Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1909-11-10
$4,000 WORTHOF GAMBLING
EQUIPMENT TAKEN In A RAID


marked. why, we were treating ev-
erybody right and supposed we had
satisfied them ALL 1 can't see what
they mean. It's certainly not playing
square with US. We have gone ahead
and put our good money into these
layouts-you know they come high
leased our rooms, and had settled down
in the belief that we were not to be
disturbed. Now what do you think of
it? Pretty raw treatment, don't you
think?"
O'COnneII Gums the Game.
w. A. O'Connell of Davenport is the
one directly responsible for the pres
ent unsettled state of affairs in gam
bling circles. O'Connell, the story
of whose experiences was related in
last nights Argus, visited the
city Monday afternoon. He dropped
into the resort over the Park saloon,
on Twentieth street, and took a buck
st the tiger. He did not appear to be
satisfied with the manner in which he
had been separated. An inventory
showed that he had contributed $95.
He declared he had been jobbed. So
he took his grievance to the sheriff.
The latter Immediately arrested him
on an information fled in the county
court charging him with gambling.
O'Connell thought this a strange pro-
cedure. He wanted to know why the
real offenders should escape.
But O'ConneH maintained that
he had lost his money in an I'M
fair game and he demanded that 1t be
retuTHed to him through the
county authorities. Presently a
check, forwarded from the Park
gambling joint, came to the
court house, and was turned over to
O'Connell. He cashed it at once. 1t
was for 500. O'ConnelI then stated
that he was ready for trial, whereupon
it was decided that he had not commit
ted any real offense, and the informa-
ton that had been filed against him
was withdrawn.
Public Record Disastrous.
The recording in the county court of
the charge against O'Connell caused
an investigation by The Argus. The
facts thereupon came out. The
Sheriff's information against O'Con-
nell was in Itself positive evil
dence that gambling was being openly
carried on in the city in at least one
place. He had no alternative, and the
raid was the result.
BoIdest In History of City.
Never before in the history of the
city of Rock Island had the gamblers
become so bold as they had been in
the past few months, following a clean
ing up, also conducted under the di-
rection of the sheriff. At that time it
was announced that gambling would
have to cease here. However, the
members of the fraternity continued
to linger. The Argus predicted that
they would open again, and they did,
but not until they had effected Ear
with the proper powers.
The word went out over the country
that the city was wide open, and new
Corners were arriving daily. They in
cluded some of the most dangerous
crooks in the country They were en-
trenched so strongly-or at least they
believed they were-that they would
resent any interference from other Of
fetal sources. In other words, the or
binary taxpayer had no voice in pro-
testing against crime in his city. He
would keep mum or stand the conse-
1uences. They would do some clean
ing in this here village" as one of
hem put it in an underground threat /
hat was sent out.
Nightly Losses Reported.
Ordinarily, when a man is trimmed |
In a square play, he takes his medi- /
cine. It is only in rare instances that |
Z loser will seek protection from the |
police authorities. The lay gambler is
100 game for that. But when he is |
'roped'' hewill squeal in the majority |
If cases. The strong arm" gentry |
must have been numerous here, for /
here were repeated complaints of |
Victims against the gamblers. Only /
, few of them came to The Argus. The /
7ictim, as rule, was bluffed or hush |
I'd" He was satisfied to get his mon
~ back. But O'ConnelI proved an ex-
,eption.
work Has Only Been Begun.
The work of giving Rock Island |
moral cleansing has barely been start |
ID. Readers of The Argus will recall /
he experience of the Davenport livery |
stable employee. He drew his months |
Jay of $40. He told his wife that he |
vas going to the grocer and butcher |
md settle the monthly bills. Instead |
lie came to Rock Island. His wife |
ound him in the gambling room over
he Park saloon at night. He was |
broke" She coaxed him to leave with !
Ter. When they reached a dark spot /
IN Twenty-first street he proceeded to |
,eat her, piqued over his loss and her |
him. Two passing citizens |
nterfered and the woman was saved /
he punishment the husband had plan
led to give her. This case was un-
loticed by the authorities.
Farmer "RolIed."