Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1917-11-06
CHECK NOT GOOD;
LICENSE REFUSED
East Moline Mayor Gives Order Ia
Close Louis Besmet Place
Immediately.

Louis Desmet will not be given a |
new license for the operation of the sa-
loon he has conducted at Fifteenth
avenue and Twelfth street, East Mo-
line. Under orders of DR.. G. F. John
son, mayor, the place was closed last
evening at 1920 by Patrolman j. F.
Maberry, and The mayor announced
That he would not Issue license. De-
Smet's difficulty with the city author
Ities is result of the issuance OF
checks not covered by bank deposits.
Yesterday he appeared at the office OF
w. Dale Chambers, city clerk, and pre-
sented an application for a license.
accompanied by 500 in cash and
check for $500.
Inquiry made by DR. Johnson OF
| representative Of the bank upon which
the check was drawn revealed that De-
Smet did not have deposit to cover
the amount Of the check. The repre-
sentative of the other bank of the city
Informed the mayor that his bank
would not cash the check, either. I'M
mediately after the council adjourned
/ the mayor ordered the saloon closed.
station to protest to the mayor.
/ Couldn't you wait till morning? o
asked DeSmet And when the mayor
asked what he should wait for, the sa-
loon man replied why, to close me
up" I'll pay that in the morning, !"
said DeSmet. mo You wont; you are
through with the saloon business in
East Moline" said the mayor.
The mayors declaration aroused De-
fSmeJ, and he became abusive and DR..
Johnson ordered him placed in a cell
to cool OF a bit. Mrs. DeSmet pleaded
with the mayor not to lock her hus-
band up, and tearfully refused to leave
unless her husband could go, too, After
time she quoted down and asked for
+ q conference with the mayor. It then
developed that the saIoonkeeper had
told his wife ne paid the license fee OF
$500 in cash, and she was not aware
OF the check incident. She was told by
the mayor that there would be no H.
+ eense for DeSmet, and her plea re.
suited in orders from the mayor to re-
/ lease DeSmet.
As the saloon man departed from the
station he turned to the mayor ana
asked, How about it? san open il
the morning? Can pay that check ant
get a license" The mayors answer
vas an emphatic No Your vii,
win explain it to you" said tn
, mayor
At the beginning OF the last licenses
; period DeSmet failed for some time t.
, present anything to pay his fee. Whel
; an ultimatum was issusdshe presenter
Ia check FOR $500 to the city clerk. Tn
q clerk passed the check on TO the banks
and in due course it came back wit
9 the notation insufficient funds II
a appealed to the mayor for time. an
{ was not disturbed for few weeks
4 making repeated promises to make tn
! check good Finally he informed tn
mayor that he did not want to
: called about the matter over tn
phone and would be down some day
! later TO pay the fee His place wa
closed, and the mayor told him that h
would not be trifled with in that man
. ner and that if DeSmet ever again is
: sued a worthless check to the city an
e he learned Of it. DeSmet would lose hi
} license
Either you are crazy to think yo
can get away with anything like tina
a Or you think I am" said the mayol
Il viii not let you put me in hole b
< any such stunt, and ! told you plainl
I before that ! would not"
n DeSmet was one Of the first to er
gage in the saloon business in Eas
1jo4iro aud ha ic said IN have mad