Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-10-15
MALE SEPTEMBER
MORN SHOCKS BIC
CROWD ON STREET
Clad Only in Shirt Man Pursuss
Thief on Fourth Avenue
Near Seventeenth.
ScANT ATTIRE AIDS SPEED
Police Round Him Up and Later Ar
rest His Quarry Who Is chars-
ed With Stealing S27.

A male September Morn fairly few
down Fourth avenue from Seventeenth
street ar $50 o'clock this morning
He was chasing a man who was entire
" clothed But the pursuer was
gowned in naught but blue shirt
When the latter hove into public
view he created a profound sensation
among men and women alike. One
look was enough for the latter. some
Of whom screamed and fed from the
scene. But the object OF the commo-
ton cared not for appearances. He
was after the man who had run away
with mis- So.
II was into a livery stable that the
thief lodged. And il was in this same
stable that the scantily attired pur-
suer hesitated TO don overalls. But
the hesitation was less than the time
q fireman takes 10 slip into his boots,
and then he was off again The police
ended Il all by rounding up the pur-
suer and placing him in a cell
Finds Man in Room.
Eric Smith was the male September
Morn. He is an Iowau. Last night he
secured lodging in the roOming house
at 1903 Fourth avenue. He slept
peacefully until about SIS this morn
ing. when he awakened to find a man
In his room. The man was searching
the pockets of Smiths pants.
Get out OF there" cried the own
er OF the clothes, jumping from his
downy bed. The thief blew
4 thrust of his hand into the pocket
which had contained the roll inform
ed Smith that the money then in pos
session % the thief was rapidly widen
Ing distance between itself and its
owner. so Smith, without making any
toilet preparations whatever, darted
out OF his room. down the stairway
leading 70 me Fourth avenue entrance
and out on the street
When he mrs was behald by the
p-dcrt-ians his attire consisted solely
Of a blue shirt. the ends Of which fiirt-
ed nearer his waist line than his knees.
He locked east ald west en- Fourth
avenue. but he did no. behold me Nrr-
ror-stricken women, nor the surpTis-
ID men. He did Sc the man ,.l.~
stcle his money running west IN the
avenue, 20 he gave chase.
Seomt-giy he forget that he was not
dressed FOL the street. And not until
he DARED mo the livery stable con-
Quoted by F. ". Carpenter at 1911
Fourth avenue. was his attention call
ed 10 his lack Of clothes. One e the
men tossed him the Oyerails. which ne
jumped into while ne ran.
After the police arrested him Cn
Sixteenth street he told the story OF
the robbery. He said he had had SO
IN bills and a couple Of dollars in sill
vef.
Other Arrested.
He gave a detailed description of
the man he alleges robbed MIN, and
an hour later Officer John \. Johnson
nabbed c. C. Holland IN the lower end
OF town. Smith charges that Hol-
land is the man who secured the mon
ey. and says that he had occupied
rcom next 10 his in the boarding house.
Holland denies the charge. The mon
ey was not found on him, but the
police think he hid il some place to
cover up his guilt in event Of arrest.
Holland IS being held awaiting a hear
ing. Smith is also detained at the
station by the police and il may be
that charges will be preferred against
him.