Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1917-11-20
SAYS He is READY
TO HOLD CLEANUP
Alderman Wilcox Urges Action 10
Improve Moral Tone in East
Moline.

ence to closing hours, and that /
conditions in the city are not
what they should be were charges
made before the East Moline city
council last evening by Alderman
William H. Wilcox MIR Wilcox de-
clared that while he objects to being
the goat" in cleanup effort and sac
ridcing his business interests he is
willing 10 do so if his efforts can aid
in any way III improving the moral
tone Of the city
When Mr. Wilcox had concluded
his remarks Dr.. G F, Johnson, mayor,
announced that he was much pleased
to near that Mr. Wilcox had assumed
such an attitude The mayor said he,
too favored cleaning up the city. And
then the mayor put the issue squareiy
to the alderman by asking if Mr.. Will
COX is'not president or chief officer OF
a club which operates an Illegal bar,
Il is understood the Eagles club was
referred 10 by the mayor. Mr., Will
cox first eTdded the question. stating
( that he has no control over the club
rooms. and then admitted he is head
of such an organization, and ne an
nounced to the mayor that he had
/ been insisting that the club bar be
closed al II and that it be properly
conducted He said he would take the
matter before the grand president OF
! the fraternity, who was in Rock Is
land yesterday. and insist upon action
with reference to the bar The Eagles
club has no city license for dispen-
sation Of liquor.
If you will clean up that club Of
which You are president, it viii be a
good start" commented the mayor
Alderman J. I. Ryan offered the eX-
PLANTATION that the club bar is oper-
ated by three trustees of the lodge
and that MIR. Wilcox has no personal
control over il.
In introducing his remarks, Mir
Wilcox said that il permitted, be
wanted TO make some inquiries, in
view of the fact that there had been
! censure Of him, and accusations in
newspapers. which he did not explain
more fully. He inquired Of the city
attorney as TO the law with reference
to closing of saloons. gambling. lille
gal sale OF liquor, handling Of liquor
in restaurants, and pugilistic affairs
commonly called prize tights. George
D. Long. city attorney, outlined the
law in each case.
70 Mr.. Wilcox then declared that sa
looms do not close at H. He sai'
conditions on the streets at night, be
tween II and /, are unbelievable Il
% said il is tough and talk in saloons
2 that may be heard on the streets il
e most offensive. He expressed the be
g lief that every alderman is elected {,
q maintain law and order, and that Ia
III could not understand why patrolmei
+, should be paid while conditions wer
y as he says they are.
IF you will supply the facts to TIN
city attorney, he will no doubt prose
! cute any offenders said the mayor
| Mr. Wilcox then asked the city at
torney how many times in the las
few months he had been called upo
to prosecute cases for illegal sale O
, liquor or gambling. Several times
was the attorneys response
IF have to be the fall goat CUES
e | am capable" said Mr. Willco1
p Mayor Johnson challenged the repor
v that a certain saloon had been ope
d after hours He called upon Assist
IS ant Police Chief Charles Rhodes t
: state whether he had closed the sa
e loon at H. Mr.. Rhodes said he ha,
and that at II there were no person
e in the saloon on the night in que:
e ton. except the proprietor and en-
= ployes. Mr.. Wilcox declared that {
2 11:25 he had seen a number of pei
Is sons come from the saloon and Sc,
e eral enter. He said the front door {
L another saloon in the next block frol
'e the city hall was open till nearly
d at night two Saturday nights.
IF you saw the law violated, VIII
i did you not make arrests?" asked IL
ie mayor
Because I wanted to bring tn
'e matter before the whole counCi
II I've got little business that | wal
e to protect, and l do not want to sa
re rifice it unless / have to. But I
~ do so If necessary. / can get il
~ in some factory or somewhere els
- Ill do my part"
No action was taken, and the inc
y dent closed with motion to adjour
1e There was a split over the grantir
- of a license to Nick Coin and Charl
'o Menas for the saloon formerly CO..
~ Quoted by Louis DeSmet The may
,i9 ! explained that he had been inform,
~ the majority Of the members Of Il
council would vote for granting Il
y | license, and rather than call speci
R0 meeting Of the council he had told Il
new proprietors they might run. I
- said they had no license, however. l
- added that no saloon in East Molil
- has received its license, though in Il
>1 cases of the other 10 the licenses ha
been issued but not distributed. /
said he had allowed this saloon to
y, just as the others were doing. Up
~, his explanation Alderman Ryan ca
~ !. the vote which decided the QuestiC
=, leaving the vote four to three. Aide
-; men Wilcox, Geisler and Carlson vt
u ed negatively, and Alderman Schlel
- er, who is ill, was not present.
=, Justice Dan Maskeil nled a repc
81 showing $500 in fines and fees g
~ lected.
Question OF a general raise for ci
I'd employees was brought up. but Aide
hi man Carlson said he had not had
on opportunity 10 examine the copies
ba the ordinances and asked that t
IL matter be laid over to later meeti
~ when Alderman Schleuter is prese
he There was no report filed by the 81
N. eial committee, which has the mat,
il, in hand.
"a, Correct Shoes for Men and Wome