Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-01-16


are you pretty hungry"
You bet l am was the reply.
We'll. come on down and Join u.s.
and linking his arm in that of the
seedy ones, Brick led the way to the
/ table
! The midnight feed was a sors OF
family affair. The entertainers. wait
ers and the rest would all sit in the
circle The food was plain, but there
was lots of IL. The menu usually con-
sisted OF fried potatoes, scrambled
eggs. steaks. coffee and the Iike-just
good. wholesome fare. There were
cftimes from Is to 20 invited guests.
recruited mostly from the ranks of
the down and cutters.
Brick was a great friend OF the kids.
In those G-ss the Peoples Union Mis-
sion was in operation on Second street
between Iowa and Rock Island. Ned
Lee, who was at the head OF the in
stitution, was anxious to raise funds
for a gymnasium. but was unable to
make much headway
One day Munro heard about It, and
he Immediately sent for Lee. How
much would It take TO fit up a gym for
the kids?" he asked.
Lee told him and without a word
Brick reached for his check book and
filed in the proper amount There.
with his genial smile.
Every Christmas Munro sent a
check of at least 800 to the mission.
Ito buy some trinkets for the kids"
he explained it.
When a picnic or outing was plan
ned at the mission. Brick always do
mated several crates of oranges, lem
ons and other good things. Citizens
who donated 80 cents or a dollar to
the cause, always were anxious to see
their names in the paper. Not so with
Brick. He preferred to perform his
charitable acts quietly.
He never received credit for fitting
ont a gymnasium for the street ur-
chins and his name was never seen
in the newspapers when he sent a fat
check for good things. THAT would
never do, for the money was tainted"
cried public opinion.
Munro was a second Tim Sullivan
in Bucktown. He controlled the big
percentage. of votes and anyone ex-
pecting TO become candidate usually 4
consulted the proprietor of the Pavil- /
lion.
Oftimes the ravages of disease /
would grip the unfortunate people of .
the district and a popular subscrip-
ton would be necessary to secure for |
hem proper care, medicines and food.
invariably, the name of Brick" Mum
70 would head the list with a substan-
-ial sum opposite.
In time OF sorrow and death
Bricks" helping hand was always
When the homeless and
riendless passed over the great di-
tide. il was Brick" that provided
lecent burial. Whenever a death was
eported in "Bucktown," and it be-
anne known that there were no rela-
ives to claim their own, Davenport's
i'm Sullivan would arrange for the
uneral and foot the bill. 1t is no ex-
ggeration to say that he buried no
ess than 20 or 80 such people when
ume the burden
AS an example of his big-hearted
ess. the following instance is given g
y one OF his old employees:
4 railroad man, without any too 3
luch wealth, spent night in Front ,
treet saloons. and awakened the next r
forming minus his meager roll The ,
lieves had cleaned" him for fair :
nd even his shoes were gone.
The victim was ruefully taking an :
lventory in the Munro saloon, when
lie proprietor walked up.
Kind of got you. didn't they, part
err" he asked.
They sure did
Then STOPPING down. Munro took
n a brand new pair of shoes which
2 had only purchased the day be-
re. Handing them to the victim,
> said. Guess they'll do until yoE
an get something better"
The man was profuse I'm his thanks,
II Brick wouldn't listen TO IT. He
smissed the subject by asking one S
his men 20 get the pair of shoes =
hich he had but recently discarded. n
Brick" was loved by his employees, -
hich Is the real test OF character. il
en- that worked shoulder 10 shout p
r with him for years. had nothing e.
Il good words for him. And not b
ithout reason. An idea of the man &,
n in which he cared for those about q
e place may be CLEANED from the n
flowing: Il
A young man named John Gadient c.
As employed in a minor capacity -
,out the place. One day he went
wn In the basement TO look after
e tapping OF beer keg and in some
amer he touched a live wire. He
Is eiectrocuted instantly.
Gadient was the sole support OF q
dowed mother. and the death was
particularly sad one. Munro paid
e funeral expenses. closed his place
r an entire day-which meant a big DC
sand presented the mother with ~,
check for several hundred dollars. ri
Munro gave away hundreds of dol r.
IS in meal tickets TO unfortunates. an
randed theatrical people always t6i
ught Brick" when on their uppers.
any time he got homesick girls kl
INK out of ''hock" after she had