Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1904-08-16
BURNED IN EFFIGY
Lower End Residents Make q Straw
Man TO Represent Policeman
FerkeI and Set il on Fire.
INDIGNATION MEETING HELD
Because of Arrest of Children For Al
legged Theft of Wood-"Nearer
My God, To Thee" is Sung.

req because Special Policeman VII
liam Ferkel, of the Rock Island Fuel
company, had caused the arrest of
children ranging from the age of .
10 10 years for the alleged theft of
wood from the company, a crowd of
four hundred people of the First ward.
consisting of men, women and chill
dren, last night from : O'Clock until
II O'Clock, gathered at Third street
and Eleventh avenue. and amid songs
and cheers of derision burned the
special policeman in effigy.
straw dummy, representing Fer
kcl, was made, star attached TO it,
and barrel into which it was placed
and taken 10 the ground was used as
the human pyre of vengeance and
burned while various speeches. derog.
atory of the special policeman. and
lusty cheers, were given. The orgie
lasted with full vim and vigor for four
hours, after which the crowd dis
perSed.
Company Claims Long Suffering.
The Rock Island Fuel company
claims that for the past few Years
A4''AANo III IllC iltiSuDOIHOOu Oh
its woodward have beer purloining
wood in broad daylight and at night.
Children of all ages as well as their
parents were claimed to have been
implicated. The company says that
the loss by the thcfts has been cnor-
nous and that it was growing worse
month by month until it became in
tolcrablc. Stringent methods were
adopted. William Fcrlel was engaged
TO watch the yards and cause the ar
rest of any one caught in the act of
stealing. He claims that the thefts
were numerous and that children of
people would enter the yards and take
wood from the piles. The past week
he took the names of those whom. he
says, he saw stealing wood. AS a re-
suit he caused the arrest of 10 per-
sons, among whom was a little boy
who. it is said, will be years of age
next October. All of the defendants
were dismissed when brought before
! Magistrate Johnson, the evidence Civ
en- against them being somewhat weak
| The company probably meant it
| should be, as the members OF the firm
| dealt leniently and seemed to have de
| sired nothing more than that a stop
| be put to the stealing.
Sung Nearer, My God. to Thee"
The people of the FIRST ward were
indignant. They blamed Ferkcl. AS
the straw form was placed in the bar
rel and match applied speakers. who
had volunteered for the occasion. gave
expression to the sentiment of the
crowd. When the charred form OF the
straw man was almost consumed the
! crowd joined in singing Nearer, My
God. to Thee" After all that remain.
ed of their mute enemy had turned
| To dust" the meeting was made jubi-
liant by added cheers and a blending
of chorus of unharmOnious voices
which rent the air for blocks around
\ few more rounds of shouting and
the meeting broke up. The topic of
discussion today in First ward is of
last nights spectacle. There are those
who express regret that the effigy was
not the man in person. Whether
or not the remarks are made in com
pletc sincerity. they show that an evil
spirit is abroad against Ferkel.
The cause of the Indignation against
the company and the special police
man. is. of course. the arrest of the
children. But the company claims
that arrest was necessary to set an
example that could be given in no
other way. SO far as convicting the
children was concerned. the company
did not want that done, even though
it might have been accomplished.
| Have Rccn Warned.
If the children stole the wood
doubtless they were told to do so
likely under the penalty of severe
punishment by their parents. Special
Policeman Ferkel in speaking of the
affair said: Il know that there is a
strong feeling of hatred against me
expressed by the children's parents
as well as by another element be
cause the children were arrested Sc
far as the one Child's age being only
about years. | don't believe that. al
Though that was the testimony giveI
in court | have time and time again
warned the children and the older PEG
pie against stealing the wood at which
! have caught them numerous times
before having made the arrests. The
older ones did not heed me. The chill
drcn. who infested the yards mostly
in day time. while the older ones made
nightly trips, generally, told me thai
they were compelled to take the wood
because their parents threatened tC
chastise Them if they did not do so
think that the children told the truth
There was nothing left for me 10 dc
but to bring the children into couri
as means in stopping the
Jhefts. I did my duty and have beer
treated uniustIy. Why | should be
abused for performing my charge.
don't know While I hope nothing
serious grows out of this affair. yet il
now looks like there may yet be fur
Their trouble In the meantime | shall
continue doing my duty. despite ad
verse criticism"
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