The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1922-10-20

- I'm going to expose graft immunity r,AS
Ind everything else, and then have something
left to say about the shooting in Market square
s{hs afternoon OF Oct. g."
George Holsapple is addressing reporters
at the courthouse Just after making request
Ito be permitted to appear before the grand
s3pry. Holsapple is one Of four men held for
Sfhe killing OF John Looney, Jr. in the Market
square underworld gang battle. What he told
me grand jury is not available for publication,
but II Holsappls told all that he knew about |
7he history of the Rock Island underworld there
would be revelations that would give Rock H. |
land such an upheayal as it has not expert |
-Hnced before in its existence.
- Men playing the game that Hosapple has
followed are not In the habit Of telling what
they know about officials and others from
whom they receive concessions to violate the
s-faw. They ordinarily pay as they go. and when
there is severance OF relationships they ac-
-:rept the situation without protest. and look to
=4nother day to restore them to their lost privi
=1eses. But there has been long brewing deathly
warfare in the Rock Island underworld. Hol-
apple is afiliated with the faction that has
been disfranchised. Holsapple is not drifter
who drops into q city and plays the game while
conditions are favorable and then migrates to
other fields. He is Rock Island product, owns
property here and feels that if there are to be
privileges doed out 10 his kind he is entitled to
l share them. Perhaps if you were Holsapple
you would feel IS he does. Holsapple does not
pose as . soul saver . Sunday school
\ teacher. He isl not hypocrite He has been
running q gambling room and his wife has
;-Neen conducting resort on Sixteenth street.
\ ::5olsapple feels that he is a part Of the COM
.--aunity II his kind of business is to be legal
H led by the city and county governments he
n proposes not to be disfranchised because he
= has failed to make suitable financial arrange
mens with an underworld government with
n which he is notion amicahe terms
- Holsapple doesn't propose to leave Rock
N island and become drifter. He proposes
\ s=Atandng his ground and fighting to finish II
4 Rock Island is to be closed town he'll take
II his medicine with the rest II it's to be an open
/ stown he expects to be among the privileged in
D Ibis social classification.
y When you know that Holsapple has been
stripped OF the privileges that he had SO long
Y enjoyed, and has been Threatened with business
and physical determination, you can appreciate
his mood as he approaches the grand jury to
take q hand in the role of informef in con-
Nection with the vice investigation that body is
conducting. Holsapple could, if he woulI, men-
4 Zion the names of persons to whom pay
/ ssments of money have been made for the
4 privilege OF engaging in businesses that are IL
direct violation Of the laws Of the city and state
H He could explain how certain citizens of Rock
i Island have grown rich through sharing ia the
Earnings OF prostitution, gambling, liquor
/ s-selling and dope peddlag. He could tell the
i Inside workings of the underworld government
sl-a government directed wholly Independent, so
s$far as appearances go, of the city hall and
courthouse He could tell low officials are held
In submission by the underworld government.
EITHER through sharing in the graft collections
cur by threats Of exposure OF their private or
=ofncial acts. He could tell how underworld
-roncessionaires are shorn of their privileges
when they refuse to meet the increased assess
-ments Of the underworld government; how
their privileges are passed to those willing to
come across with the amounts nominated in
1.-The, revised schedules. Holsapple> could tell
how appointments of chiefs Of police have been
dictated by the underworld government-for
the underworld government must have the chief
of police in order to complete the authoritative
bond between the underworld government and
@-seAo Sity AsH, uOuu thdt supplies tn6 re&ula-
tory power that ID not infreQuently necessary
10 whip recalcitrant eessionaires into lins
=and in edecting changes in the underworld
personnel to the financial interest of the vice
=1rofteers. Holsapple could tell how he was
denied permit to run gambling house while
others were allowed to run wide OPEN He
could tell the assessments levied in the under
world for campaign purposes at the various
Elections
| = Holsapple has spent his whole life in Rock
szSland. He knows its underworld history, bat
he has observed the law Of the underworld and
Remained silent until now. Holsappls 10 nsm-
her Of q faction in deadly combat with another
faction BON sides have started to tell what
they know in desperate effort to incriminats
ssach other. Holsapples enemies have told
what they know about him. They broke the ice
Holsapple can't bs blamed for seeking to de-
fend himself and incidentally. II possible. to get
the other fellow In bad with the law That's
5Ae law Of the underworld. the same ~ Of
:asaer elassiat tti0n' Of society vA'' f'i'sA'
3: 1ns public has little interest IN TIE Rssa