Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-03-20
KANSAS PROHIBITION.
A Sudden Wave of Reform Strikes
One of the Free Rum Cities.
HEAVY FINES AND LONG TERMS.
One Hundred Dollars for Each and Every
Glass of Liquor Sold.
THE LAW is NOW TO BE PUT IN FORCE

KANSAS CITY, March 19.-Across the
State line from this city lies stheconsolidated
city of Kansas City, Kansas, composed of
the former cities of Wyandotte, Armstrong,
Armourdale, Riverside and Old Kansas
City. Since the day when prohibition was
first insugurated in Kansas, this collection
of cities has defed every attempt to suppress
the sale of intoxicants. Among the 40. 900
inhabitants there have been openly running
over 100 saloons, 40 gambling hells. two cock
pits and dog-pit The open violation of the
law was so notorious that no attempt has been
made in years to enforce it
The public indignation at last rose to such
height that at the last election Joseph Fife was
chosen County Prosecutor on the narrow plat
form, that he would suppress the dives. No
one thought that he would be able to do this,
but the eyes of the "Jointists" were opened
when, after the last session of the grand jury,
90 saloon keepers were indicted and landed in
jail.
The law is rigorous and peculiar. The sale of
a single glass of any intoxicant ranks as
single count in an Indictment Each convic-
ton on count carries with it a fine of from
Sl0Oto $500 and from 80 days TO months in jail.
A TRIFLE STRONG.
On Thursday the trial of George Dunbar oc-
CURED on p counts, the jury bringing in Yer-
dict of guilty on the twenty-second count only.
The saloon men were jubilant and the citizens
depressed. On the evening of that day the jail
was broken open and seven men escaped, but
not the saloon keepers. They had too SOFT
thing, they thought. On Friday Tobias Hogan
was tried for selling % glasses of beer and was
found guilty on the @ counts. His sentence
was to pay 81 800 and to spend sc days in jail.
On Saturday r. r. Dunbar was tried on p
n fham
fined s., 200 and sentened to $50 days IN jail.
Flies music was not enchanting. The
courtroom was crowded this morning. Twelve
of the "JoinUists" who had been in jail for sew
eral weeks came to the front and pleaded
guilty. Here are the penalties awarded to
them: An Armourdale tough pleaded guilty
Of $500 and 15O days Imprisonment. H.
Swigard, Black Murphy, Charles Hurd, John
Cheatwood; Joe Gettry, Joe Osler and James
Croning also pleaded guilty to five counts.
The pleas of guilty were received only with
the understanding that the defendants should
quit the whisky business. Should any of them
becaught engaging in it again they will get
the full rigors of the law. The total amount
of fines to date is S, 100, with which go 2,730
days in jail. Thirty-five other whisky dealers
are in jail awaiting trial. and there are about Is
out on bail.
SOMEWHAT SCARED.
The representative who visited Kansas City,
Kan, this afternoon could find but single
'ioint' open, where there were so Friday. The
Joint discovered was near the State line, and
had the words For Rent in front of the shut
tiers, but that is only blind. The gambling
houses are keeping their doors closed in better
shape than formerly and it looks now as if
Joe" Fife was going to bring order out Of dis
order
The saloon keepers confined in the Jail re-
fused to talk. but one of the convicted men
said: II have received my death sentence. No
one could spend two years in this jail and
live" The man was right, for there is no worse
jail anywhere.
.hio Ioseeuoor 1ie ne salo: - am gong 10 push
closed. have received many threats, but
am going to do just what proposed" Both
tickets nominated by the citizens are made up
of representative business men, and with the
assistance of the metropolitan police grand
clearing out will occur before the spring
closes. 1t is thought now that another batch
of 'Jolntists" will plead guilty tomorrow.