The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1922-09-20

This is the information I have
I'm able to obtain in an inquiry
arong those Of the underworld
iabltues who have been allowed to
remain in Rock Island during the
hitting Of the grand jury. Some of
tie keepers of the larger houses Of
rostitution are out Of the city with
Instructions not to return until au-
thoritatively advised to do SO.
These keepers are away at this
time SO that they would not be
available- as witnesses in case the
grand jury sent out a dragnet to
bring in witnesses to sustain the
charges of protected public vice.
Rock Island is known in the un-
derworld Of other parts Of the
country as city where a gambler
or prostitute, or in fact any illegal
lraficker, is safe providing arrange
sments are made with persons
whose business it is to sell pro-
tection.
/ had conversation with a
young woman who said she had
Just arrived from Peoria, where she
had lived in house Of prostitution
three years.
II thought it was about time
should strike out for myself" she
said.
II ought to know the ropes
pretty well by now. I asked my
landlady for advice, and she sug-
gested to me that l come to Rock
Island. She said that in this city
there was no danger Of getting ii
trouble with the police authorities
II saw the proper parties. She
told me that 1t might be little ex-
pensive for me, but such an ar
rangement was better than being
in constant fear of disturbance and
possible fines and Jail terms.
guess I would now be in business
here II everything was running
smoothly. 1t has been better fol-
we women in Rock Island than II
is in most cities over the country
1t. is getting gradually harder for
US to operate, with the prohibition
law tightening and the federal and
state governments warning on So
dAl diseases. In Rock Island the
person who gets permission to open
: house also is permitted to sell
liquor, and that is q big item in
these days when 1t is against the
law to deal in intoxicants."
Police Ignored.
Then you were not to see the
police authorities when you came t.
Rock lsland!"
II should say not" replied the
woman. I'm Rock Island, you
know, you are not supposed to dea
with the police authorities.
The woman named the persons
In Rock Island she had been in
formed furnished the protection
I that was necessary to insure
against interference either by thu
city or county authorities.
Il was told that the soft peda
was on for a time in Rock Island,
the woman continued, ''but was
assured that things would be nor
NAL just as soon as the presen,
storm subsidized"
DO you expect to remain II
Rock IslandT'
Probably not. But il quiet II
again restored here within a rea.
sonable time l will return and e
into bushes, for this is supposed
to be next to the liyest spot in. thu
state outside Of Chicago ane
Peoria"
lmet man who told me he haC
been associated with gambling il
Rock Island for many years.
We're sure in an awful mess,
complained the gambler. There
Is no telling where we are going tt
land. We had been going along fine
lcr about three years until the
Gabel murder. That drew the fire
OF the public. Everybody wants te
know who killed Bill. am sure
don't NOW, but there doesn't seen
70 De any doubt but what he wa:
knocked off by the bunch here II
Town. That was an awful mistake
II simply aroused the public ant
focused attention on our line O
business and forced the officials t
promise that they were going II
c,ose US up. The Argus has beer
canning that we have been run
nlns because we have been payinl
projection. OF course we hav'
oeen paying protection. That's NJ