Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1904-07-13
PEARL IS A SAILOR
Young Woman Delivers Herself of Dis.
sertation on the Drink Habit at
Hearing in Police Court.
SHE DEF1Es THE AUTHORITIES
Says They Can Not Keep Her From
Entering Saloons of the City
When She Wants Drink.

Pearl Williams-that is the name
she had written in the record at pc
lice Northumberland a dissertation
on the drink habit at her trial on a
charge of disorderly conduct this
morning before Magistrate G. A. John
son.
She is a daughter of a former sa-
loon keeper; rather a pretty girl, and
young, but she has taken to the pace
that kills, and refused to heed the
admonition of the authorities to brace
up, go to work. and forget the past
Pearl was arrested at 100 this
morning in company with young man
well known about the city who gave
his name as Harry Smith after spend
ing several hours drinking in the
Nicer saloon at Twentieth street and
Second avenue. Officer John Kinney
saw the couple staggering down the
avenue and placed them under arrest
The woman refused to go peaceably
to the station, and Detective CarneS.
who was near. was called to aid Kin
ney. Then the woman Topped down
in a doorway and refused to bulge
another foot. Then the wagon was
summoned and she and her companion
were given a ride to the station.
BIamcs officer mt Hearing.
At the hearing she was fined $40
and Smith S.. She told the magistrate
that she could not pay and would not
if she could I've got no friends here.
or nowhere else" she said. and the
tears began to roll down her redeemed
eyes and trickle down her liquor
bloated cheeks. She tried to hold
them back. She wanted to be game.
She was a sport and wished everyone
to know it. But she had a heart, and
could not restrain her emotions. So
she had cry. Presently she regained
her nerve. Then she waded into De
teCtive Carnes. She said he was the
first one who arrested her. That made
her notorious, and she had been hit
ting 'em up ever since.
You say I've got to keep out of sa
looms; can't have glass of beer
when | want it. Not much" and it
was the eye of a hardened woman that
was fixed on the magistrate Not
on your tintype. When l wants a
drink of bOosc gets it. There's
nothing to it. You mean to tell me
that l am not allowed to go into
saloon in this here town and buy a
glass of beer. Why. the idea. You
know l can. There is no harm in that.
must have my beer, and l am going
to have il, and you or anybody else
can't stop me from getting it. You
want me to promise not to go in a
saloon again? No sir; not me. I'll
stand the fines first. Arrest me as
often as you like. But, say it isn't
fair to pinch me and pass the others
up. Treat us all alike. Oh. if | was
only a man-wouldn't l burn this old
town up. I'll get even, though. It's
a long lane that has no turn"
Breaks Down I'm Her Cell.
The magistrate asked her if she
could pay her fine. She said she
could not. "I'H stick it out, that's
what I'll do, for any old place / hang
my hat is home, sweet home to me-"
and she blurted into singing a strain
from the familiar song as she was led
into a cell. Then her courage failed
again, and she became the woman
with heart, and she wept. The door
leading to her cell was closed to keep
the noise from the paSsers. A friend
came forward and settled Smiths fine.