Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1918-08-09
RI. OFFICER
FOUNDbADLY
BEATEN;DIES
Harry Libman Clubbed
Into Insensibility While
On Duty-Is Fatal.

Unknown asssilants uercilessly
beat and fatally injured Harry Lib
nan. q Rock Island policeman. be
tween the hours OF l and 3 o'clock
this morning
His death occurred al II:3O this
morning at st. Autuouy's hospital
Consciousness was not rcgained at
anv time He died taking all
knowledge OF the assault with him
The attack was made in Garn-
sey square. which is located be
tween Third and Fourth avenues
and Fifth and Sixth streets.
Officer LibmaH made his last re
port t. the police station at I
o'clock this morning from call box
NJ. "A At the corner OF Fourth
street and Seventh avenue. The
pa,rOImen are required to report
every half hour during the time
that they are on their beat. A.
i.S0 officer Lihman did not report.
30 call was received at > O'Clock.
Immediately after that hour other
officers were rushed to se-rCh his
beat. the night captain fearing that
Libman had net with trouble
Patrolman Harry Miller found
the near lifeless body at 8 O'Clock
this morning in the center of earn
sey square. He was lying beside
pool OF his own blood which had
poured from the cuts and injuries
hat the assRilants had inflicted
The ambulance was called and he
was rushed TO 81. AnthOny's hos
pital. where DR.. Joseph De Silva
eIerted every effort to revive the
small spark OF life that still eX-
isted in Officer Libmans body.
Examination revealed that Lib
man 5 skull was fractured, his Jaw
and cheek bones broken and hem
0rrhages OF the brain were follow
ed one on the other His features
are almost uQTecOguiZa bic By the
blows, which appear to have beeA
inflicted with a weapon of some
sort.
No Clues.
No clue has been obtained as to
who the assailants were Neigh
bors in the vicinity state that they
heard no disturbance during the
early morning hours, aside from
the barking Of a dog.
The police believe that it is pos
sible that persons in fghborhOOd,
not yet interviewed, might have
heard noises Of the conflict. or
might even have seen the assail-
ants.
There is but one unstable clue
upon which to even base a sup
position An empty whisky bottle
was found near a bench close to
the scene Of the encounter, and II
Is considered quite probable that
persons might have been in the
park and imbibing of the liquor,
and may have attacked Libman.
II he ordered them out OF the
square.
Weapons Missing.
His gun and club were missing,
and il Is deemed probable that the
assailants beat the officer with his
own weapons. in order to relieve
Inc paJrOlman Of his club and gun,
the police believe that it must have
taken al least two men.
II is reported that Libman was
On Watch Tower street car last
evening, and that he had displayed
hye so bills 10 the conductor al
Ter the latter had shown Libman 4
81 bill that he had found on the
Tear platform
II is possible that witnesses Of
these acts are responsible Tor the
assault. The Information about
Lloman being on the car was not
reported 70 the police, but came
10 TIE Argus from friends Of Off
Ger Llbmau.
Il is said that Libman had made
many enemies during the time that
ne mas served on the Rock Island
police force because OF his erratic
Gctlcs n handling offenders. The
Ieai cause Of the attack remains
% De brought on the apprehension
OF the assai,ants who are still at
large and unknown.
Served Three Years.
The STRICKEN mans home is at
~ Fourteenth street. lie had
been On the police force for more
t4an three years. and was COuslG-
esd & conscientious officer
PalrOlman Libman was born III
Russia, AID had been IN this coun-
lFy Tor approximately 30 years. He.
Is about s. years old, q little above
medium height, and weighs about
100 pounds II is said that while
&c Is rot q large man. he was eX-
Leme4y active, and could defend
Almsef from the average man
he IS Survived by the widow. Mrs
4aa I+uman. three daughters. Han
AaH, Lcttie and Frieda, three broth
trs, Morris. William and Samuel Of
thicag0, and two sisters. Mrs. NJ.
hork and Mrs. !. Cohan Of Chicago.
Is Third.
Officer Libman Is the third police
olhcer 10 have been the victim Of
sn assault
The death Of Patrolman J. D.
49gnn occurred At O'Clock on the
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