Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1910-09-26
Operators of Park Saloon Den
on Twentieth Street Served
With State Warrants in
Justice Court.
MAY DESTROY THE OUTFITS
Secured Under Replevin Writ to
Be Asked-Gentry Out in
Force at Hearing.

The gambling fraternity, heretofore
inclined to take to cover when the
light Of the law was turned into its
public dens, further displayed it's def
Rnce and apparent security by turning
out in force this morning in the court
of Justice P. H. Wells to add moral
weight TO the rights" of Mcbride and
Billburg in retaining possession of the
outfit taken from the Park saloon.
John Looney appeared as attorney for
the gamblers. Mcbride and Billburg
also are demanding the return of the
1870 bank rolls seized in the raid by
Constable August Schmid.
Incident to the proceedings warrants
charging gambling were sworn out
against Billburg and Mcbride and they
were placed under arrest in Justice
Wells court. John H. Hauberg,. the
Moline attorney, appears as the inform
ant in the warrants, which were issued
upon instructions of States Attorney
L. NJ. Magill, who is conducting the
prosecution of the search warrants.
The warrants were issued by Justice
Wells and served by Constable Gold
burg. Billburg and Mcbride furnished
bonds for appearance to answer the
charges of gambling.
H. NJ. Schriyer, assistant states at
torney, is aiding in the prosecution at
the hearing. Mr.. Magill announced
that he would ask Justice Wells for an
order to recover possession of the Bill
burg gambling paraphernalia, now in
storage in Davenport, and also for au-
thority to destroy it in accordance
with law.
Hearing Is Commenced.
After two or three delays, the trial
on the search warrant used by Con-
stable August Schmid in searching
the resort conducted by a. W. Bill
burg, 221 Twentieth street, and in con-
f1scating the gambling paraphernalia
found there, came up in the court Of
P. H. Wells this morning. The con-
stable was placed upon the stand by
States Attorney L. NJ. Magill, who
prosecuted, and he was kept'there all
morning. The state showed by his
testimony that complaint had been
made against the Billburg establish
ment and that Justice J. H. Cleland
had issued the warrant and placed 1t
in the hands of the constable to be
served. Schmid went to the rooms
which are over the Park saloon, and
after experiencing some little diff
Guilty with J. E. Mcbride, who was in
charge of the place, took number of
gambling tables. These he stored in
the Roessler storage house on Fiji
teenth street.
Trial a Farce.
Throughout all the examination con-
Quoted by the state, John Looney, who
defended the gamblers, intimated that
the gamblers would question Schmid's
right to seize on the goods which he
took on the grounds that he was not
a properly qualified officer Of the
law and there was something
crooked about the manner in which
the search warrant was drawn and
turned over to Schmid. In his cross
examination he tried to learn what the
constable had done with the money
which was taken out of the confiscat-
ed tables, but this information was
withheld when the state objected to
the question as not being proper in |
cross-examination. 1t was apparent |
that the gamblers are not worried |
about the disposition of the gambling |
goods, inasmuch as they have it safe
" stored away in Davenport, but they |
would like to get their hands on the |
money which was conf1scated at the
same time. They seem to feel sure