Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-10-01

had struck the bone or not If it
did the bone would have been shat
tered. An operation was performed
and the bullet near the spine extract
ed 1t was of 3S or "A calibre. Yer
coulter was weak from the loss of
blood. He is seriously injured but I'M
less complications develop it is
thought that he will recover.
WheeIock Tells Story.
Bert Wheelock, the first victim of
the gang, came to tn, scene of the
shooting later and told the following
story:
81 was walking east on Fourth ave-
nue. to catch a car for home. AS l
neared Twenty-fourth street, four men
stopped me. One of them stepped up
TO me and said throw up yer mitts.' /
told them that | didn't have any money
and he said. Wen see bout that and
he struck at me with his right hand. I
lodged the blow and struck back at
him and then ran west. | hadn't gone
more than 90 feet when | heard a shot
and felt a singing pain in my right
arm. Then l realized that I had been
shot. l ran to De Smet's saloon on
nue., where I examined the wound. I
told somebody in the saloon to call up
the police, and when they arrived
told them about it. \ little later |
heard that a saloonkeeper had been
shot up here and l came up
Wheelock has a painful flesh wound
in the right bicep about a half inch
deep. He showed where the bullet
had passed through his coat sleeve.
Tom JONES, VINO was the second
victim of the gang. told the following
story: 81 was walking toward home
on Fourth avenue, near Twenty-fifth
street, when l saw three men crossing
the street toward me. They were
walking fast. One of them, a large
colored man, coal black, with small
mustache, poked a big gun up to my
nose and says, Throw up your hands"
which / did. / told him that l just
blow into town and was broke. He
says, Wen see Then one of the |
others went through my pockets and |
took a time book l used in my work. !
] didn't have any money on me and /
this seemed to make the big fellow /
mad. He said. You'd better beat it, !
and just as | turned he hit me over
the head with his gun. Although had !
a cap on the blow daZed me and l fell
to the sidewalk. AS l turned / saw
them run up south on Twenty-fifth
street | was sure that they were up
to another job and l got up and ran
around the block to Twenty-sixth
street and Fifth avenue. ! ran into
the keystone. bar and told them to
call the police, as l had been robbed.
Then / went out on the sidewalk.
heard three shots fired and the next
second three men ran out of Vercou-
.er's saloon, running north on Twenty
fifth street. l ran over to this street
out couldn't get a good look at them
before they disappeared in the dark
ness
JONES showed large swelling on
OPP of his head where he was hit. He
S a hodcarrier and works in Daven-
port.
Search for Gunmen.
All available policemen and detec-
ives were put on the case. Davenport
md Moline police were notified and
/ dragnet was spread over the vicin-
~. All through the night the police
n autos and on foot continued the
earch for the gunner.
Although the stories of the victims
airy as TO the number of robbers in
he gang, il has been established that
here were four of them. Four men
ED up Wheelock, but only three
topped JONES. JONES saw only three
zen run from the saloon. but w. A
lessenger, who rooms in the rear, saw
mother man fleeing south. between the
uildings. The police had an excellent
escription of three of them. but all
nat is known OF the fourth man. is
nat he wore a dark suit and a stiff
at.
James Kelley. who saw two of the
unmen in the glare of the lights in
le saloon, gave the best description.
Arrest Nine on Suspicion.
Railroad yards were searched and
-actically every exit from the city
as patrolled by police officer The
drew in nine men, taken on
lspicion. Several of these were later
'leased and the police are holding the
her
"A professional stick-up man never
loots'' said Chief OF Police James
rim, discussing the case this morn