Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1906-02-21
THE LESSON OF IT
Another Instance of the Lack of
Proper Police Super.
vision
N SUICIDE OF GAMBLER
Tragic Incident of Conditions
That Have Been Going On IN
checked.

hotel Harms tragedy, as gained from
recorded testimony, that the lesson
If the occurrence should be drawn
at the time, yet the sad circum-
stances as well as the significance of
he same, cannot pass entirely
Innoticed. 1t is not necessary to
lisavow the least purpose or in
,lination to harrow either the
riends of the victim of the tragic al
air, if such are found, or the public
With repeated references to the status
If public morals in Rock Island as de-
1eloped through the fate of one unfor-
innate gambler. 1t is simply another
Illustration of the deplorable state OF
Affairs that has developed in Rock Is
and in the absence of intelligent po-
ice supervision
\ few months ago gambler was ar
rested for the burglary of a gambling
house. 1t was because then, as now,
The Argus made such comments as
suited itself and as it will al
ways do where occasion warrants,
hat the present mayor went into tan
gent, lost his head and did number of
things for which there is reason to be-
lieve he has since been sorry Then
he gambler was the victim of a double
cross and landed in custody. In this
latter instance the gambler may have
ilso been the victim of the double
cross-but a tragedy was the result.
The Cause of ID All.
The spectacle, however, is present
I'd of city Boosting modern progress
5ive methods grinding along month afe
er month without a chief of police, the
present system of operating approach
ing the ideal to about the same degree
Of harmony as is produced by a one
man band. The situation, too. has an
other striking phase which excites no
little comment The same crowd of
gamblers, grafters, confidence men and
easy-mOney men who have swooped
down on Rock Island and clustered
about Cations alley saloon, are en-
gagged in going about town telling how
they are immune from prosecution
They even go further and assert how, if
encouragement is given to certain
matchmaking methods the lid will be
taken off," etc. While this talk is be-
ing put out among the business people,
work brow-beating and abusing alder
men, agitating the saloon ques-
ton and threatening certain peo-
pie. to do so and so if the wishes of
the black hand are not complied with
In the meantime the legitimate saloon
interests of the town pay the penalty.
The people who pay taxes and have
homes and property here suffer finan-
cial loss because the CRATER crowd
kicks up dust to blind the public so
that the itinerant horde who are So
Journlng here TO fleece the unwary may
have chance to divide the pickings
with the Unsuitable black hand whose
greed is proverbial
Had Plenty of Warming
This is the condition that has exist
ed since last June. All summer long
at repeated intervals the attention of
Mayor McCaskrin was called by
The Argus to the evils that were
growing out of his negligence in
the matter of the proper gov
eminent and control of police af-
fairs. Taking advantage of the mex
perience of the self constituted chief
and confidence men made this CITY
their headquarters; a fence was es-
tablisheG; a number Of confidence
games were attempted. Confidence
men and gamblers strutted boldly
thu ough the streets and made no bones
about their occupation. As an auxiliary
to the whole affair the black hand
methods were instituted of assailing
men and institutions, not very few of
either escaped. in the hopes of divert
ing the attention of the people from
what was in reality going on. This is
an old game, but the experience is a
new one in Rock Island Meanwhile
one gambling house paid tribute to an
other until finally the episode of last
November that made the present may
or the laughing stock of the commun-
ity.
Then under the public exposure the
gamblers vamoosed for a time, but
have since sneaked back one at a
time, until the Hotel Harms tragedy re-
suited. ALI will probably be quiet
again now for a time.
The Argus, however, is not looking
for opportunities to comment upon the
conditions that have brought this all
about. 1t will not be moved in the least
by what the gang may think of its
policy, but by what may happen to re-
veal conditions as they are in Rock
Island 1t proposes to relate facts and
as they develop, abiding
in the faith that, some day, as has
been repeatedly said, there will be a
public awakening.
And those who have been hurt the
most will do the loudest bowling from
this on.
Suicide May Have Occurred Sunday.
According to statements made today |
by employees of the Hotel Harms, W.
H. Hardesty may not have committed |
suicide before Sunday evening, or pos
sibly Monday some time during the |
day. The chambermaids, who make the !