Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1907-02-21
FIRST CROSS fire
City Clerk Schaffer Demands
Investigation as to Mayor
McCaskrin's Charges
RELATING TO WATERW0RKS
Lively Moving All Around on the
Political Checker
Board.

Rock Island. H.. Feb 21.-Editor
Argus: After the last regular meeting
of the city council, the mayor took y
upon himself to say that the water
works fund of this city was short III
amount $4,000 by which he sought 20
create the impression that | had en-
bezzled the above amount | have
therefore addressed the following COM
municatiOn to the finance committee.
Alderman A. c. Anderson, Chair
man Finance COmmittee-Dear Sir:
The report having been circulated thla
! have embezzled the sum of $4,000
ont of the water works fund. | would
therefore request that you notify the
Title Guaranty & Surety company o.
Scranton, Pa. who have bonded me n
amount of $50 eco. Of these reports
and insist that they send one of their
experts to examine the books in Or
DER 10 show lie people that | have
turned over to the city treasurer every
dollar that has been collected by ne
promptly. want this done not only
in yindiCation OF myself. but also m;
assistant who has worked so faithfully
with me for the past eight years Kin !
y give this your prompt attention and
Obligc, yours truly.
III. c. SCHAFFER, City Clerk"
Called at the Jump-On.
From the above communication.
which City Clerk Schaffer sent to The
Argus office today it is apparent that
George Washington McCaskrin is no,
to be permitted to get away mchdl-
lenged in the abuse and SANDER #
public officials and private citizens
such as has characterized his cam
paiSfs heretofore As a private ciri-
zen playing for votes, great deal of
the McCaskrin trash has heretofore
gone unnoJicCd. but as mayor his ALI
cations against a fellow official are to
he made the subject of an investiga-
ton.
The charge TO which Mr. Schaffar
has taken exception was made by
Mayor McCaskrin in his harangue at
the close of last Monday nights coun-
Gil meeting, and while there are mans
who have always been disposed 10 pay
no attention to his reckless political
assertions. it appears on the face of i,
that Mr.. Schaffer is inclined othe~-
wise, feeling that both his OWL charac-
ter and that of his assistant as we'll as
his standing as a candidate for the
mayOralty demand the course ne has
adopted.
Plenty of Moves Being Made.
There are just now plenty of IivCI
moves in progress on the political
checker board. locally speaking. Both
the Schaffer and Craig factions within
the republican party are waging biz
ter warfare in behalf of their respect.
i've candidates and the secondary
struggles for the city clerkship and
city attomeyship nominations are 90
ing forward with equal energy an
earnestnCss.
As side issue comes the promise
of the formal announcement at IN
early date of tho candidacy for mayor
of McCaskrin's old lieutenant. Pea
nut" Dick. who. it is understood. pro
poses taking the stump in his own be
half and against his old time Idol
Mayor McCaskrin has as yet taken ne
steps in his own behalf. but judging
from the peculiar phases OF the situa
ton the names of his petitioners vii
he read with interest when he file
them
The Citizens Ticket.
The effect Of the innovation in til,
way OF he citizens non-partisan nov,
ment, the official call for whose con
Nention at Maths hall in the Krell q
Ma;h building tonight. appears in tn,
advertising columns of this paper. re
mains to be seen.
The democratic party has made n
move yet. and its course remains t
be developed.
The one idea that pervades the en-
tire local political field is that the cit
should be redeemed from the presen
control and regardless of what ma
be the appearance of the map of Roc
Island by election time. the most cor
spicuous spot will not indicate where Nc
Caskrin comes in, but. to apply in t
true sense. the slang veInaculai
where he gets off at"