Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1905-04-24
STRIFE ON FORCE
John Doves Suspended and TV o
Suits Started Agai ST
Him
ONE FOR OBTAINING CHIEF
And Another For Assaulting Sergeant
John Sehmidt-Hardy Hetter
Draws Lay of Also.

| JOLn EONSS, WHO WAS q LlCLlOCA Vi
the Rock Island police department I'M
| I'll Saturday evening. is in hard lines.
Not only is he out of job. but he has
to answer to a charge of assault and
| battery and a suit for defamation of
character that Chief of Police Phil
Miller expects to have started in the
circuit court this present week.
Bowes has been on the night shift.
Here is how all the commOtion orig
mated, according to the information
that can be gathered at headquarters:
Chief Miller recently purchased a lot
on Thirteenth street and Fifth avenue.
Phil plans to build home there, where
he can spend the remainder of his
days away from the busy strife of met
ropolitan activity, for he has stated
unequivocally that he is done forever
with public life when he lays down his
star at the end of the present admins
tration. He says he has been on the
force q years in different capacities
He has saved enough TO keep the wolf
from the door. and he thinks he is en-
titled to a holiday. now that he has
gotten along to that point in life when
he likes to sleep late in the morning.
Filling of the Lot.
Bowes has been passing the Miller
lot II is low and teams have been
hauling dirt to fill it. Bowes, so it
came to the chiefs ears, had made the
statement that Miller was having the
city fill the lot. and that it was not
going TO cost him a copper. Bowes
was called upon the carpet. He said
that he had been misquoted. He ad-
mitted that he had circulated the story,
but only as it had been told to him.
John Schmidt, the night desk ser
geant, overheard Bowes' utterances,
and carried them to his chief. He did
not tattle voluntarily He coughed up
when the chief asked him what he had
heard. The chief has confidence in
Schmidt. He is satisfied that he would
not give him a bum steer. So he really
believes that BOwes is the author of
the story of his having his lot filled at
the expense of the city. Phil says it
is pretty late for him to begin stealing.
Anyway, he says, he would not begin
on dirt.
BOwes and Schmidt Cross Wires.
Here is where Schmidt and Bowes
got their wires crossed. When BOwes
reported for duty Saturday evening he
knew of what Schmidt had told the
chief. He called Schmidt Schmidt
stood pat. BOwes reminded Schmidt
that he had not always been an angel.
Bowes began to cast up. Schmidt still
stood pat. but threw a hot one occa-
siOnally that shook Bowes' armor. 1t
that q ha
thick as brothers. So thick that
Schmidt was best man at Bowes' we'd
ding. The bantering went on until
Bowes saw that his words were not
having the desired effect. and he took
a poke at his old friend. The chief
was on the scene instanter Bowes was
given his walking papers. He left the
station. but before he had reached his
home Policeman Gus Kirsch overlook
him and read warrant to him that
had been gotten out by Schmidt The
warrant charged him with assault and
battery. He was brought back to the
station, and the hearing was continued
Chief Miller took Sunday to think
over the story that he is satisfied
Bowes started on him. This morning
ne consulted City Attorney w. L. Lu-
dolph. Afterward he announced that
he would bring suit against Bowes and
give him opportunity to prove his as
SeTtionS.
Another One Vacation.
Then there is more trouble: Hardy
Hetter has returned to citizenship
Thursday night, the chief states. Hardy
grew excited and chased two buggies
occupied by five unoffending persons.
two of them g!r.s. over on Fort Arm
strong avenue, and peppered the at
mosphere with city bullets. The chief
says that Hetter could not satisfacto-
Ily explain his conduct. and he was
given an indefinite vacation. The
chief stated this morning that neither
A., Bowes nor Hetter would serve ON tho
| department again while he was AZ tho
head of IL