Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1910-04-12
Warrants to Seize Contents of
the Billburg Place Are
Not Served.
PROPRIETOR BOUND OVER
Constable Denied Assistance by Sher-
iff-Latter Gives Statement
Through Deputy.

house at his hearing before Justice
p. H. Wells this morning and was held
to the grand jury in bond of $500,
which he furnished.
There was an additional charge If
gaming against Billburg. in which the
information was filed by Goldberg also.
On this charge, Billburg this after
noon was fined 800 by Justice Wells.
Edward Goldberg swore the war
rant for the arrest of Billburg. There
was a warrant for Harvey Merritt,
on a charge of gaming. also, but
Harvey got wind of the proceedings
evidently, and he decamped for 9TH
berg alleged, who dealt at the faro
bank in which the former claims to
have dropped $55.
Twice In the Same Place.
Goldberg is a peddler. He said
that he paid two visits to the tiger,
first last Friday, when he got stung
slightly. and then he returned Sun
day to recoup and got further in
than ever. He was not positive that
the game was not played on the
square. but he had his doubts. At
all events. he did not feel that he
could afford to drop $50 in one
place, and he wanted to have his
money returned to him. Billburg
did not deny that there was gambling
in the rooms above his saloon, but
he denied that he participated per-
sonally. He admitted that Merritt
was dealing at the bank while Gold
berg was playing. Billburg, so Gold
berg testified, was occupying the
lookout chair while he was So
journing in the gambling resort.
BiIIburE Cries BIacIkmaII.
Billburg refused to restore the $50
to Goldberg, claiming that his total
loss did not exceed SIS. Billburg com
planned to the court that Goldberg
was one of a crowd of short sports
that took him for an easy mark; that
they would lose a few dollars in his
place and then demand of him about
four times the size of their losses Oh
pain of prosecution. He declared that
this was one time he did not propose
to fall for their game.
Billburg was arrested yesterday af-
ternoon by Constable Simon Goldburg
Goldberg, the complainant, swore out
a warrant for a search of the Billburg
gambling rooms also, but this warrant
has not been served. The constable
says that he paid two visits to the
sheriff's office for assistance, but it
was denied him.
Constable Demands Help.
81 could not be expected to search
the gambling rooms unaided,' Cen
stable Goldburg said. You know
there are big tables and other furni- /
ture in those places, and it would be |
too big a job for one man. On nv
first call at the sheriff's Office Sheriff !
Edward Kittilsen was not in, was
told. | went back again, and I saw
him. He told me that he did not have |
any men to go with me, and further
more he said that he was looking
into the gambling situation in the city, |
and would give it attention in a few
weeks. This explains the reason the /
search warrant was not executed"
Sheriff Not to Be Found.
Sheriff Kittilsen was not accessible |
this morning, but Deputy Sheriff Wal |
ter Kittilsen. who was in charge of |
the office, stated that he was empow-
cred to make the following statement:
Constable Goldburg appeared at the
office only once during the day to my
knowledge. On that occasion he mere
ly asked to see the sheriff. He was
told that the Official was in Moline on
business and he then departed with
put making known his wants The
office would probably have refused to
lend the constable any aid was it
anown that he wanted it, as it is the
duty of constables to serve such pa
oers as he held without any assist
ance from the sheriff's office Had the
papers been issued and given to the
served"
Pick Your Own FavorIte.
The public will have TO take it's own
change out of the contradictory stories
old by the constable and the sheriff.
However, there is hardly any likeli-
hood that if the search warrant was
served now any gambling parapher-
lalia would be found in Billburg's. I'M
ess he is in SO strong with the authori-
les that they viii refuse to see any
hing If they do happen to pay him an
official visit. Since yesterday after I
loon Billburg and his associates have
lad abundant time to get their house
n order-in other words, to go to
,over. with the gambling equipment,
keeping it concealed until the tenn
,orary storm has passed, as have
,thers within recent months.
And There Are Others.
Billburg, it might be added, is not
he only gambling house operator in
he city. There are at least four
thers, all in the heart of the business
enter, and they have as their pro-
rietors men from whom the sheriff
n his recent spectacular raid confis-
ated paraphernalia, some of it of the
rocked variety, of the estimated value
f $4,000. These individuals are not
asily frightened. It would appear. for
of ~, h. Z