Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1904-08-20
SISTER IN PRISON
Rock leland Man Finds Her Serving
Sentence ofThirty Days at Da'-
export Following Her Arrest.
THREATENS HER WITH DEATH
Dramatic Scene When the TWO Meet
at the Door of the House OF
Detention.

of it were not for my wife and the
penitentiary staring me in the face,
would kill you both"
A world of tragedy was wrapped up
in this threat, shouted by Il man with
a blanched face who lowered with up
lifted hands over the covering form OF
A slim girl. who covered her face with
her hands and shrank away from the
accusing form in front Of her
1t was her brother who threatened
her with death.
The scene where this tragedy of real
life was enacted was the Davenport
house of detention. and for an aud
fence il had MatrOn Hill and friend
or two who had been with her. and
before whose eyes the thrilling drama
was acted out before they had time
to leave. They viii carry the picture
of it with them for a long time.
Arrested with 81 Negro.
Last Tuesday the papers recorded
the raiding by the police of the house
at III Main street. where. among the
several inmates who were arrested
was burIy negro. named Walter kel-
ley, aad d white girl who gave her
name as Vera Long.
Thursday afternoon when Matron
Hill opened the door of the house of
detention in answer to a knock. she
found her callers man from Rock
Island and two ladies, his wife and
the lattcr's sister.
Have you girl mere with --,
and the man gave description tally
ing with that Of the girl who had call
cd herself Vera Long.
Why do you wish To know" asked
the matron.
Il fear she is my sister" replied the
man. his face working with emotion.
q certainly hope not. for your
sakes." said Mrs. Hill. impressed with
the evident respectabilfty of her call
ers
They were invited into the reception
room and some one was sent for Vera.
4 moment later the door from the cell
corridor opened and she stepped into
the room.
Girl ShrInks From Him.
'FTieda,' IL was her brother who
shouted the name. as he rose from his
chair with a CHASTITY face, like one
stricken unto death. The girl was
the wall as if she too saw an appari-
ton. The man followed her.
"Where's the niger" he shouted.
"On the rockpiie." said someone.
The girl had lost her voice.
How could you?" he persisted.
Had You forgotten your home, your
mother, who reared us in the path of
right? God help her if she must know
of this. | feel as if | must kill you
both, If it wasn't for my wife and
the pcnitcntiary staring me in the
face. would wipe out your disgrace
by killing you both
Some time later. when the mans
wife and sister had succeeded in quiet
ing him. and the girl had been taken
from the room. he was able to tell his
story TO the mltrOn.
'Frioda's mothe, is in Oklahoma"
he said. Vera Long is not her name.
! live in Rock Island. We formerly
lived in Iowa City, and Fricda came
from there to my nome and then came
to Davenport and We had word from
her that she was working over here.
Could Not Relieve IL Was She.
& Someone read the story of the raid
in the paper and told me that they
thought it was my sister who was ar
reatcu. was ut my work when they
, told mo. | could not believe it. but
felt | must find out. So | told my en-
: pluycT I had been called home and
! hurried there and told my wife and
] her sister that we must come right
! over e. Davenport and see if Fricda
was in trouble. My God. never OK
YcCted Il find her under such CirCum-
stances and until she came through
that door did not believe II was she. "
The brother and her relatives will
send the cirl 10 her mother in Okla
hOma as soon as her 20-day sentence