News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1889-02-21
Letter from Iowa.

hEOhUh, iowa, req. D, 1903.
Editors Ne,os and Citizen:
l suppose were 1 to tell you we had
been enjoying beautiful winter, you
would say ''and so have we," for from
what l read 1 think fine weather has
been universal this winter. But for
comparison let me tell you how cold
it has been here. This year we, or
the weather, has not reached zero,
the lowest being six degrees above
zero, and most Of the time we have
enjoyed beautiful summer weather.
To-day is like an April day, but the
wind is rising and we may have a
change within the next "a hours.
February is usually fine here. l think
in my last letter l told you what a
failure prohibition had been in Keo-
kuk, or rather what a partial success
it had been, but have another story
now. Our peculiar situation makes it
more difficult matter to enforce law
than it would otherwise be, especially
in regard to prohibition, but our pres
ent situation shows what firm hand
at the head can do. Last March our
Mayor, Hon. John n. Irwin, issued a
proclamation declaring that after May
1st the saloons must close front door
and back. This was quite surprise,
as Mr.. Irwin was not known to be. "a
high license man, but when questioned
he said that he had taken his oath to
enforce the laws and he felt obliged to
do it. Now for the results. Most of
the saloons closed without trouble,
the few who did not were soon per-
suaded to do so, and for a time we
fattered ourselves we were to have no
more trouble with them, but although
this is the general result, we find that
the eye Of the police and the detec-
tive have to be yigilant to ferret out
concealed traffic.
A tragedy came near being enacted
some time this autumn in an attempt
to seize the goods of a saloon keeper
by the name of Barnischooner which
was situated on Water street, For
several days detectives from Chicago
had been at work about the city and
brought 10 light several dens which
our police were ordered to raid stimuli
taneously and which was accom-
plished without resistance, except at
this particular saloon. Mr.. B., soon
after the entrance Of the police, left
the place, but soon returned, and bar
reading himself behind refrigerator
opened fire. The police, three in
number, paid no attention until the
third shot, which, coming uncomfort-
ably near the ear of the Marshall, he
returned the fire, which was followed
by bis. comrades and many shots were
fred on both sides, fortunately and
quite miraculously, without harm to
any one.
Crime has been on the decrease
here ever since the prohibition law
went into effect and during the month
of July 1887, with open saloons there
were Ga arrests for drunkenness and
during July, 1888, with no saloons,
there were only Is arrests for drunk
enness. During August, 1887, with
open saloons, there were Sc arrests
for drunkenness, while during the
corresponding month of the next year,
with no saloons, there were only thir-
teen such arrests. IF left to herself
there is no doubt that Iowa could free
herself of the liquor traffic, but I'M
fortunately she is at the mercy Of other
States. Upon the closing of the sa-
looms here many of the saloon keepers
moved their goods to Hamilton, ILL.,,
place situated opposite to Keokuk
and connected with it by bridge,
where they haye since continued their
unholy traffic, and where it is no diff
ficult matter for those who want liquor
to obtain it, and also "from the orig
inal package" Since the Supreme
Court decision in the Bowman case
last March, which permits liquors to
be transported into prohibition terri
tory, the liquor power has been sys-
tematlcallJ organizing itself to over
throw the power of the probationary
law, and every day teams of the dis
tilIers OF Illinois can be seen deliver
ing original packages to our people,
and unless the Supreme Court gives
us help in this matter l fear for the
future, although the Prohibitionists of
Iowa are intelligent, vigilant and firm.
GREENBACKER.