Knoxville weekly chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1875, 1874-02-18
THE wOMAN's WHISKY WAR.
How the Crusade Progresses I'm Ohio.


of the Ohio Women's Crusade against the
liquor dealers, we make the following
brief extracts. 1t is evident that the ex-
element is rapidly spreading, and the wo-
men are encouraged in most places by the
business and monied men, who are sub
scribing large sums of money to keep the
ball moving:
At Ripley o., the following results are
reported OF the twenty-three drinking
| places in the town, sixteen of the proprie-
tors have signed the pledge, and agreed to
| quit the business altogether.
| This afternoon the ladies were out one
hundred and nine strong to visit the incor-
rigibles, and tonight everybody is at 81
mass meeting at the M. +. Church.
| The whole community is excited, and
| the main features are the deep religious
| feeling that pervades all classes, and the
unanimity Of all denominations of religi-
| GUS bodies in the work-Protestant and
| Catholic, immersionsts and sprnklers,
| Calvanists and Armenians, are all hand i'll
| hand.
The law as applicable to prayer is having
nice constructions put upon it. One law
year at Hillsboro', Ohio, has said:
That "a prayer for man was an implied
| imputation upon his character, and that il
was an actionable offense to pray for per-
| son. even In a cnurcn."
At Chillicothe, telegram says, there is
undoubtedly change in public sentiment.
Ladies who but few days ago spoke of
| the movement with contempt or indiffer-
| ence now strongly favor it. Some under
hand influence is thought to be at work.
| One thing is certain-the fever is rising,
and an outbreak at any time is possible.
| At Gallipolis, on the 10th, they made a
sally from the Presbyterian Church, at
O'Clock, numbering one hundred and fif-
teen ladies. They divided into parties and
| invaded saloons, holding prayer meetings
until II p. NJ They were everywhere
treated kindly, and invited to call again.
At Springfield, large city, twenty-five
ladies went to several of the leading drink
| ing saloons, intending to present pledge
| and induce the keepers to consent to quit
| the business. With one exception, the
doors of every saloon visited were locked
againsS them, and, ~ admittance was re-
| fused, religious exercises were held outside,
however, the party remaining about TWEEN
ty minutes at each place. At the Bank
beer saloon, kept by Mr. johnson, the par
ty entered. While engaged in back room
in singing and praying, a crowd of men
occupied the front room, drinking beer
and ridiculing them.
| AT Xenia, another large city, on the 10th,
one hundred and fifty women enlisted un-
der the call for volunteers, snd were di-
vided into committees to enlist the entire
female working force of the city, To-
| morrow morning, at O'Clock, they meet
for regular organization, and soon after
will move against the enemy. The city is
| nearly a unit in support of the movement.
At Middlport the women are organized,
| praying before the saloons until midnight.
A petition, signed by four hundred and
twelve voters, being only thirteen less than
the total vote for Governor, has been pre-
sent to the town Council for prohibitory
ordinance.
At Athens the work is described as fol-
lows:
The ladies' thirty-two in number, pro
ceeded from the Methodist Episcopal
| Church to visit the saloons and drug stores,
while the men remained at the church to
pray. AS each prayer assembled to the God
above, the bell tapped At the same time
the ladies opened prayer. The n,odUs
Operdndi is thus: They first offer petit
ton asking them not to sell any more in
toxicatng liquors, and in case they refuse
to sign the pledge, hymns are sung and
prayers are offered.
The movement is extending to Indiana,
where the women are met with more re-
sistance. In that state, by advice of law
yers the saloon keepers send to the hus-
bands and fathers of the women engaged a
written notice, that if their business is in
terferred with. the former will be sued for
damages.
CINCINNATI, Feb. 12.-Beports from
Southern Ohio and Indiana show no
abatement in enthusiasm concerning the
women's temperance crusade. Wherever
the work is inaugurated the leading peo-
pie of the community take hold of it, and,
once set in motion, it seems to be self sup
porting. Everywhere the reports indicate
. no lack of faith in ultimate success. Day
after day women make their rounds, while
, large meetings of men and women remain
, in the churches to pray. Everywhere the
temperance crusade is the exciting topic of
: conversation.
: The interest in the temperance move
: ment is increasing in Columbus, and both
, parties are nervOusly awaiting the out
: break.
! A peculiar phase of the movement was
= exhibited at Waverley, Pike county,
: where the temperance movement was sud
: denly begun by the mayor, accompanied
{ by the marshal and other respected gen
tlemen, who entered saloon and aston
o ished its inmates by kneeling and offering
. a fervent prayer for all present. At Ok
7 | ford nearly one thousand residents have
1 signed the pledge and the praying
!. bands are visiting the saloons. The ladies
: engaged in the crusade are among the
+, best people of the place, occupying high
- social positions.
Leesburg, Highland county, Ohio, re-
E.a