Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1908-02-29
Rock Island Brushes to Say.

A week ago tonight a squad of au-
thorized detectives at Chicago swooped |
down upon a. resort where 80 crooks |
and pluguglies, all armed to the teeth |
and organized as detectives, headed
by a crooked constable and provided
with what purported to be warrants
for the arrest of certain parties had
assembled for the purpose of raiding a
gambling joint in a suburb. The whole
bunch was cOrralled and the members
are now held to- answer criminal
charges, while the metropolitan press has
referred to the undertaking as one of
the most desperate and brazen of any
ever concOcted in city accustomed to
nervy crimes.
Projects similar to the above though
OF course on n scale of much less mag
nitude, have been worked in Rock Is
land from time TO time for years. The
knight of the double cross has flour
| ished here under the very noses of
local authorities, winked at and even
at times actively aided by the latter
As has heretofore been related in
| The Argus, prize fights, foot races, dog
fights and cock fights have been sue
cessfully pulled off, not on their merits
or for the mere enjoyment of the
sports for these inclined toward this
form of amusement, but with a dis
tinct understanding in advance as to
| the outcome, crossed with a counter
1 n Cr.n mi ht- Oh h., I,
whom the job was put up was in the
end swindled at his own game, and in
some of these instances cOnstables and
police were brought in to force the set
Element or dizzy as the case might be.
Even in very recent years, instances
may be recalled of the successful
lplying of the double cross here in
Rock Island. One was in the
lease of a gambling gang, wherein one
gambler was induced to attempt to rob
another gambling house, and while en-
gagged in carrying out the plot the
owner of the place, another gambler
was given the tip to descend upon the
place and catch the thief in the act
with the result that information was
lodged with the charge of attempt, to
Iburglarize gambling house. Some
body had to shake down, and some
body did. Then all was quiet again
until a gambler, after being double
crossed in a gambling joint, committed
suicide in a local hotel Then there
was terrific furore. But after while
quiet and peace reigned again
AT the present moment the light Of
y day promises to be let in on one of tn,
boldest cases of double-cross ever
worked in this part of the country.
was pulled off some time since on tn,
outskirts of Rock Island. The MAJ
who got the little end of the deal il
back here hunting down the rascal
o who betrayed him. But the police are no
in on the unraveling of the mystery
S For some reason their services ar
not wanted this time. Three ex-polic
d officers, whom the sheriff has beel
pleased to delegate to this particula
undertaking at the behest of those in
terested, in at least locating the swir
g oilers, are deemed more capable of az
. lcOmplishing the desired ends thai
, Ieven the regular force of the sheriff.
q The work of these special deputie
Il will be watched with interest. @
!. course, while all will indulge the hop
Il that they may accomplish the purpos
n OF justice-and that they may not sto
!. until they bring every one in in an
If way connected with the rascally affai
IL or who may profit thereby before tn
bar.
Meanwhile Rock Island bushes t
say that for deeds that are dark an
crooked, too often concealed, even Oh
" cagO, has not so much of an edge.