The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1912-10-06
Former Mayor Says That the Present
Administration Has out-Herod-
ed Herod In Its Wide
open Policy.
| GAMBLING RAMPANT
Editor Of the Hamilton Press Speaks
Like a Man Who Has inside
information and Tells
Some Truths.

Mayor w. E. Strimback, now editor
Of the Hamilton (Ill.) Press discusses
| the administration and the situation
in Keokuk city affairs in a most In
teresting manner. The Press says
Over in Keokuk the people are ex-
| periencing another of their frequent
moral (?) revolutions The town, dur
/ ing the last year has grown SO ranlxly
rotten morally that even those who
believe in an open town" are disgust
ed. and, led by the ministers there is
| quite formidable revolution on. Our
readers are SO cognizant of the condi-
| lions that have existed in Keokuk for
the last thirty years or more, and the
movement which led UP to the adop-
ton of the commission form of gov
eminent and the election of the pres
ent commissioners, that it would be
waste of time and space to go into
detail Former administrations in the
town have been liberal with saloons,
gamblers and houses of prostitution,
at the behest of the business men OF
!, the city. But the present administra-
tion has out Heroded Herod in the
wide open policy, according to popu-
lar belief 1t is said Keokuk is In a
worse condition morally than ever be-
, fore in her history gambling is ram
: pant, the. town is full of places where
liquors are sold Illegally at all hours
of the day and night and every day;
houses of prostitution are more in
evidence than ever before. (This con-
dition cannot be laid to the doors or
thousands of workmen on the dam
and power house construction, as this
i irnnnensc body OF tabor ia composed
mostly of foreigners, who flock to
gether and keep to themselves In
their drinking and fighting-and they
do drink beer and fight among them
selyeS)
The fellows who are raising hell in
Keokuk are the old contingent, who
workmen of the town, the suckers"
from Hancock county, Illinois; Clark
county Missouri, and the few foolish
farmers of Lee county, Iowa, who
think they can beat the professional
gamblers, who have grown rich off OF
them. 1t is harvest for the gamb.
ling fraternity. Last week the coun.
Gil held stormy session (?) and
passed a resolution discharging Chief
of Police Schevers, who has been at
the head of the department, secondary
of course to Commissioner Gray. Mr.
Gray in explaining the discharge OF
Schevers among other things said
"Schevers is a square man and an
efficient officer; there are no charges
against him." Gray voted for his dis
charge. Commissioner Hickey said
1T is pretty tough to fire man who
has made good and against whom
there is no charge Mayor Elder
voted for Schevers' discharge "for tbs
, good of the service" Schevers said:
: TT am made the goat. I worked un
: der orders" He refused to resign
!. under duress and compelled the coun
S Gil to fire him. The people of Keo
: lsuk say Gray should resign. Gray
r says he won't resign. Elder and Gray
!, are in bad repute in Keokuk, judging
= by publicly expressed opinion anG
!, both should resign. There is
: an investigation pending, led by osme
prominent citizens of the city; there
is said to be another element deter
: mined to force the retirement of the
officers under fire. The first com
mittee Is composed of gentlemen who
were instrumental in hoisting the two
officers under criticism upon theil
pedestal, and no doubt will be biased
lin their favor. The other element is
one that is easily aroused, and as
: quickly settled down to somnolent
: state, they are not dangerous. There
is no question, judging from public
expressions but that Gray should be
fired and Elder should resign.
The bet Is that both gentlemen will
continue In office till the expiration
of their term, unless Elder should be
elected to congress, for which office
he is a candidate.