The Weekly Kansas chief. [volume] (Troy, Kan.) 1872-1918, 1882-07-20
D.c,n,, Seem 90 ProhIbi,.

The first trial in Troy under the liquor law, came
of last Saturday. The band of busy women who
have been under the direction of some person or
persons behind the curtain running and fussing for
several months past finally got Joseph Penrod i'm
portuned up to the point Of making complaint
against a saloon-keeper. The complaint wss filed
before Justice Stout and Peter Dill the Sc
lected to put through the mill. Although the COM
plant was made by Penrod, the women ran the ma
chine Besides County Attorney Heatley, the wo-
men employed Judge Price and Ryan & Wood to as
sist in the prosecution. Dill was defended BY A.
Perry, d. NJ Johnston, and n. b. Wood. The
charges were, selling liquor in violation of the law,
and maintaining a nuisance. The attorneys for the
defence demanded that the complaint be confined to
one specific charge The prosecution chose the nui-
sance complaint. Considerable time was consumed
in getting a jury. The evidence and arguments
were completed, and the jury sent out about dark,
Saturday evening. They remained out until Sunday
afternoon, when they returned verdict Of acquit-
tal
OF course, there is bowling over this verdict. The
Justice leans strongly toward the temperance law,
and selected jury that he believed to be impartial
The court room was crowded with women, the OBJ
ect being to produce effect in favor Of conviction.
Simon RYAN in his address to the jury, insulted
them, and attempted to buldo1e them, by asserting
that il they failed to bring in verdict such a. he
demanded, they would perjure themselves
We think we can see q good reason why the jury
returned n verdict that the saloon not a nui-
sance Church members, merchants, mechanics,
County officers, eI-County officers and husbands Of
women Who were urging the prosecution, were put
upon the stand to testify. The jury could not con-
scientiously declare that place frequented by the
leading citizens Of town nuisance. On the
same ground they could condemn the churches
and social parties nuisances.
We have expressed our opinion of this business,
more than once. These crusaders, in weeks time,
have caused more bitterness and downright hatred,
and more bad blood in every way, than the saloons
have caused in year. The persons living next
door to the saloon, on either side, have made no
complaint that il a nuisance. The worry is all
by persons living off other streets, and by Mr..
Ryan, living ten miles away. Ard as long as the
women will let such lawyers, who are after fees,
keep them hustng around, impsrtuning citizens for
money to pay them, at the rate Of so to $50 clip
so long they will keep them agtating this matter,
and hunting for nuisances. We believe the women
are honest and earnest in their work-so earnest in
deed that they do stop to consider that they are
being pushed forward to keep up the agitation and
beg for money, while certain lawyers pocket their
hardearned funds. This 10 nothing more or less
than common barrntry-an industry that the prohi-
bition law is well calculated to foster
We understand that the women are considering
several ways to remedy the verdict of the jury, in
this case. One 10 to take it up to the Supreme Court
and Lave that tribunal convict Dill Another is to
arrest the jury, and put them in Jail for giving
wrong verdict. third is to send off to other plac
es for Justices and Conssbles to conduct liquor
es, who will do the right thing. When women take
hold of the law, they don't do things by halves, or
allow any foolishness.