The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1922-09-18

s1ssnabiIty 4 GEa1l Jury Indla.l
nswnsats Caaseo o946aA 1e1ar.
bef turs Mumh9 e IeepegA
tsna
ss9Asse 4 panic N tn Rock lslaA4
- ring over the fear of indiet-
tnnnts bsing yOensned hy the Rock
GDlsnd county grand 1ufy and IL
lsdsral grand tary. The county
h1rand jury was c0uveoed this after
16oon 1t the court house. The ted
eEal grand jury y to meet next
IL onth at Peoria n
~ The Rock Island vice ring 10
t00niposed OF uen Who have been
s8Alling hooch and Drotection TO the
ei1nderworld, from which sources 1t
n said to have rsaped thousands
ii0f dollars m0nthly. "A commission
hee from y to a per gallon has
s6een realized from every gallon OF
.fAO0ch whisky sold to the places un-
Der the control and protection OF
fShe vice ring. All Of the houses of
bprostitution have been selling
z hooch.
MI States Attorney Ben Bell says
that he is not aware of the fact II
evidence has been gathered in the
Rock Island underworld by persons
who are to- appear before the grand
nj0r$, and that he will have ny
knowledge Of any such investigA-
ton until the Jury meets today,
II such evidence has been gathered,
he says, he will see that the proper
use is made Of it in penalizing any
who may have been guilty Of vio-
lations Of the state laws.
1t lis said that federal agents
gathered evidence in Rock Island
during their liquor investigations
which shows that graft payments
have been made to members d the
Rock Island vice ring. Bill GaDel
told government agents that he
paid monthly assessments to in
sure him against prosecution either
BY the city. county or federal gov
ernments for selling liquor. Gabel
supported his statements by his
cancelled checks and affidavits
But Gabel was killed by orders Of
the vice ring before he had an op-
portunity to personally corroborate
his charges before either the coun.
y ty grand jury or the federal grand
jury, Gabel being no more, It II
not known whether the federal gov
eminent will make use of hi.
charges at the forthcoming meet
fVu re tho ueoud 3uwx, az Donr;a Z
the government does use the Gabe
evidence 1t is possible that indict
ments will be asked against mem
bers of the Rock Island ring fol
conspiracy against the government
an oifense punishable by peniten
tiary sentence.
Possible Witnesses Gene.
On Aug. joint statement wa
issued by the Rock Island city an,
county authorities that all vice wa
to be suppressed y the city. Thes
orders were not put into effecl
Houses Of prostitution, gambler
and bootleggers continued to 0pel
X ate openly.
During the past week. howevel
there were held a number of meet
ings between officials. underwood
operatives and their represents
tves, with the result that men an
women who have been conductin
several of the largest cOmbinatio
II bars and houses Of prostitution
have been induced to leave the cit!
They have departed for parts uI
known and their places have bee
closed, whether temporarily G
permanently, The Argus has NJ
been advised. There were no al
rests made, the owners simply ha,
ing been ordered to suspend an
advised that in view OF the unse
tied state of affairs It would
better for all concerned if the
were far enbugh away SO the
could not be summoned for que
| ttoning either by the county or fet
eral grand juries. The Argus hs
not been furnished the names
these absent resort keepers, NJ
the numbers Of their closed loc;
tons, although officials shou
have the information.
The resort keepers who have lie
the city are understood to ha,
been among the most generous col
tributors To the vice ring, throue
the purchase Of hooch and prote
| ton.
Il realize that it would 10 us
les for me to resist" said one
the women who has left the cit
s'k Is easy to discredit q woman
4 my business In court, and We q
| ways shun such an ordeal when
IL possible to do so. l have bee
1 paying for protection In Rock l
l land, and / have been receiving
\ up until now, but something seen
to have happened, and I don't kno
how long it will be before I am q
4 lowed to reopen my place. ha,
Q large investment here, and spel
4 my money in the full assufan,
II that would not be disturbed.
u guess l must take my medicin
Just the Same. but the fellows
whom l have been paying my goo
II money are allowed to hold ub the
H heads and remain in the city III
H molested by the law. Not that
h would want to see them prosecute
II but 1t does seem to me they ougl
n TO be able to deliver the goods I'd,
and others have been payinx "a
n But I suppose We ought not kie
h too hard. We have had pretty 20
pickings in Rock Island for thr,
N year1, and I hope some day thin
H Will DO liked up 20 we can 90 asai