Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1910-01-31
BLACK BURGLAR
ROBS AND SHOOTS
Mysterious Bandit, After Alb
sence of Few Months, Re
turns for Another Job.
HOLDS UP HANSON SALOON
Lines Proprietor and Patrons Against
Wall and Rifles TiIl-Fires Re-
volyer, Injuring One.

volver, Injuring One.
SUCCESSFUL RAIDS BY BLACK BAN
DIT.
Station agent and baggageman of
the Burlington road at Clinton.
Pottiger restaurant, Rock Island.
Two raids at small points in Iowa.
Casino saloon, Rock Island.
Hanson saloon, Rock Island.
Another daring hOldup by the mys-
terious negro who has won such no
tor1ety in the past few months in this
vicinity took place at u o'clock last
night at the saloon of 4. c. Hanson,
Fifth avenue and Forty-sixth street.
The deed was not a bloodless one,
as were previous robberies by the
black bandit, one man being shot in
the hip in a melee which accompanied
the getting away of the robber. VIII
liam Poison, who resides on Forty
sixth street was the one who was in
Jured, but his wound is not serious
one from all accounts. 1t was inflicted
by bullet from one of the big re
yolvers carried by the bandit and
which have been so much in evidence
IN each of his six known holdups.
Follows Same System.
The negro carried out the holdup CT
the Hanson saloon in much the same
manner that was successful in his
other jobs. About 1870 he entered
the place by means of rear door and
after 1eveling his two guns at the
seven inmates of the saloon ordered
them to line up against the wall where
they would be powerless to interfere
with him. They fastened 20 obey, ex
cepting a brother of the proprietor,
who edged up near a door without at
tracing the negros attention. Mr..
Hanson was behind the bar counting
out the contents of the two cash draw
ers when the robber burst in on the
scene. The negro informed him that
Z he would take charge of the cash and
Hanson had TO join the others over
against the wall. While this little
conversation was going on. Hanson's
brother Fred escaped from the room
through the door nearby and the slight
noise which he made warned the negro
of his presence and for the first time
agitation
Drops Some Money.
His agitation caused him to try to
keep his eyes on the other men in the
room and at the same time to transfer
the money in the drawers to his
pockets in the least possible time, as
he knew the alarm would soon be
given and he would have to fight for
his freedom. Several times his hand
missed the pocket in his jumper and |
the coins dropped on the floor. He !
dared not stoop to pick them up, as
this would have given the men lined I
UP against the wall a chance to over /
power him, and the result was his /
nervousness cost him many dollars. /
He succeeded. however, in getting /
away with $31.45. He made no at
tempt to get the money upon the per
sons of the inmates of the saloon /
As soon as he had secured what was /
in the drawers he backed out from
behind the bar and went to the rear
door, where he pulled the blue hand |
kerchief off his face before going out /
side.
Regular Battle Follows.
His exit from the saloon was the
signal for a melee outside the door.
Fred Hanson, who had escaped from
the building, had hurriedly gathered
some men together and returned 10
the saloon where they laid in wait
for the masked negro at the rear en-
trance. They armed themselves with
beer bottles and when the robber
came out they made a combined ct |
tack upon him. Apparently he was
expecting it, for he made his getaway |
in hurry up order after firing three
shots at his assailants. One of the
shots took effect as described above. |
BY this time the men in the saloon !
were on the Negroes trail with revoE |
vers and several Intellectual shots were |
fred after him as he ran. but he dis
appeared before he could be brought |
down.
Was Expecting Visit.
Mr.. Hanson. proprietor of the saloon, /
in an interview with an Argus repre- |
sentative this morning stated that ne /.
was constantly in fear of a visit from
the marander since learning of his /
other recent exploits, but that the (
negro came before plans had been /
made to forestall him. The Hanson
saloon is one which would appeal TO !
a robber, as it is close to the Moline /
line, where there is little police pro- |
lection from either city, and the neigh
borhood is such that hiding is easy. /
The proprietor had secured new re- /
volver only a few days ago with a /
view to having 1t with him for just such /
an emergency, but the gun was up /
stairs at the time, and Mr.. Hanson |
was unarmed.
Likes Sunday Night.
The mysterious negro seems to pre- /
fer Sunday nights for his jobs, espe-
cially when It IS a saloon which he in
tends to rob. The proprietors OF these |
places fight shy OF notifying the police
afte~ The hoIdup because in doing