Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1919-12-31
POLICE RECORD
FORMED IN THE
1919 ACTIVITY
Fewer Cases Handled But Vast
Amount Collected IN Fines From
- Persons Taken In Raids.

A total Of 1909 cases were han
died by the Rock Island police de-
partment during the year 1919,
which is 1,245 less than the num-
Der handled in 1918 and 2,194 less
than the number handled in 1917.
Regardless of this falling off in
THE number Of arrests, the amount
of fines collected during 1919 breaks
all past records by several thou
sands Of dollars.
During 1919, $21,5S1.S5 was COL
lected in fines and fees as against
$13,179.15 in 1918, and $17,139.25
in 1917, the biggest record up until
that time when more cases were
handled than ever before during the
history Of the department.
In addition to the large sum COL
lected in fines and fees during 1919
the department obtained $549.S4 in
bond forfeitures, $39 as ambulance
fees and $1,307 as dog tax, bringing
the total amount Of money collected
up to $23,477.69.
OF the 1.709 cases handled dur
ing the past year 955 were arrests
on state warrants and 754 were
arrests on state warrants. This
compares with 1000 city cases and
964 state cases in 1918.
More arrests were made during
the month of May than any other
month of the year. During that
month 227 Eases were handled while
43S arrests were made during the
month of April, 1918, the banner
month Of that year. The fewest
arrests made during any month was
last January when only IS cases
were handled. which is Al less
cases than were handled during
the month of November, 1918, the
lowest number of cases handled
during that year.
Better Times Indicated.
A feature Of the police depart
ment records is the small number
Of persons given lodging, and when
the figure is contrasted with the
years Of 1918 and 1917 it is easily
seen that conditions nave greatly
changed for the better.
During 1919 there were only 1853
persons who sought lodging at the
police station. This number is 776
! less than during 1918 when 1929 per-
sons were given lodging and 2,015
less than during 1917 when c,1eS
persons were given lodging.
Reason for Record.
Although there has been a great
falling off in the number of cases
handled by the police the amount of
fines collected has been greatly in
creased. and this Is no doubt due to
the increase in the semi-maior Of
lenses, and the drives that the po-
lice have made to clean up places
of disrepute.
Police Chief Tom Cox is now in
charge of the department. having
been appointed from a detective to
chief last spring by the board of
fire and police commissioners,
which was created by vote of the
people April Is, 1918.
Directly after his appointment
Chief Cox started system of raids
that resulted in the cleaning up
of number. Of gambling places and
other places Of questionable repu-
tation. In the month of June alone,
$4.990.SO was collected in fires and
S119.45 in bond forfeitures, total!ng
$5,110.25 for the month.
Other large amounts were col
lected each month. mostly from
persons arrested in raids. Many
bootleggers fell into the net and
were heavily fined. However, of
late there has been less for the DO
lice to do.
The report is taken from Dec. l.
1918 to Dec. l. 1919, and the rec
ord for the month OF November
shows only Sc cases to have gene
on the police blotter and only
$753.7O collected in fines. How
ever, even this sum is $122.10 more
| than the sum collected in Novem-
Der. 1918, when only s63160 was
collected and the number of cases
tried reached 1877. being 81 more
| cases than tried last November.
Detailed Report.
Following is the detailed report
of the warrants issued during the
past year:
State Warrants.
Violating motor vehicle law ..461
Assault with deadly weapon :.
Obtaining money by false pre-
Remarriage within a year 49,. 1
Carrying concealed weapons
Disorderly conduct Government. 40
Highway robbery .......... 3
Assault and battery ........ 10
Burglary and larceny ......... A
Larceny ................. -. IS
Embezzlement ................ l
4"ui"oi $500.
Malicious, mischief /
Bastardy ...-.. -. g.. ....... 2
Fagrancy -. -. .......... 81
Taking orders for liquor in
-odiOOh
Fugitive from justice .......... q
Forgery ......... -. .........
Drunkenness .. 3
Assault with intent to commit
murder -. -. -. ........ 5
Robbery ......... ......
Obtaining lodging by false pre-
teHSe l
Obtaining goods by false pre-
tcuSc
Selling mortgaged property -.
Confidence game .............
ASA6dlHy
Receiving stolen property -.
fASSluil
fAuultcIy 80. b
Careless driving ,............. 2
Prostitutes ... -. $40, 1
Wife abandonment 2