Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1905-03-24
UNDER BED
Actress at Phillips Boarding
blouse Receives Midnight
Shock.
SCREAMS WAKEN HOUSEHOLD
Intruder Held at Bay With Revolver
Until Policeman Arrives-charced
With Burglary.

Better not forget to peep under your
bed before retiring tonight. An act
ress stopping al the boarding house
Of Mrs. NJ. J. Phillips. 229 Sixteenth
street. when she looked under her bed
asst night met face 10 face with a big
negro. Her screams wakened the
household. Some supposed she was
Tehearsing a scene from a drama in
which she was assigned the heavy
role. She was bordering on nervous
:.rostratiOn when assistance reached
her.
Mrs. Phillips was the first to go to
the room. The black man was on his
knees with his head protruding. Mrs.
Phillips picked up a chair and told
him if he moved another inch she
would brain him. He took a chance.
IN the hope OF escaping. and grappled
with Mrs. Phillips, pushing her against
the wall, the chair striking her in the
nose and drawing blood.
Ledger With Revolver.
a boarder who had a room on the
same floor. aroused by the cries of the
frightened actress, of whose company
&c is member went 10 her aid with
a revolver. He covered the negro and
held chin until the arrival Of Police
nan John Schmidt. who had been sum
mOned from the station, across the
street, by Miss Josephine Phillips.
daughter of the landlady. The negro
first said his name was Campbell. but
this morning. when brought before Po-
lice Magistrate G. A. Johnson to an
swer to charge of burglary, said he
VAS Isaac Berry. and that he had
5een in the city three months He
was held TO the grand jury in bond of
$1,000, which he was not able 10 fur
uish
Climbs Tree Ia Yard.
Berry had been in the boarding
house probably two hours when he
was discovered. He had climbed a
tree in the yard on the east side of
he house TO reach the roof of the
kitchen. The limb that he trusted to
bear him up while he gained his foot
ing on the roof gave way under his
weight and he narrowly escaped a fall
to the ground. Raising a window he
a room that was unoccupied
and which was locked. He broke the
lock and finding himself in the hall
way he tried the door of another room.
This he entered and found unoccupied
also. Here he discontinued his explor-
ing, and crawled under the bed to
await the coming of the occupant
whom it is presumed he was bent on
Tobbing. Shortly before midnight four
theatrical people who were laying over
in Rock Island for a day and had
been to Davenport to attend a perform.
ance at the Burtis applied for lodging.
One couple, man and wife, was as
signed the room that had first been
entered by Berry. The young woman
was given the room in which the
negro was holding forth. The other
of the party q man. was as
signed To room on the same floor
The actress had disrobed and put on
her night dress, arranged her hair. |
gone through her regular exercise. and
her face, when. womanlike, |
dropping to her knees to say her pray
ers she glanced under the bed.
Calls TO See Honey. He said.
mere IS tIlpIOytu at the HnlllpS
boarding house a young coiored WON
an. She has been there for a year.
Berry said that it was to call on this
young woman that he visited the
house. She may claim that she does
not know me" Berry said. but just
the same she does. and l have been
10 see her at the house before. She
has no other place to receive her
company so ii was necessary for me
TO call on her there. | knew the folks
would not stand for me going to the
house. and | had to go there without
them knowing anything about it. RI
got under the bed to surprise her when
she came in. ! nearly tainted when |
saw that white lady" The colored |
woman said Berry's story was a fab
rication in its entirety. He had new
ar been at the house before 10 her
knowledge and she knew nothing of
his coming last night until the officer
was called to take him away. The col
1red servant occupies Il room on the
first floor. Undoubtedly Berry entered
the house for the purpose of robbery.