- ous action of A. P. L. closed a case which was notorious
in the vicinity.
A study of the reports of operatives engaged in League activities at the busy Birmingham Division, and indeed all over the country, shows an astonishing lack of anything like personal violence. It never could be told, however, where such an instance might break out. Only two or three cases of killing in the course of duty are recorded in the thousands of cases handled. One of these comes from a quiet little farming village, Morris, Illinois, about the last place in the world where anything of the sort might have been expected. It resulted in the shooting down, in the uniform of our Army, of Private A. J. K, Company D., U. S. Infantry, a deserter from Rock Island arsenal. K had escaped from confinement at Rock Island with Corporal George S. Acting Sheriff S, who also was Chief of the A. P. L. at Morris, accompanied by Chief of Police A, had been advised to be on the lookout for two deserters who were reported to be bad men.
The two men were on top of a box car when a train pulled into town, and were accosted by the Sheriff. They claimed to be government guards, and were asked to show their papers. A weapon was seen in S's pocket. The other man, still on the top of the car, covered the two peace officers and ordered them to keep away or he would shoot. At last the Sheriff managed to get the drop on him before he fired, but meantime the train began to pull out, so no shooting ensued at that time.
Morris wired Joliet to arrest the soldiers when the train got in. The man hunt now was on, because other officers down the valley reported the men wanted for desertion. The two fugitives left the train at Durkee's Crossing and hid in the woods near the tracks. The Sheriff got a posse and following down the track, located the men and surrounded the wood where they were concealed. The chief got up to S unnoticed, covered him with a rifle and told him to come along, which he did. He then asked S where the other man was.
Just then, K, who had not been seen, called to the officer to drop the gun or he would shoot. Some
