Offers to Kill Editor
Rock Island Mayor Says Order Must be Restored.
Executive Accuses Man of Causing Political Riots
Martial Law Continues (News Article)
Date: March 29, 1912, Belleville News Democrat

Rock Island, IL, Mar. 29-
Mayor Harry Schriver made the startling declaration that if it is necessary to kill John LOONEY, editor of the Weekly News, he (Schriver) will undertake the job. Looney, according to Schriver, is the cause of all the rioting and bloodshed that took place here Tuesday night.
"Decent citizenship in this town is going to be protected,: the mayor said. "If it is necessary to kill John Looney, I will kill him if they march me to the gallows th next day. Looney's blasphemous paper has done damage to this town."
Lodges and church societies applied to the military for permits to hold their regular meetings. The military orders prevent large gatherings of any kind.
Raymond SWINGLE, 18 years old, shot through the abdomen during the riot, can not survive the day, according to a statement of the hospital physicians.
Martial Law will continue in effect in Rock Island until there is no longer any possibility of renewed rioting. No political mass meetings will be permitted until after the primary election April 9.
Saloons must remain closed until April 9. At least a portion of the troops now in charge of this city will continue here until after the election. Orders to this effect was issued by Sheriff Bruner and Adj. Gen. Dickson, following a lengthy conference by these officials with Mayor Schriver.
submitted by C. Horton 0409

Broke away from the custody of the constable: Augustus Harrington, aged about 19 years, 5'6" or 5'8" tall, fair hair. 27 Feb 1840,
RIB&SB [K. Torp- 2009]

A young man named Brewer was attacked by some unknown person, at Rock Island, on the 17^{th inst., and severely wounded before he made his escape.
Illinois State Chronicle (Decatur, Illinois) March 27 1856  [Submitted by Nancy Piper -2008]}

H.J. Smalley shot and killed his brother Andrew at McPherson, Nebraska, on Saturday. The brothers were traveling over land from Moline, Illinois, to Colorado.
[Burlington Hawk Eye, Des Moines Co, IA, July 12, 1877]

A Pathetic Parting
Nickolls County (Neb) Herald

While on our way to Lincoln last week we witnessed a most pitiable sight, viz., that of a man with shackles on his feet, and a wife and five children, ranging from two to three months to ten years, clinging to him. The circumstances are as follows: A short time ago an emigrant wagon was wending (sic) its way with its load of living freight towards Colorado, and one night went into camp near North Platte.

It appears that H.J. Smalley, the prisoner, and head of a family, and his brother, a beardless youth of perhaps nineteen years, had started together, taking with them the prisoner’s family. About the time they reached North Platte they had some trouble and the prisoner wanted his brother to leave and go by himself. But the boy did not intend to go without money, and took, during the night, from the prisoner’s pocketbook, which contained about sixty dollars, the sum of seven dollars and fifty cents, and left. In the morning, when the taking of the money was discovered, the prisoner went after the boy, and caught him about then miles from camp and brought him back. When they reached camp they had more trouble and the prisoner shot the boy with an old musket which had in it a heavy charge of buckshot, blowing the boy’s head to fragments.

Smalley is a simple, in offensive looking man, and must have been in an awful passion to commit such a deed. The sheriff from North Platte, from whom we learned the facts, stated that if his wife and children had not staid him faithfully he would have been hung. It seems that on their account his counsel was able to work upon the sympathies of the jury to such an extent as to cause them to bring in murder in the second degree, which places a man in a living grave for the balance of his days. Although he had committed the most horrible deed in the catalogue of crimes, it was impossible to look unmoved on the scene. A man taking final leave of his family in such a case is indeed an effecting sight. As the train neared the station he took his children each in turn, from the oldest, a girl of ten, to the baby in his arms, and with tears streaming down his face, gave each a farewell caress, and held them to his bosom for the lat time.

Then handing the baby to his little girl, he took his wife, who had been faithful till this worse than death, in his arms, as a fond lover might his lady. With her head pillowed on his shoulder, they neared the station, where they must part forever. Such is the faithfulness of a true woman, whose marriage vows are to her something more than a form of words that will give her a home. In the face of the facts, who dare say that a woman is false or fickle?
[Burlington Hawk Eye , Des Moines County, Iowa, November 15, 1877 ]

Rock Island, The Evening Argus, Sat. April 15, 1865
Submitted by Candi Horton

Police Court - Charles Burford, Jr. Esq. Police Magistrate

-Mathew Wall, Co. F. 4th V.R.C raised a disturbance in Schmitt's Saloon on the levee, Thursday evening and was taken to jail by Policeman Sarvey. He was brought up Friday, and fined $8 and costs, which he paid.

-Mrs. Elizabeth Hanna, one of the proprietors of the Farnam House, was slightly tight the same night and made herself so much of a nuisance the Policemen Redding and Sarvey put her in jail. She was brought up Friday and fined $5. She had no money and was sent up for 5days.