The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1922-09-16
QUEll
MABEL CASE;
Myers sHAkY


A Y. expected that there viii be
,r.uking developments in the
nal murder within the next few
- Il the outside. There are
~ that at least two Of the oc-
.a.fs OF the murder car have
~ Is talk, having iailed to re-
~. aome OF the rewards they
- sfomised for their participa- !
y, N the assassination. One Of
no msn is reported to have de-
ara shat il he ever tells what he
t,ors ssseral characters who are
- waking the streets Of Rock
ssisrd3 Is free men will land be-
iind prison bars.
.The police authorities have al
ioved the. Gabel murder case to
s,ov cold, so far as they are con-
s.rned." said a veteran sleuth from
saother city who was in Rock Is
hnd this week. II am fairly IA
riliar with the Gabel murder. al
though / am not interested in the
snnrehension of the fellows who
IA The lob. However, if I was still
engaged in my old business ! would
rant nothing better than to go aft
4 that reward that Rock Island
county has offered. l honestly be-
leye the whole crowd could be
rounded up inside Of a week.
perhaps you are not on the in
Ode Of that crime. / happen to
know that Gabel gave evidence to
government prohibition agents in
yolving several Rock Islanders.
esbel said that he had been per-
mitted to sell whisky and conduct
! house of prostitution under paid
protection. He declared that he
vas guaranteed immunity from
prosecution either by the city,
county or federal governments. In
support of his claim that he was
buying this protection he turned
over to the government agents his
cancelled checks. The amounts OF
these checks vary from $50 to $500
Gabel told the prohibition agents
be could sell liquor openly and
feel secure against prosecution
from any source. When Bessie Ell
lott, who was in charge OF Gabel's
house of prostitution, left him, his
receipts began to fall off, and he
was finding it steadily more diff.
cult to meet the assessments Of the
immunity ring. Gabel finally serv'
Cd notice that he would make NJ
further payments. In fact, he hat
grown so disguised with the ontirt
business that he planned selling
nut and buying poultry farm.
Marked for Death.
After Gabel had turned his can
eeled checks over to the govern
uent agents, he was induced t
make atfidavits explaining the re
turn he received for the payment
he made to the immunity ring. Ga
bel made the mistake of boastinl
that he had turned his checks int
the hands of government agent
and given them affidavits. Gabel'
statements travelled like wildfire il
the underworld. 1t didn't take loni
70 determine on course of action
It was decided that Gabel wOul'
never live to appear in court an
identify his checks and affidavit
held by the government agents.
We'll, don't have to tell yo
what happened to Gabel. Their
we're five men in the car that fol
lowed Gabel to his place Of bust
aess on Fourth avenue the night G
July 81. One Of the occupants G
the car was a negro. as near as
can learn. Two Of the men in tn
Tar fired at Gabel. The othe
three did not shoot, and it is poss
bic that they we're not even armet
They went along simply to serv
In the event OF an emergency. Ga
bel was alone, and consequent
was not in any position to resis
The attack Of the gang. He fell 9
the first volley Of shots directed 6
him.
After the gang was satisfied tbs
Gabel was silenced the car whizze
east, and four Of the occupant
alighted and took different diret
tons in getting to their abodes ft
/ the night. The car was driven b
It's owner.
All Of the men who we're in til
murder car have alibis. The stag
nad been set to clear the driver I
tAe car in the event that he VIZ
Ner called upon to explain h
Whereabouts at the time Of Il
label shooting. 1 predict that
ne is ever questioned on the mu
yer that a city employe will |
wrought forward to swear that
vas in his company at the mOmel
mat Bill Gabel was breathing b
Nst on the sidewalk on Four
avenue. l have not been able
Iearn the alibis of the four 9TH
members OF the murder crew, al
y Is hardly likely that they ha'
eeen as completely covered up ;
NE leader of the gang has been.
Will Save Themselves.
But, as l have said before, son
u the boys have been dropping
@cautious word here and theI
lney imagine that they are und
suspiclon. Those that had no 4
iect part in the killing, l predi'
sfe going to save themselves il
oegins to grow uncomfortable +
uem. Then the whole story W
some out. And there is no dou
mat 1t will come out, for I new
new OF such a coarse job as Il
usoel murder was to remain lol
wFered up. You hear all sorts
aorles about it having been |
0utSlde lob. Don't believe the