Omaha daily bee., 1889-02-10
IT'S A PARADISE OF TOUGHS.
A Town Which Always Wears a
Vermillion Hue.
TOO MANY FOR THE MARSHAL.
lie Tries 60 Keep order, But the Hard
Citizen is Overwhelmingly Num-
crous Dark Mysteries
OF the River.


Perdttion's Ante Room.
CovfNGToS, Neb, Feb. 6.-[Correspond.
ence OF The BEE. The inconsistency of the
prohibition law could not be more plainly dc.
monstratod than it is daily, here at Coving.
ton.
There are organized at this place from
twelve to twenty rum selling institutions
known as Transportation companics,n ~
whose sole objects are the carrying of whisky
from Covington to prohibition Sioux City,
and there ped6ling it out to the thirsty null
titudes, and from the number Of trips made
each day by the wagons Of these concerns,
they are doing land-ohlcc business right in
the heart of the city that has done more
boasting over the great accomplishments of
that king of all known legislative tarces-
prohibtion-thau all other towns and cities
in Iowa.
In fact, a man may start on the ice in the
center of the river between this town and
the one on the opposite side, for ten hours
each day, and it would be very difficult
matter to determine from which direction
the largest number of drunken men will
pass during that time,
There is. since the closing up of he river,
constant stream of humanity coming and
going from morning till night.
They get drunk in Sioux City ana come
here to clean out the town, and get drunk
here and go there to do the same thing.
The only perceptible difference between
the two places is that here they can give
vent to their cussedness without taking so
many chances Of being run in,n as they
would be compelled TO take on the other
side.
And right here would like to correct a
false impression which has been spread
throughout the country by prejudiced
writer on a local paper to the effect that the
marshal of the town, Frank Williams does
not attempt to keep order This is false, and
does that official grave injustice.
He cannot always keep order Neither
could any other one man. He has too many
hard characters to deal with, ana the only
surprise to me is that he has been able to
keep his life as long as he has.
The place is filled with tin.horn gamblers,
prostitutes, tramps and outlaws from every
quarter Of the globe, whose very counte-
nances as well as their actions, stamp them
a dangerous daring lot
Last evening about half past o'clock, I
stepped out of John Paysen's saloon next to
the river, and leisurely strolled up street till
l reached the corner where the Boys Home
is located, and while standing there men
tally admiring the sparkle of the electric
light across the street, heard the shriek of
q woman as if in distress Hurriedly look
ing to the rear of the Boys Home and on to
a vacant lot, saw two men, one of whom
seemed to be holding a large fur coat over
the head and shoulders of u woman, while
the other was apparently dragging her by
the wrists to some point against her will. !
hastily stepped into the bar room Of the
Boys Home, and informed q good -natured
looking man who was standing near the
stove, and whom / took to be a farmer or
laboring man, of what had heard and seen
Looking me square in the eye, he growled:
"What of it: Are you looking for lost
friend2'
| got out of the scrape the best I could,
and permit me to here remark that since
that occurrence have been less lnquisitve
while meandering about this little criminal
resort, for such is certainly Its proper and
most appropriate name.
The respectable people of the town as well
as residents all over Dakota county, are
justly indignant at the way the laws are de-
family violated in this place with lmpunity,
and threaten resorting to mob law unless
something is soon done to stop 1t.
But how, pray, can the county attorney or
any other official prosecute and convict
man Of crime until it is first proven that he
is guilty:
Where is this proof to come from which is
80 essential to successful prosecutions and
convictions. The sad fate of the Rev. Had
dock is to fresh in the memories of the re-
spectacle and honest portion of Covington's
citizens TO warrant one of them in making
the first move to suppress the rapidly in,
creasing crime that to-day surrounds and
curses their heretofore peaceful and happy
homes.
In conversation with one of Covington's
Oldest and most highly respected citizens,
whose name L would give had he not
especially requested me not to do so, | yes
terday CLEANED the following information in
reference to the state of affairs existing here
to-day:
"How long have you resided here'"
"Twenty-nlne years ago the latter part of
last October"
"Well," I continued "do you consider
this place any worse than other places in the
countyl"
"Ycs, sir; do most emphatically believe
this town to-day is the wckedest and most
dangerous place | have ever been in; and !
tell you young fellow, l have seen some
tough places"
''How is it, then, there seems to have been
no murders reported from this place, eX-
cepting one or two some thirty odd year S
agoN'
"That Is easy to explain" the old gentle
man explained, as he pointed toward the
river.
''Do you mean to tell me that you sincerely
believe that men have been murdered and
thrown into the river, and no inquiries made
after them by friendsr'
"Exactly Many of them"
'If that is the case, why do not you and
some of your friends commence regular
legal war against them.n
my friend" he said, sit would be far
cheaper and much safer for us TO leave the
country and let them have the hell'hole that
it is, than to attempt to run them out, and
that is what sew eral of us intend to do in the
early spring"
"Then, you are absolutely afraid to COM
plain against themP'
81 am, sir; and l am not the only one,
either, who fear them"
Many other good citizens of Coyington
feel the same way, and are beyond doubt
completely intimldated by the lawless ele-
ment surrounding them. julius.
A QUAINT LIQUOR LAW.
How the Traffic Was Regulated Three