Later that night, a bomb exploded at the printing press in the newspaper's building, which Looney still owned. Looney refused a $7,000 insurance settlement, and the insurance company canceled his policy. In November, two mysterious fires would destroy the Mirror Lounge. The first fire on November 2 caused $32,000 worth of damage to the building, destroying the Mirror Saloon, run by Dan Drost. The second fire started the day before the insurance was canceled, causing $75,000 worth of damage to the Mirror building. Looney was accused of setting the fire by Dan Drost; he later admitted to helping Looney set the fire. With Looney unable to publish his newspaper for a year after he sold it, he was left powerless in Rock Island politics since he was unable to blackmail its residents. Looney resumed his publishing from the garage on the side of his house called "The Roost" in 1909. Looney moved his newspaper again in 1924 to the upper story of his mansion overlooking the Mississippi River. However, when Looney began to publish his first newspaper again for the first time on February 6, 1909, he personally attacked Wilmerton and his family on the front page. This personal attack of Wilmerton family led to a downtown shootout on February 22, 1909. Looney was shot in the side, but he was not seriously injured. Wilmerton was arrested, but was never charged with a crime. The "Bel-Aire" house at which this gunfight occurred can be viewed just slightly west of 30th street in Rock Island on River Heights Road. Looney was also subject to several other failed attempts to kill him. Looney had a hand in match fixing, prostitution, illegal gambling, and extortion. Gambling and prostitution took place in the basement of the building which housed the "Rock Island News". He had also been accused of extortion and blackmail. He allegedly would have one of his prostitutes walk up to a man and throw her arms around him, and once she did he would snap a photograph. Looney would then threaten to publish the photograph in the "Rock Island News" unless a cash payment was provided. In March 1912, one of Looney's lieutenants, Anthony Billburg, was arrested for extortion. According to accounts, Looney asked the Mayor of Rock Island, Harry M. Schriver, not to prosecute Billburg. After Schriver refused, Looney published an article on the front page of his paper accusing him of having an affair in Peoria.