The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1922-01-07
BILLBURC AND
I HOLSAPPLE IN
POLICE COURT
John Looney Complainant, Basing
Warrant on Alleged Attack
and Shotgun Battle.

A. William Billburg, 1855 Eighth
avenue, formerliquor man, who built
and conducted the longest bar in the
world in Rock Island, and George
ID. "Crimps" Hoisapple. 11s Six
teenth street, are under $1,000 bond
pending either preliminary hearing
today or action of the grand jury
on charges OF assaulting John
Looney, publisher of the Rock Is
land News, last night Shotguns
were used in the assault, ii Is
alleged.
Biliburg and Holsappie were
taken in custody about midnight
by Officer Charles Miner and &. L.
Babcock and two shotguns were
found in their automobile.
Immediately after the arrest
Looney and Lawrence Pedigo. who
had come to visit Looney, chased
a man from shrubbery at Looney's
place and a number of shots were
exchanged.
The man escaped, and as far as
could be learned today his identity
has not been established.
John Looney said he believed
that an attempt on his life and
probably on the life of his son,
John, Jr., had been foiled.
The town home and the plant of
the Rock Island News is at 20l0-l2
Sixteenth avenue, and it was a dou-
BILE attempt to dynamite the plant
10 "A n h
to the surrounding OF the place by
an unknown number of men, Mr..
Looney stated. That the place was
Surrounded he is sure, and declares
that three men FLASHED with him
Billburg and Holsapple were two
of these, he said.
81 was standing on the porch of
my home, looking over the yard, as
is my habit" Mr.. Looney said,
when at about 1880 o'clock l saw
an automobile stop on Twentieth
street at Sixteenth avenue. The
car had no headlights and / watch
ed IL. Soon Lawrence Pedigo drove
up to my place on a visit. He had
passed the car and said that he did
not like the looks of things.
~ See Man on Terrace.
1.-THE car down on the street then
started up and drove by my home.
The headlights were still out. The
car turned at Twenty-frst street
and went south. Pedigo and ! ran
down the alley. The car had turn
ed west again and had stopped for
a second, and l believe someone
got out. The machine started up
again and we traced its movements.
The car finally came back to its
former stand on Twentieth street
\ and Sixteenth avenue, but not until
d it had cireled the block and had
been driven down Twentieth street,
turned around and brought back.
Pedigo and I then saw a man
crawling up along the terrace to-
ward my place. called the police,
telling them that my place was
surrounded and l asked for four
meaf."
Mr.. Looney then told of the ar
rival of the officers and of his TAX
ing part in the rush on the auto
mobile, rife in hand. Billburg and
Holsapple were caught. Mr. Loom
ey demanded that their car be
searched, and the officers found two
shotguns. The occupants of the
machine then said that they had
prepared to go rabbit hunting.
They were told they were under
arrest Looney and Pedigo alone
started back to rout the man out
of the shrubbery. They succeeded.
and Looney fired two shots at the
heeing form, and the man fred one
Tray from another direction and
fired at the. fleeing man and was
answered by shot The fellow
turned and lodged and made good
his escape
Billburg and Holsapple were
brought TO the station where they
denied any murderous intentions.
They we're placed in cells, but were
released before daybreak under
$1,000 bond each. Bond for each
was furnished by the other.
Use Faxed Gail.
Mr.. Looney said that his son was
called to Looney's country place
on Forty-seventh avenue by a fake
telephone call, that was either sent
10 get the son away from the ia
tner or to lead him into trouble.
me man calling said he was L. N,
Hazlett, an employee of the News.
but Mr.. Hazlett said he had given
no such call. While John Looney.
Jr-, was at his fathers country
place his automobile was showed
down an embankment by persons
unknown and was badly damaged.
Just what this act had to do with
the general plans of the men that
MP. Looney believes were after him
and his son he has not explained.