The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1922-10-19
Cbx Must Not Return.

Mayor Harry NJ Schriver has announced
that Thomas Cox will not be reinstated as chief
Of the Rock Island police department until he
has cleared himself OF the charges that have
been preferred against him. Cox was suspended
for 80 days pending investigation Of those
4 charges but before the board which suspended
the chief could get an inquiry under way the
!, members were summarily dismissed by the
mayor. The mayor has to date found it impos-
sible to secure the consent of three citizens &C
certable to him to take places on the fire and |
police beard.
0a The Argus advises Mayor Schriver, if he |
wishes to spare his administration further pub
lie embarrassment, to desst in his effort to |
return Cox as head Of the police department |
There ought to be public investigation OF the
police department, but only for the purpose OF
3 clearing patrolmen of the cloud placed <on
their personal records by the allegation of Cox
that they had refused to carry out his orders to
!. suppress lawlessness. The Argus doesn't be-
= lieye any such orders were ever issued by Cox
affecting prostitution, gambling and bootleg
ging If they had been, and they had been ig-
snored as he charges, il was his duty to reveal
the condition in the department to the fire and
police board and seek disciplinary measures for
the recalcitrant members of his department
On the other hand if the men received such
orders they entitled to clean bill of health
from the fire and police board. 4
~. Cox would display monumental brazenness
were he to seek to preside the police de-
partment after the discriminating evidence that
has been accumulated against his regime since
\ his suspension. The Argus Tuesday printed
4 ,,;o 81
in the door of city prison cell surrounded by
IS stills and hundreds of gallons of hooch
those stills were operating in defiance of all
law while Cox was in charge Of the agency
sworn to prohibit their existence. Since the
u suspension of Cox severa. thousand dollars
have been paid in fines into the police court by
bootleggers pleading guilty to violations Of the
liquor law. Will Cox deny knowledge of the
operation Of the illegal bars whose proprietors
pleaded guilty and paid fines in police court?
The Argus doesn't believe that he will
sal There were numerous public houses Of
prostitution operating in the business and resi-
Dental sections of the city while Cox was in
charge Of the police department. Will Cox
deny that he knew these resorts were operat-
ing? The Argus doesn't believe that he will.
On the contrary, The Argus charges that Cox
knew these notorious establishments were
operating and that he employed the power of
.bis Office to protect them. The Argus makes
r, these charges against Thomas Cox as head of
the Rock Island police department and chal-
iengcs him to disprove them
The Argus further charges that Thomas Cox
while chief of police was warned that he was
tolerAting lawlessness to the point where there
was certain to be public protest and possibly
unpleasant revelations unless he exercised the
powers OF his Office to curb the obnoxious dis
play and defiance. The Argus charges that
Cox declared that the disorderly resorts would
not be suppressed while he was head Of the
police department and that neither The Argus
pr any other agency was influential enough tc
4 compel such action. The answer Of The Argu.
to the declaration OF Cox is that today Rock
Island virtually is free of disorderly resorts
THE gambling houses have been closed and the
protected bootlegger is making his last stand
The only demand for the return OF Thomas
Cox to the chieftancy of the Rock Island police
department comes from the elements tina,
lproited through the levity he was able to az
ford them by reason of his authoritative posi-
ton. Those elements are obnoxious and OBJ
lectionable to SIS per cent Of the people Of Rocl
island. The Argus does not believe that Mayor
Schriver will dare to force Cox back into
public position over the protests Of IS per cen
l6f the people Of Rock Island
The Argus. doing nothing more than voicini
I public sentiment, warns Mayor Schrivel
/ against attempting to take snap judgment in
serious situation such as exists in Rock Isant
today with reference to the manag cement Of tn
police department The cold fact is tina
Thomas Cox has run his course as chief o
police Of Rock Island. He stands convicted q
the sponsor and defender Of lawlessness.- H
L has betrayed the trust placed in him by tn
law-abiding people of the community. Whethe
he should bear the entire odium for condition
II that prevailed under his regime as chief Q
Y police The Argus is not in position to say, bu
II the proof is overwhelming that the relic
i from publicly Haunted lswlessness that wa
denied during his regime was instantly forth
cdming when he surrendered his authority t
Il oiAtr hands.
mayor schriver does not appoint the chic
! tS police Of Rock Island The appointment
istcrding to the Law. Is made by the IRE an
police. The great majority Of the people fes
nen for his new board who VIII eAssy OF 4