Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1909-11-04
FOUND IN A DEN;
BEATS HIS WIFE
Davenporter Loses His Wages
in Rock Island Gambling
Hole.
SPOUSE PURSUEs HIM HERE
He Starts Out to Pay Grocery Bill
and Winds Up in This City-Wo-
man Attacked on Street.

A woman came from her home in
Davenport to Rock Island last night in
quest of her husband, who is a victim
of the gambling habit She found
him. but not until he had lost his
month'e wages. Two Rock Island citi-
zens, on their way home, learned the
woman,s story. One of the men said
today:
"Tha incident occurred last night at
about $3.50. We were walking home
when nearing the Swedish Bap-
fist church, at Fifth avenue
and Twenty-irst street. we
heard a woman scream and saw man
run. Then we saw an elderly woman
step out into the street under an cleo
trio light, moaning and apparently N
great pain. We hurried back and In
Quired what was the matter, and she
said she had just taken her husband
out of a gambling den over saloon
near Spencer square. After leaving
the saloon, she said, he became en-
ragged ut her interference and when
they reached a point on Fifth avenue
between Twentieth and Twenty-first
streets he gave her a terrific blow on
the breast to use her exact language.
1t was then that she screamed and he.
ran.
Goes 10 Pay Grocery Bill.
After she had recovered somewhat
/ ~ 1f hA blow che fold
us that she was a resident Of Daven-
port and that her husband worked IN
a livery stable there at SO week;
that he was in the habit OF coming
over here to the gambling den re-
ferred to, which is conducted by ex-
Davenport sports; that he had receiv-
ed his months wages in the morning
and had started down town ostensibly
to pay their grocery and meat bills,
but really to come over to Rock Island
and waste his money at gambling;
that she knew. what his habits were
in this line, and when he did not re-
turn in the evening she came over
here and hunted him up, with the re-
suit as have told you. She was cry
ing pitifuIly all the time she was re-
lating her story, and bemoaned the
loss of he husbands wages. Just
think how much bread and meat that
money would buy she said, and now
he's gone and wasted it in that hell
hole. and haven't got cent for the
house.
when she had sufficiently recovered
from the blow to be able to walk she
started back towards Spencer square
again, saying she was going to hunt
up a policeman and have him take
her back to the gambling den and see
if her husband had returned, and if 50 |
to try again to get him out of it,
Several Places Operating
Recently, it will be recalled, public |
gambling was stopped in Rock Island, |
by order of Sheriff Kittilsen, |
but the storm subsidized a few weeks
ago, and there are at least four places
running full blast again. They are
operated, that is, some of them are,
by what is known as the tinhorn va
stoop to the use of lead pipe to turn
4 dollar. These dens are the rendez-
vous of the lowest brand of crook and
cut throat They lay in wait like vul-
lures for the unfortunate with a par
tiar Jag and a few dollars in his
pocket The majority of Them have
been driven from other communities.
and have camped In Rock Island for
the winter. They ought to be driven.
together with all their fix, from this
city. They are a blot on the decencv