Free trader-journal and Ottawa fair dealer. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1920-1927, 1922-12-07
FORMER 0TTAWAN AND
EX.P0lICE CHIEF ARE
HELD FOR MURDER
PROVES SENSATION
ROCK ISLAND VICE QUIZ TAKES
ON STARTLING PHASE AS
GRAND JURY RETURNS TRUE
BILLS AGAINST NEWS EDITOR.

Developments in the Rock Island
grand Jury quiz took a sensational
turn late yesterday when indict.
lnents charging murder we're return
Cd against John Looney. former edi-
tor OF the Rock Island Nows. and ma
tive Ottawa; Thomas Gov. resigned
chief OF police; Lawrence Pedigo.
Looney's lieutenant; l.. walker and
Joe Richards.
Indictment of the Lornng gang was
obtained on the strength Cl testimony
given at the investigation into the
H. hing of Bill Gabel, a aalooHkeep-r
str. dead while standing il the door
way OF his place, by band Oi six
men who emptied their Guns i,.to his
body while driving pas; in all auto
mobile.
Looney. according 20 government
Dnd state authorities, IS fugitive
from justice He is vented on e. H.
era. true bill charging him with y.oa-
tiop OF the national automchI law.
Fer while after his disappearance
II was thought Looney was hiding in
Ottawa, but this theory was soon
s'raightened out when it was proven
q at the editor did not come To bis
20 rer home here after tlesins from
hI ok Island None Of his crstwhi,e
fStards here had seen nos krfr, OF
him since the gigantic expose was
gotten under way following :ha street
riot Cn one Of Rock Islan 9 priE2ipa!
br.lness streets, which retuited in
t''e death Of his son, Joha Cunnors
Lntney.
Cox Locked in Cell.
An hour before thu indictment
against Cox was returned He "as ar
rerted at his home by She-ifi c. L.
Edwards. Cox was immediately TAX
Ell to the county Jail all locked up.
II Is expected he will be he'd wittcut
bail pending his trial az the IdaUtrv
tenn.
Nr. Cox, who is now under two in |
Ailments and $4,000 bond5. charging !
him with conspiracy to protect vice /
and the theft of city automobile, /
Is claimed to have hal part IN the
conspiracy which resulted in Il band
OF six men, all denizcns 0f me under
world, lying for Gabel and riilling
his body with bullets ana then drIv |
ing away.
The fifty witnesses who testified
gave evidence indicating that Cahe.
was not murdered because he
planned to reveal shakedowns to the
government, but because he had
witnessed another murder by mem
bers of the Looney rin5, AMI that
he was shot by mem!""s of two /
gangs, instead of one, as has been
supposed.
Here is the story as told to the
murder of girl attributed to Cox,
in the resort next to Gabeis and own
ed by Helen Van Dale, known rs tho
sweetheart of Cox. He Is said 10
have refused CUSTOMARY tribute iH
Looney and, when pressed by Looney
AMI the ring, to have gone to federal
officials and offered to tell ,f pro-
lection given bootleggers
1t has been believed that this was
the reason he was killed. Put the
gtate evidence is alleged 70 show con-
cllsively that the Gabel murder was
planned long before-that it wa; plan
ned shortly after the girls murder
Cop Ordered Off Beat.
The night Gabel was killed Cox
ordered Patrolman Miner Off his beat
which included the Gabel frontage.
Chief Cox is said to have gone TO
Helen Van Dale's. next to GabePs.
At 11:45 p. m. Pedigo and Richards
are alleged to have received phone
call at a certain hotel, telling them
to start. They jumped into Pedigo's
car and sped away,
At 11:55 p. m. car alleged to
contain John Looney, Conner Looney,
Leonard Walker and two others.
drove up in front of Gaba.s place
and he was called. Down the street
stood Pedigo's car.
AS Gabel walked over he was fred
on from the Looney car and by
Pedigo and Richards. who were
standing on the sidewalk, 1t is al
legged. Pedigo and Richards, leaping
into their car, reached the starting
point at 1905 a. m. and announced
Gabel had been killed. witnesses said.
About this time Miner was sent
from the station to talk ta Pedigo
Pedigo pulled out lis watch and
called attention to the fact that 1t
WAS then 1855 p. NJ. by It, Miners
watch showed 12:t5. Miner later
verified his watch.
A day or two after this berame
known he and Policeman Green were
killed in an attempted arrest. II Is !,