Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1897-09-18

their money gone, and the lapse of a few
days and its resulting effects have raised
the question cf whether the death was
from accident, suicide or murder. The
screws Of the propellers and tugs whirling
in the muddy river bring bodies to the
surface that tell of foul play, but tho secret
Is usually with tho dead. If there are
cuts upon tho body or bruises, the conf
mon acccptation is that these were given
by the passing boats. Only where the post
norton shows pistol shot or a stab does
the puzzle assume CHASTITY shape.
Then 1t means either murder or suicide.
And among the ranks Of tho river thieves
arc men who could tell. Tho river high
wnymen are particularly attracted to the
"drunks" who drift down in the summer
nights to sleep on the piers. Often these
victims can DC robbed quietly while they
are asleep, but il they are awakened they
generally resist. 1t Is then that they are
in danger Of being tumbled into the river
When resistance is made, the thief is in
danger. If an officer should hear an out
cry and como to the rescue, it is a case Of
being caught in the act, but II a man is
pushed into the river then hiS cries only
show TINT he Is struggling there and do
not bear the earmarks of u crime.
If he can swim, he may get out. IT not,
he goes down, and there is seldom any
thing to show that it was not an accident.
The docks and piers have seen these TRACE
dies, and the coroners' inQuests record
them.
Another class Of river thieves are the
ones who go upon the vessels at the docks
and sneak anything that may be lying
| around. They are petty thieves. some
times getting a watch or a little money Or
| some article they can sell at the junk
| shops. This kind Of thevery is annoying,
but not so extensive or aggravating as
| the water rat thieves are prone to. This
| last class use boats to conduct their opera
! tons in.
Th;y tro5l a.ong tho river after dark,
| AID aEyt.!ag portable Is picked up by
| them. Sometimes it Is a coil Of rope OF
! tools from the carpenter shops under the
bridges. Clothing, sailcloth, vessel in
| struments, oars, boats, chains and any
thing that can be disposed of choaply fol
cash, are carried away by them.
| They will raid one part of the river and
go to another part to spend the money
they make from the sale of the plumber
Their tastes run to cheap whisky and
questionable associations. Sometimes they
| will work little, and almost always theil
l
posure. This stands them in good stead
when they are brought in before the jus
tices of the peace. These petty Solomon.
have n way sometimes of inspecting thu
hands of offenders claiming to be work
ingmen or sailors. The river thief can al
ways pass this ordeal successfully. Hi
paws look Us though they had been soaked
for years in n solution of oakum and pol
ishod of with a marlin spike.
He will hold up these ''mits' to q jus
J tice, and tho combination of bumps ant
tan usually secures his discharge if he ha
no, been actually caught in the commits
sion of a crime He is one of the mos
"horny handed" persons imaginable.
The river thieves dress in the darl
clothes commonly worn by other rive
characters and to most people would Pas
for sailors or deckhands They seem t
confine their stealing entirely to the rive
and its vessels and docks Most of tn
vessels have a dog on board, and when tn
, boats tic up to the docks no strangers Nee
: attempt to prowl about decks. But tn
river thief, with his rusty clothes, can pas