Iowa voter. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1867-1874, 1873-06-26
The Damage Temperance Law.


The State Legislature quietly passed an
act last week which will do more for tenn
perance than all the laws ever recorded on
our statute books, and Governor Dix
signed it on Saturday.
What is this new law?
1t is law making liquor-seller re-
sponsible for all the damage which man
does while under the influence of the poi
son which he has sold or given him.
If man is mechanic, DOCTOR lawyer,
or laborer, and the rum-seller gives or
sells him rum till he becomes a drunkard
and loses his position, then the wife, child,
parent, guardian, employer, or any person
whose person or property is harmed in the
least, can sue the rum seller before JUS
tice of the Peace if the damage is under
5000, before three Justices of the Peace if
the damage is under $500, and before a
jury if the damages are from $500 to
100000.
Suppose the rum-seller has no prop
erty?
Then the person who owns the building
where the rum is sold is liable for the
damage done. If laborer gets drunk
and loses his place, his wife can collect
from the rum seller for all damage caused.
What effect will this splendid law have?
While in Ohio last winter saw its mag
nificent effect there 1t closed up ire
sponsible groggeries and rum holes. In
fact, it did away with bad, low, and ire
sponsible rum-sellers altogether Itmade
bar tender refuse to sell to man intoXi-
Gated, bOisterous, or who was on the down
ward road to ruin. 1t made owners of
buildings get responsible rum-selling ten
ants, or make irresponsible rum-sellers
give their bonds to the owner of the build
ing to meet suits for personal damages.
To illustrate:
In Ashland, Ohio, there lived DR..
Gibbs. He was a splendid young physi-
clan. He had a lovely wife, three beauti-
| full children, and sweet little cottage
paid for In an evil moment, DR.. Gibbs
commenced to drink. First it was social
breakfast; then regular drinking through
out the day then drunken, beastly stupid,
topper by the wayside. His patients left
him, wife grew pale with anxiety, and
children grew plain, then ragged. The
pretty cottage went, everything-al gulp-
ed down an insane mans throat. Friends
came to Mrs. Gibbs assistance. They
sued the rum-sellers. 1t was the first case
in Ashland. The people looked on in
| amazement Lawyers pleaded unconsti-
nationality, want of knowledge, and every
thing, but there was the statute--the same
one that Governor Dix signed on Satur-
day The jury went out--a good honest
country jury-and came back with a yer.
dict of $4,000 damages. The rum.seller
was frightened and refused TO pay. The
judgment came against the building. An
execution, and the man who had ruined
DIR. Gibbs and brought his lovely wife and
beautiful children down to poverty and
despair had to pay the $1,000. Not only
this, but it frightened all the rum-sellers
in Ashland. Poor DR.. Gibbs in vain
crawled into the bar-rooms, after this, to
plead with seedy garments, trembling
hands and broken speech, for more rum.
In few weeks the rum-fiend got out of
him. He became sane man. Behind,
it looked like dream-house gone, wife
haggard, and children ragged Then the
old manhood came back. With new reso-
lutions came new friends, new patience,
more work and prosperity. His wife
grew young again, and again his children
climbed upon his knee. That night, at
Ashland, DR.. Gibbs introduced me to the
audience, and after the lecture he told me
about himself and the Ohio law-about
our law-the law signed by Governor
Dix
"There!" he said, as we walked by
beautiful cottage, that's the early home I
threw down my throat; but, with Gods
blessing and my wife's and children's love,
will some day buy it back again."
And he will do it, sure.
Another case:
10 Miller, of Lodi, was a miner-a hard
working, honest kind-hearted husband,
and loving father. The town was full of
rum.hOles for killing miners. The rum.
sellers grew red-faced and rich, but the
miners grew pale and died. 10 began the
race. A drink now and then. A holiday
spree. A working-day drunk. Rum,
headache, pale face, and lost time House
mortgaged-lost. Two children died.
Wife badly treated, and 10 drunk and
sprawled upon the floor. Rum, rum, work
gone, poverty-death. After the funeral,
which was paid for by the miners, Mrs
Miller commenced suit against the rum
sellers. She won it, and the rum.selling
leech who had been sucking in miners
cottages and money and lives had to pay
$4,000 damages This kept JOS wife from
the peor-house and frightened four rum
sellers out of Lodi. 1t made it a tenn
perance town. A sober, well behaved man
can get drink there, but boys and drunk.