me that
had to crofze him. I thought that if lie
should get killed it would be hisowr fault.
He represents ono OF the people of the
state and is responsible for its action. If
the state abused me- felt that was GO
ing TO abuse the state. An eye for an eye,
and IA tooth for Il tooth. If they got hold
OF me, they would demand the same
They arc allowed to rob me Why should
not l rob thems Being rich and powerful
does not give man license to rob me-
This is what I think, and so 1 go at him
just the same as though 1 had as much
light to rob him Us the alderman has to rob
the city.
Il have the same RICH. to rob You as the
warden or the contractor at .Tclict has to
rob me If l kicked at Joliet, was beat
en-. Il 1 fought, would get killed. This
is what the state of Illinois taught me
The contractor and warden were ALWAYS
tr:iny to do he, SO hid to be looking
oft to prevent it. For every move they
made l tried to invent n scheme TO avoid
1t. Do you wonder that l came ont with "a
head i1U of larceny? AS old Captain
Bradhcrry of the Missouri pcnitcntiary
coy IL, l.,
Don't blame me, boys. The state is push
ing me. and have to push YOU
so it was with me. went at a man
Just as though had IL license in nv pocket.
II he resisted. had a right to beat him.
If he fought. he killed himself. because l
felt had II right to rob him If he vouId
sooner give up his life than his money.
that was no fault Of mine"
The Times Herald is fair enough to print
both sides. On the same PAGE with Sleepy
Burh' article on how to rob appears an
article by John ID. Shea inspector of no.
lice on What to Do When Held Tn"
The inspector gives good advice tn the he
lated Chicagoan as follows:
Any man whose business calls him in
to districts infested by footpads sbould 90
| armed. If not armed, he must take his
chances. Whom in such a district he
should never let stranger come within
reach of him. If man or men annroocb
from behind the possible victim should
step TO one side and wait for them to ,ass
II they refuse to do this, he should draw
his gun, warn them, and if necessary shoot
snd shoot TO kill. But this final resource
Is not often necessary. Good thieves will
not attack ;Eat kind Of "A man. They hn.
come afraid and suspicious OF him Wall,
ON the outer edge Of the sidewalk in dan.
eerous localities, and il specially risky take
tie middle of the street
In case you are surprised and tyvo or
| more men manage 10 get their hands ON
you, surrender and keep as cool as possible
Laugh ard tell them to helD themselves
Your gun is Of Eo use in such AN eIner.
gency."
Shea gets back at the heroic RurL in
| this vigorous fashion: This man Rurl,
should be in the bridewell or in Joliet this
minute. lie is nice sort of a fellow TO
| he posing rs "A hero. lie is not a good thief
He is q squealer and n sneak. he was horn
sneak thief. and the chances are he will
| never be anything else Look at his record
| rs lie writes il and seems to glory in lit
According TO his own confession, he neyr