The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1874-02-13
WHISKY WAR.

WHISKY WAX.
The Women's Crusade Against the
Liquor Sellers In Southern Ohio-Un.
conditional Surrender OF the Wickedes,
Man = Remarkable Scenes and Incl.
dents.
cincinnati Feb. 81 Cor. Chicago Tribune.l
The most noteworthy features in the
news from the Women's whisky war to-
day is the intelligence of the sudden
surrender of Van Pelt, at New Vienna
Ohio, who was rapidly becoming known
as the wickedest man in Ohio. Van
Pelt swore he would never capitulate,
but yesterday he gave up the struggle
very unexpectedly. A dispatch from
New Vienna says q request was circu-
lated from Van Pelt, inviting all the
citizens to appear in front of his place
of business at 2 p. m. At p. M, the
ladies met at the Baptist church, and
at 2 they took up their march, about 100
in number, to Van Pelt's. The church
bells were all rung, and in few min
utes an immense crowd was assembled
In front of the saloon where so many
prayers have been offered. After sing
ing and prayer by the ladies' Van Pelt
came to the door and said that he was
ready to give up his entire stock in
trade for the good of the cause of tenn
perance. In few remarks, full of
emotion, he expressed his determine
ton to make fun surrender, not be-
cause of law or of force, but he said he
yielded to the simple labors of love of
the women. This was what reached his
heart. He then gave the Rev. ID. Hill,
of the Friends church, privilege to
bring out his whisky and beer. They
rolled out two barrels and one key.
Van Pelt then took an AK, and stepping
forward, held it up, crying "This is
the same weapon l use to terrify the la
dies. L now use it to sacrifice that
, which l fear has ruined many souls. :"
80 saying, he Knocked the heads out of
the barrels, and the bung out of the
key and emptied the entire contents
on the ground. Prayer was offered by
Brother Witter, during which time
photographer took a picture of the
crowd with Van Pelt, axe in hand.
At the meeting in the evening Van
Pclt came forward and spoke about
twenty minutes. He proceeded to give
briefly his views of the liquor traffic
and the temperance work He
had felt for some days deep convic-
tons that he was doing n mean bust
ness, but had used every argument he
could to sustain himself. He had tried
to argue with the ladies and get the
best of the argument. 1t was not argu-
ments, but prayers and suffering that
touched his heart. No man, or set of
men, would suffer and endure what the
ladies had endured in this work. He
referred to his saloon as low doggery,
saying, Yes, I'll call it low doggery,
for no man can keep high one." He
had often taken the last ten cents from
a man for whisky, when he knew the
money had been earned by his wife or
child. Every man who sells whisky
does this. Little faces thus robbed had
often appealed to his heart with greater
force than any words of man. He was
now determined to quit this business
forever, and throw his strength on the
other side of the question. He thought
places of innocent amusement and re-
sort ought to be established to enter
tain those who seek company at saloons.
He believed this emphatically ladies'
work. He believed God had led them
into this work. He wanted to encour-
age them to go on till the country is
freed from the greatest curse of the
land. He had been thinking for sew
eral days that perhaps the great God,
who overrules all, had allowed him to
go into that low business, that he might
see the great iniquity, and be better
able to influence others to quit the ter
rible business.
At the close of the speech, the audi
ence expressed their delight by pro-
longed applause. The audience made
Van Pelt q present of $50, not as a
compensation for his whisky, for he did
not ask that, but as an expression of
their good feelings toward HIM for his
sacrifice.
The Temperance war has broken out
in Delaware, Delaware county, and in
Pomeroy, Meigs county. At Pomeroy,
yesterday, fifty ladies organized and
visited the saloons, singing and pray
ing for the proprietors, and against the
sale of liquors. This is their first de-
monstration.
At Washington, Fayette county, an
injunction has been granted by Judge
Stafford, against fifty-seven of the ladies
engaged in the crusade. In obedience
to this legal demand, the tabernacle
adjoining Beeks' beer-garden has been
removed. Counter-suits have been in
stituted against the saloon-keepers by
the wives Of tipplers.
At Greenfield, Highland county, q
resisting druggist was fined yesterday,
and many new cases are pending
against him.
Ladies' Logic.