Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1909-11-06

land has the vicious saloon, the
gambling room, the street walker and
all the riffraff that accompany these
evils. Seemingly they have free
hand. Rock Island today stands in
danger of gaining reputation equal
ly as bad as Davenport had in it's
wide open" days. The same argu-
ment is heard here as was heard in
Davenport when the people arose
and demanded cleaning up. Dav-
export has proved the weakness of
this cry A moral cleaning here will
give the same answer.
Keepers of these gambling and sa-
loon joints in Rock Island have grown
so bold and defiant that they give
no heed to the members of the police
department. The latter are nothing
more than walking dummies in the
eyes of the offenders. They have
made admissions of their helpless
ness. The crooks are in control
Nightly saloon Fights.
There are nightly fights in the dis
orderly saloons, the majority OF them
caused over women. If the granite
statue of Black Hawk in Spencer
square could talk, it would reveal a
story of almost nightly fights at
Twentieth street and Third avenue
One occurred last night. 1t was
over a street walker. So far
as known no arrests are made in
these cases. Thursday night a citi-
zen from a neighboring town was
lured into one of these hell hole sa-
looms and robbed of 800. A woman
was at the bottom of it. She got the
stranger to her room above the sa-
loon. There he met her friend"
The latter, male, got the money, ac-
cording to the story the victim told
the police. -
Another night this week a Daven-
port man, employed in a livery stable
at a salary of $40 per month, left
his wife and babies in the morning
after drawing his pay ostensibly to
settle the grocery and meat bills.
He came to Rock Island instead and
went to a gambling den on Twentieth
street. His wife followed him and |
found him at the place. She begged |
him to return home with her.
Loses Money; Beats wife.
He left the den with her, and when |
he got her on a dark street he beat |
her for her interference. Two citi-
zens stopped him before he injured |
the woman. His money was gone
the vultures had gotten it. These +
are still laying in wait night
" for other victims. There was a
Tine when a man could occasionally
get a square deal in a gambling
house. Then boys or drunkards were
not allowed to play. But there is
4 different stripe of gambler-of
course there may be a few excep-
forth in Rock Island
oday. He is after the money. 1t
makes no difference to him how he
gets it or from whom he gets it.
Rock Island has the tin horn gam
,ler and the cut-throat gambler; the
elbow who would slug you in dark
llley if he thought you had a good
lollar on you.
Professional stall workers
The street walker who infests Rock
sland today is a professional. She
works with the saloon keeper who
her accommodations; gives
Ter a stall where she can ply her
rattle. She goes into the streets for
Ter victims. And she generally gets
Ssm. She has an assistant at ready
all. He lives off the pickings of her
icious traffic. Sometimes, when 9TH
II ruses will not work, he becomes
he injured" husband. 1t is use
ess for the victim to complain. In
most cases he does not. But when
lie does he is frightened by the pos
Utility of publicity.
Rock Island can grow and prosper
Without the being known as a wide
pen" city. 1t may well take it's
esson from near home-Dayenport
Ioline has never gone to the depths
hat Rock Island has. 1t is prosper
ng and going ahead.
There must be a stop here. The
onger it is delayed the more damage
Till be done.
IN Dr. INTCQIIRPAN