Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1909-02-23


hind telephone poles on opposite sides
lof the street. While they were in this
position several other shots were eX-
changed. Wilmerton ceased firing, and
turned and entered his Of
Ifice, and as he did SO Looney
then stopped the bombardment from
his side of the street, and crossed to
the south side in diagonal direction.
Preaching the sidewalk just west of
Wilmerton's Office. He walked down
toward the Safety building, emptied
his revolver of the discharged shells
and reloading the revolver, started
back toward Wilmerton's Office, where
he was placed in custody just before
he reached the front of Wilmerton's
Office.
One bullet went through the window
| of Wilmerton's office, and narrowly es
capped striking a young woman there
Several bullets left their marks on the
telephone pole on the north side of the
street, behind which Looney stood dur
| ing the duel.
| Wilmerton appears to have refilleG
his weapon with cartridges ON return
ing to his Office, for when the officers
arrived he was standing behind tho
counter, with his loaded revolver in
his hand and resting across the coun-
ter. He surrendered readily and went
to the police station with Officer
kirsch.
| When Detective Cox and Officer Kell
to accompany them to the station a
big crowd had gathered on the scene
attracted by the sound of the firing
Looney was asked to give up his revol
yer, but taking it from his pocket, he
held it in a position near his side and
lsaid: why, yes. There is the gun.
But his attitude was defiant, and the
officer did not attempt to reach the
gun, but ordered Looney to go with
him to the station. At the police sta.
ton the gun was wrested from Loon
ley's fingers.
Statement of An Eye Witness.
The police are endeavoring to secure
evidence from someone who saw the
affair from the beginning, but there
are conflicting stories as to which fired
the first shot. Wilmerton declares
Looney tried to assassinate him
Looney insists that Wilmerton shot
him in the back. The majority Of
: those who saw the shooting did not
see the first shot fired, but were at
tracted to the scene by the report OF
: the first shot, although one of Mr.. Will
mertons attorneys said: 1.-THE evi
dence will show that Loone!
fired the first shot" Mrs. c. E. Lutes
was in her apartment on the second
floor on the south side of the avenue
She heard the report of the first shot
and running to window, saw Looney
on the opposite side of the street hold
ing a smoking weapon in his hand
CHANGING down to the sidewalk, she
saw Wilmerton just as he fired a
+ LOoney, and several shots were quick
e lily exchanged She saw WilmertoI
e turn, and saw Looney cross the stree
l. and walk toward the Safety building
: land reloading his revolver, start cas-
0 again on the south side of the avenue
Il Cause of the Shooting.
The Looney-Wilmerton duel was, a
stated yesterday by The Argus, no
unexpected. 1t grew out of the tangl
in the affairs of the old publication
established and conducted by Loone
: until it passed from his cor
p troll to Wilmerton at the tim
lof the mysterious bomb e1
y lplosion in the Looney building on SEE
/ ond avenue. This bomb explosion, il
cidentally, was followed at interval
by two mysterious fires in the Loone
building. Several months passed will
tout any disturbance and no eruption c
- feeling between Looney and Wilmer
ton.
A few weeks ago, however, Loone
: renewed his publication, and in tn
first issue made an attack on Wilme
ton relative to the business affairs {
the old publication. This brough
forth an indirect editorial reply fror
\ Wilmerton, and in the last issue {
B Looneys publication he reproduce
4 this in his paper and INDUCED in
seathing and bitter personal attac
lupon Wilmerton and his family.
When this became known there wa
a general feeling that it might resu
in just some such an affair as thu
which took place yesterday afternoon
and the news of the pistol duel on th
street, while it occasioned great e,
element, caused no surprise.
HI Hundreds of people were attracte
to the police headquarters by the a
fair, and the officers found it nece
sary to lock the doors and place
4 guard on duty at each entrance, viii
the arrangements for continuance
the hearing were pending.
SlWEATHER AFFECTS PRlMARlE
Voting Reported Rather Lighter Thu
Had Been Expected.