The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1922-09-13

IneIc va meetAn8 uShu ~ NsNSsA
aysland yesterday afternoon Of which
10 writtshj record was preserved.
\ Il was : meeting Of the Rock Is
land immunfty ring. men who coi-
Let money from the underworld
and the men who lend to the col
,Iectors the authority they must
have in order to force the disgorge-
Inent Of cash at stated intervals
from those who are violating the
laws in the sale OF hooch, prosti-
tuition and gambling.
The meeting might have been
held at the city hall, but owing TO
the unpleasant notoriety that the
ring has gained in recent weeks 1t
was deemed advisable to gather at
the home OF one Of the members.
Before the chairman raped for
order the curtains were drawn, the
y keyholes plugged and the entire
premises searched for possible
leaks. The only leak that was
found was in the sink. That was
BuuL Ol UcCduSc Wdp "a
couple of the boys nervous.
'.We are here to decide what we
are TO do to keep the red lights
burning" announced the chairman,
"and IL there are any suggestions
to be offered, make them snappy
and meaty. We don't want the
cries. We must know that what
we aim to do we can go through
with"
whats worrying me- inter-
posed the first collector, lis all this
talk about the Gabel murder"
Strings Fail to Work
! That's all we want to hear about
) the Gabel MURDER" warned the
chairman. I'VE know all we want
to know about the case. and let it
end there. The first monkey that
mentions Gabel here this afternoon
will be beaned. Remember that"
"Whatinhell are we going to dc
/ with The August" asked another.
1 "Well." said the chairman, we've
+ pulled every string we know of, and
! they won't pay any attention to Vi
or to any of our friends"
"What do you suppose they are
trying to do?" asked the chief col
lector.
well, it looks to me as If the,
were trying to break up our com
I bination. They have the inside OF
I our collection game and They're
! splitting the beans every night
! What we have got to do is to stan(
pat"
THAT sounds WELL" said tn,
chief collector, but I'm telling you
that some of our places are back
ing up on their payments"
They'd better not" interrupte,
an official voice. They'll keel
coming across or we'll give 'em
ride. I've heard that welchin
I noise before. If we've got to stan
The Argus gait we'll have to hav
the kale."
This brought a round of ap
plause. The long black cigars wer
passed.
Il think we ought to have a dc
tailed report from the first collet
tor" suggested the chairman.
Whereupon the collector gave
list of the places that were maxim
regular settlements. He explained
however. that business was not a
brisk as usual owing to the publ
agitation, and he thought that
would probably be necessary to r,
wise the charge schedule-tempol
sarily, at least.
III it was possible to shut U
n that damned Argus everythir
would be lovely" said the chat
a man. But l have about come
the conclusion that The Argus
going to keep after US until we 10.
out completely. although we dor
want to show any signs of weaker
ing. OF course we can hold Il
whip hand as long as our frien,
are in control of the city, SO v
might as well get all we can b
fore We lose our hold"
IAN agreement is an agreement
said the first collector. Were &
In the same boat, and our offici
friends are not going to bite L
hand that has been feeding then
Watching Recalcitrants.
II wouldn't imagine so," sugges
ed the chairman.
1t was reported that. there hadl
been any knockoffs during L
week. although there were hume
pus persons in the city that Dug
10 receive attention. 1t was deer
ed best, however, to be cautious
this respect owing to the temper
public opinion.
1T makes no difference VIII
dirty work is pulled off in the ci
now.' said the chairman, 20
bunch will be held responsible f
It. What we must do is to co
kinue to be hard and bluff our w;
Along as far as possible"
IF Bill Gabel hadn't been kill,
everything" The first collect
hardly got the words out of h
mouth before he was hit by six d.
terent objects hurled from differe
parts Of the room.
After the first collector had dj
entangled a fiy-swatter from h
hair refreshments were served al
the ring united in singing the Gle
rg ode, What Shall the Harve
Bel"
1t was announced that the ladi,
auxiliary would meet Saturday a!
crnoon at half after 2.
All the news all the time-T
1 Argus.