Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1904-10-14
OWL CAR ROWDIES.
Tri-City Railway Company to Put
Stop to Midnight Per-
formances.
PANIC is CAUSED SUNDAY
BY Two Drunken Fellows Engaging in
Fight - Warrants for Their
Arrest.

Warrants were sworn out in the
Rock Island police court today for
the arrest of two men who caused
panic among the passengers on the
owl car from Davenport at u o'clock
last Sunday night. When the middle
of the draw bridge was reached they
engaged in a personal encounter over
a woman whom both had been to call
on during the evening.
The men were standing in the aisle
near the front of the car. all the seats
being occupied, when they began talk
ing heatedly, and then proceeded to
pound one another. Women screamed
and men endeayOred to rush from the
car The friends of the men inter
coded to preserve peace, but they were
warned to keep their hands off if they
wanted to escape trouble
The conductor was helpless. The
car was stopped at the guard house
and the Rock Island police headquar-
tiers telephoned. but before the officers
who were detailed on the case could
reach the Twenty-fourth street viaduct
the fighters had escaped. both bleeding
from wounds in their faces. In the
meantime their names have been
learned and they are to be prosecuted
for their disgraceful conduct.
Cause of Much Complaint.
The performances of the element
that fills the Owl car from Davenport
mostly every night in the week have
been a source of considerable COM
plant from respectable persons who
49,
of the river till an hour that obliged
them to catch the last car. The man
agement has been acquainted with the
conditions and has promised to put
an end to the insulting of passengers
on this car.
Only recently two Rock Island cou-
pies, each accompanied by a daughter
Of probably II years, had been to at
tend card party in Davenport. They
boarded the owl car a block below
| Turner hall. There were only few
| passengers on the car, but when it
reached the red light district there was
a grand rush of men and women, white
and black, half of them intoxicated
some smoking cigarettes. others carry
| ing hot tamales or hamburger sand
wiches that they had procured at the
street lunch wagons and which they
| devoured on the journey across the
bridges
In one of the parties there was d
young woman who had gotten more
drinks aboard than her companions
She squatted down in the aisle, and
sang Il song. Two women took hold
of her and threw her over on her back.
Then she began to swear When she
was finally quietd she asked for the
lighted it. Two young fellows who
thought they could sing organized a
mixed quartet, and reeled off a few of
the latest parOdies current in the
| Davenport tenderlOin district.
Lucky to Save His Car.
The Rock Island citizens with their
| wives and children in the back of the
car protested to the conductor, but
ne confessed that he was unable to do
anything. He said that was no I'M
get his car through the trip without
| losing the windows and seats. On an
other night a drunken negro stood in
the aisle and defied every white per
son in the car. He said he was Just as
| good as they were. and dared any one
10 disagree with him. He said if any
one did he would get him. if not on
| he car after he had alighted. He
! bluffCd the whole car.