Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1904-03-21

would be TO lift his little hand
against an old man. He would go
around the block any time to avoid
trouble. and he never did anyone Yio-
lence except once when he had to. He
talked on until the novelty of the
thing wore off with the crowd in the
back part of the hall and a restless
movement began. Then he quit, and
the bunch broke for the bar.
PROTECTION had BEEN PROMISED.
Chief Miller on Record With Pledge to Ar
rest the First Disturber.
In the sincere hope of avoiding the
very thing that happened in the con-
vention, the regular democrats took
what seemed every reasonable pre-
caution Saturday. Ii was apparent
10 all familiar with the LOoney tactics
and the desperation to which he had
been driven in this particular instance
that drastic measures would be neces-
sary to preserve order and enable the
delegates in control of the convention
| to have proper expression. There
| were those who declared that nothing
but advantage to Looney could be ex
pected from the police, and that the
only sure way of securing fairness
| would be to appeal to the sheriff. 1t
| was counSeled on the other hand that
any organization or body of men hav-
ing pride in the city's name would be
reluctant to send the impression out
| to the world that Rock Island was SO
| firmly in the clutches of any one man,
that police protection could not be
had in any emergency that might be
inimical to his interests, political or
otherwise. Accordingly a committee,
of which Chairman J. W. Cavanaugh,
of the democratic city-township com
| mittee. was chairman. went to police
headquarters during the afternoon.
and consulted with Chief Miller as to
what was desired in the way of police
protection i'll the evening proceedings.
you can have all the police protec-
tion you want-the whole force, if de-
sired''-was Chief Miller's assurance,
but you must not expect us to take
Sides
Desired Only Fairness.
In reply to this, Chief Miller was
| told that the democratic organization
did not want much police aid, and
above all things the main thing that
it did want was that the police would
not take sides. Six policemen, it was
stated, would be ample. one for each
of the doors to the convention hall.
and four to stand guard at the space
designated by a rope, separating the
space occupied by the delegates from
the spectators inside the hall. This
was all readily agreed to on the part
of the chief. who was further affable
enough TO permit the committee to
designate the men OF the force who
would perform this duty.
Then. in order that there might be
a distinct understanding as TO who
was in control of the hall, and who
should be looked to as the RESPONSE
BILE head of affairs until the conven-
ton was at least organized. the com
mittee explained Mr.. Cayanaugh's po-
Sition as acting for the democratic
organization, and Chief Miller acqui- |
esced in the opinion that in designa |
ting who were to have seats within |
the enclosure provided for the dele
gates Chairman Cavanaugh and Sec
rotary Sexton should be respected to |
the extent Of the police enforcing their
position if need be in the interests of |
'
were to preserve order and arrest |
anyone who disturbed the proper
proceedings of the convention. Chief !
Miller seemed particularly anxious to |
assure the committee, at least to |
impress its members. with the as
surance that the police would take no |
sides whatever in the convention. |
They will arrest the first man who |
creates disturbance" declared the /
chief. mo matter who he IS"
With this understanding as to the |
position of the police department, the |
committee retired
The Possession of the Hall.
That the provision had thus been |
made To place the hall in the posses
sion of the properly constituted au-
thorities of the democratic party and |
to preserve order in keeping il so. APP |
parently soon reached the ears of /
LoOney and his followers by some /
mysterious means. for certain of his |
gang soon after began 10 gather at /
Turner hall. and just after O'Clock /
meeting was called for $50 at the |
hall of the city-township committee
which by virtue of proxies Looney |
has been manipulating. Receiving the
notice of this meeting. and suspecting
the purpose To gain possession of the
hall and pack il with Looney follow
ers not represented in the regularly /
elected delegations, Chairman Cav
anaugh and Secretary Sexton at once
retained the law firm of Searle &
Marshall for legal advice. in any com
plications that might arise. and then
with a number of stalwart democrats
went al once TO the hall and took
possession, locking the doors and TAX
ing in a member of the police force
for service. IL necessary All this was
accomplished before 6 o'clock. so that
when IooneY and his adherents nafh-l