Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1918-05-16
DOZEN SOLDIERS
ATTACK POLICE
Twelve From Arsenal Stage Sm,u
Riot After Drinking Heavily
in East Moline.

A small riot occurred in East N,
line last night when y Rock Isls,s
arsenal soldiers attacked two spsc,
ial policemen.
The soldiers were drunk and en-,
ceeded in getting a club au,v
from one Of the officers. A detaob
ment OF arsenal troops was late,
summoned and deputies from H.
United States marshaIs Office I.
Rock Island were called to ass,s,
in restoring quiet.
The soldiers today faced oop,,
martial at Rock Island arsensi
Lieutenant Powers OF the arsenal
who was in East Moline at tbs
time, viii be the principal witness
against the men. Severe penalties
will be inflicted if the men a.
found guilty.
The r. q V. plant in East Moline
near where, II is charged, the men
were drinking, was guarded during
the night by a special detachment
OF arsenal troops. The reason for
! this was not explained today. either
by the East Moline police or arsenal
authorities.
East Moline police today said
that one soldier secured civilians
clothes and went into the saloon
as a civilian. He stocked up heay-
lily with liquor and took il to q
point near the r. & V. plant. where
the other Il were waiting. The men
drank for a time and about &
o'clock left the scene of their orgy
and walked up Thirteenth street
When they reached a point betwee,
Thirteenth and Fourteenth ave
nues, they were stopped by the two
special police who noticed that they
were in an intoxicated condition.
! without giving the officers time 10
think much about what they in
tended doing with them. one Of the
soldiers attacked one of the police
men. This was the signal for the
others to join in and there was a
free-for-all for a time. Reserves
from the police headquarters ar
rived in a short time and the Z
battling soldiers were taken into
custody. In the scuffle one Of the
soldiers succeeded in getting the
club one of the officers had. They
also endeavOred TO get the stars
away from the special police but
were unsuccessful in this attempt
While the riot was in progress
Lieutenant Powers called the ar
senal and a detachment of troops
arrived from there and took the
prisoners back to the arsenal
They were placed in the guard
house overnight.
The soldier who secured the
liquor and gave it to the Others
probably will receive a more severe
punishment than the others, al
though, according to the story the
East Moline police have, the men
went in for the booze together ana
were practically equally respou-
sible for the scene.
Special police officers by the
score were selected by Mayor G. F.
Johnson to patrol the East Moline
streets last night and tonight for
the purpose OF maintaining order
during the closing hours OF legal
lied liquor traffic in Rock Island
county.
Many persons witnessed the as
sault upon the officers. Some Joined
in protecting the special police
while others decided it would be
best to keep away from the melee
1t was explained by one official
of East Moline today that the rea-
son the extra guard Of soldiers was
placed at the r. & v plant during
the night was to prevent further
trouble from soldiers who had
leave from the arsenal