Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1916-03-23
FORMER 0TTUMWl|
man DEN0uNC'E:'|Q||
PEORIA GRAND JURY SAYS ~
THUR 3. Mood Is SEEkiN0a
BLAcl%MAlL.

Peoria, ILL.,. March 22.--The PeOSl
county grand jury yesterday returne
a scathing denunciation Of Arthur
McCoid. the Chicago dry" leader, M
recently launched an anti-saloon a.
Sunday closing crusade in this city
The grand jury reported that fr0p
evidence It considered McCoid ID
flake reformer," that he and his A1
sociates went so far as to offer to CT
off the crusade II they would cor
across with $4,000. 9|
Paragraph Of Report. MA
One paragraph of the jury's repox
reads: 25
I'VE find from the evidence thu
Arthur B. McCoid says he IL not ! r.
former; that. on the contrary, he IN
drunkard and has been drunk MAJ
times, and says that he Ia In the ST.
day closing business in Peoria for
money and for that only" Nh 3S
Mr. McCoid came to Peoria afto
having prosecuted several saloon me-
for violating the Sunday closing IN
in Chicago. The fact that he NJ
served In the Chicago city council o.
that he claimed credit for induCll
Mayor Thompson to close the Chica3
saloons on Sunday gave him s0I
standing here. s&
Split With Dry Forces.
In the recent aldermanic contest
Chicago he took up the cudgele n
Mayor Thompson in his fight on q
"rebel nine" and split with e. j. De-
is and other leaders in the IllinG
Anti.salo0n league who opposed Th0n2
son.
The grand jury investigation In Tt
city grew out Of charges OF crimiul
libel preferred against McCoid by
derman Frank Bush. McCoid recel
ly was arrested in Chicago on the libG
warrant and brought to Peoria. whex<
he was released on bail. The CAT
was carried to the grand jury. wli0X
now reports. Although falling to r.
turn an indictment against McCoi1
the jury remands the case to Il
states attorney with the suggesti@
that he proceed as he thinks prop316
Say Peoria Detained. 3
The grand jury also fnds that M1
Cold and other irresponsible persOrid
have DETAINED the name of the city ann
the report condemns them In caust1&
words.
With reference to the alleged "a
tempt to "hold up the saloon men3
the grand jury report says that shot1l
ly before McCoid same to Peoria
man named Smith came here and TOT
OH GERS of the Liquor Dealers assoc
alton that lawyer had asked him 41
come to Peoria and start here Sun
dal closing movement such al he ha1
in Chicago.
Smith, 1t Is alleged. demanded
$4,000 as the price Of holding on TIL
lawyer His demand was refused 4
ter talking to three business men M
left Peoria. McCoid then came at IN
time Smith said he would, the grail
jury asserts. 1t goes on to say TN
with McCoid came one w. r. Bail6
who also desired to collect mons
from the saloon men. N!
The Jury's Words.
According to the jury's report BallG
stated: THAT Smith, Bailee and m
Cold were officers in fictitious cd
poration," and to prove his assortt
displayed letterhead with the naI
Of Smith. Bailee and McCOid upOn
purporting to be officers OF said CD
poration. ID
I'VE further find" the jury report
that the said Arthur B. McCoid q
other irresponsible persons, who ~
neither citizens nor taxpayers OF eith3
the city or the county OF Peoria, h63
DETAINED the name OF the city
Peoria and condemned her instituted
and government and seem to vie Wi(
nh ~ RI
worst things about Peoria
Mr.. McCoid Is we'll known In Ottur
wa, having lived in tbs city mar
years ago. S|