The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1922-10-21
sArUnsAY. oCrOSEH II, M
STATE 70 REscUE or
ROCK ISLAND.

sTATE 70 RESCUE or
ROCK ISLAND.
Swe are coming 70 Rsck Island with
the Idea Of mailing conplets a.l thsf.
ough lntestigatish Of the whels vice
sltususn. OF Course we are going 70 get
1t the bottom Of TIE Gabsl murder ard
the Losney shooting, but We are also
q going 10 clean mp the yios situation and
alleged erafting In public efRcA We nsaa
to 90 all tho way, and we d0ht care who
II MIS-"
The foregoing promise was made yesterday
to the people Of Rock Island through The
Argus by e. J. Brundage attorney general Of
Illinois, who will come to the city Monday to
personally arrange the work for corps Of as
sistants from his Office he is to assign to the
local Investigation. One Of the ablest lawyers
In Illinois will be placed In charga, and he viii
have all the assistance that 10 found necessary
in deveoping facts pertaining to the series Of
scandals and crimes that have brought the name.
Of the city into disreputs throughout the nation.
Mr.. Brundase, In his capacity 40 attorney
general. has long been cognizant Of the leulsr-
able conditions in Rock Island, but he has been
helpless to intervene becAuse Of . lack Of
funds in his department to deffay the expense
OF an Investigation by his Office. The financial
detail having been taken care Of by number
Of Rock Island citissns. Mr.. tBrsndass lost no
time In directing attention here. The acuteness
Of the situation may be best understood when
It 10 known that citiSens-jealouS Of the good
name Of their home town and desirsus Of blot
ting out the stain that has been placed ON the
community-have pledged a fund Of $4,000 to be
used ct the discretion Of the attorney general
h the prosecution Of the work he ID to Under
take In Rock Island The special investigation
by ths state gill be conducted blfors the prss-
emit Rock island county grand jury. . body Sthat
already has been in session several weeks
listening to testimony bearing ON the various
onenees that are alleged TO have come to the
surface in the trail Of the Gabei murder
Attorney Gehsral Brundase enters upon the
Rock island investigation determined only to
see that the eAds Of Justice be served. He will
be hampered neither By political considerations
nor BY embarrassing friendships or alliances.
II the evidences leads the prosecution into high
oficial places the case will be developed and II
guilt Ii established BY the verined facts the in
dividuals will be punished no matter their
present or past Official or social connections.
: The attorney general pledges himself to a conf
D. plets and thorough investigation Of all phases
Of the sitnation, with promise Of legal penalties
for any who may be found guilty. That ID al
q the people Of Rock Island desire or are expect.
ing.
Aooc 80 koa hsA sk sSa1a 49,.
sible to secure evidence convincing snuegh u
send anybody to the penitentiary. but if half
Of the charges that are made these days are
1ufacisntly supported before the grand jury to
warrant indictments Rock Island ought to have
m interesting delegation on the way to Joliet
within the next few inonths. The Argus didn't
have reporter at the soens Of the Gabel muir
.ders neither did it have witness to the alleged
grating transactions between officials and the
/ underworld. but It does know that somebody is
4 responsible for the reign of lawlessnsss that
has to date resulted in the destruction of seven
| lives, and with the rest Of the lsw-abiding
people of the community is insisting that the
responsible individuals be held to I'd account
ing before the bar Of justice. not alone % pun
ishmeot for theis o6snsss. but to serve - IN
sxAmple to others who might Be tempted in
future to follow the same reckless and defiant
coarse to the utter disreeard of the welfare Of
The great majority Of the people of the city.
Rock island has suffered ifrsparably from
4 he events Of the<past few 1aonthA The CON-
munity spirit has been depressed, legitimate
business has been injured. Contemplated i'm
improvements havs bsen delayed, and feeling Of
80 u. -