Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1910-01-27
WHITE SLAVERY
IN ROCK ISLAND?
Authorities Inquiring Into Case
of the Collins and Helm
Girls.
BURGY MAINTAINS A DEN
Said TO Have Induced Young Men to
Take Companions to His Place
on Market Square.

Charles Burgy, whose arrest for as
sault on two young girls was told of
in last evenings Argus, is believed by
the authorities to be what is known in
the underworld as cadet" a vulture
who traffics in young women, leading
them into the meshes of immortality by
bringing them into association with
fallen women
Burgy is in Jail in default of $4,000
grand jury by Justice ]. H. CIeland on
information furnished by H. NJ. Schri-
yer, the assistant states attorney. The
charge he will have to answer to is
assault with intent to commit rape.
Seeking Girls Companions.
Just now the authorities are seeking
out the two young men who brought
the girls, Nellie Collins and Viola Helm. |
to the room maintained by Burgy at |
223 Is Seventeenth street They are !!
known, but they have been missing /
from their familiar haunts since the /
exposure following the arrest of the /
two girls last Monday. Both of the |
latter were declared delinquents in |
the county court and ordered commit
ted to the Geneva school, The parents |
of the Helm. girl pleaded that their
daughter be given another chance to
reform, and on their promise to be
more watchful of her future conduct
she was allowed to go home with them.
They reside in South Rock Island. The
Collins girl was taken to Geneva yes
terday by Miss Dina Ramser, proba-
ton officer of the county court.
Young Men Scared Away.
The missing young men are said to
have been employed in Moline. The
story that the police get is that they
knew Burgy and that he rented out
his room to them. After they had oc-
cupied it for a time Sunday night, he
returned and warned them that the
police were aware of their presence
there with the girls. and he advised
them to get away They took his ad-
vice, with the understanding that the
girls were to remain in the room until
morning, and to meet the young men 1
the day following at a restaurant on
Twentieth street between Second and
Third avenues. After the young men /
so the girls claim. Burgy at
tempted to assault them.
SoIicits for Room.
Burgy Is known to the police as a
saloon hanger-on. 1t is said he gained
a livelihood chiefly by inducing young .
men to take girls to his room, charging
a rental of so cents or any amount
that he could get for the accommoda-
ton. Street walkers are said to have |
used his room, taking men they would
meet on the streets there. This prac-
ice came to the ears of the police and
hey were looking for Burgy TO arrest
and prosecute him He was tipped off
1y some of his henchmen and he went a
% Davenport. He returned later, and c
resumed business at the old stand s
should BE Driven From City. I
U. G.. Collins, father of the Collins L
,frl, claims to know the names of the s
foung men that were with his daugh- e
er and the Helm girl, and they will be ?
,unfshed to the limit of the law when v
hey are apprehended. Burgy's record il
S to be inquired into further, and he
will be made an example of if he proves
o be all that is suspected of him. {
There are others of his stripe that j
re tolerated in this city. The police l
department. could easily learn who =
hey are and where they hang out. It
hey ought to be driven from the sight u
f respectable people. The majority y
f them came here from Davenport
vhen the red light district there was
Tiped out. 8.
Promised Trips TO Big City.
In the case of the Collins and Helm -
irI they were promised trips to St :,
outs by the young men. That is the G
ystem followed by the white slave"
-afficker He pictures the excitement
{ the city to a young girl; tells her he
ill pay her railroad fare both ways, Il
nd when he gets her to the city turns 81
er over to a resort, where she is COM Ii