The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1894-06-25
AS BAD AS COULD BE.
Charles M. Sheldon Makes the
Rounds of the Clubs,
AND TELLS A BIG CONGREGATION
What He Saw In some or Them
Liquor Flowing EreeIy-Practfcal
Saloons I'm Operation.

The pulpit of the Central Congrega-
tional church Sunday morning looked
like the police headquarters after raid
on club The pastor, Rev. Charles III.
Sheldon had "been Summing" last week.
He in company with a police officer went
into nearly all the liquor joints in town
from Fifth street north, and incidentally
tested most of the drugstores on the way.
Rev. Mr. Sheldon did this to familiarize
himself with the workings of the liquor
law In Topeka; for as he said, 1--WE can
not fight a rumor. or make charges on
hearsay." The result of Mr.. SheldOn's
original Investigations was that he took
home to the parsonage that night twelve
bottles of beer of different brands, and
about four quarts OF red stuff that is
sold as whisky, but which would nearly
burn out the pipes in the boiler Of loco
m olive. These Mr.. Sheldon had on the
pulpit Sunday morning when he shared
with his congregation the knowledge he
had acquired on Smoky Row and other
places. When Mr.. Sheldon described
the. illegal workings of drug store
joint, he would hold up bottle to verify
his statements, with the remark: And
here 1t isl"
The result Of Mr.. Sheldon's Parkhurst-
ian methods of fighting the devil with
fire was that committee was appointed
with instructions to begin a crusade, the
object of which is to secure d better en-
forcement of the liquor law. after which
their attention will be turned towards
closing the gambling joints and disor-
DERBY houses.
MIR. Sheldon took for his text Psalms
1871. Except the Lord keep the city,
the Waterman waketh but in vain.' He
began by saying that the problem of the
government OF the great cities of Amer
lea was becoming a very serious one. He
thought the great cities OF Europe were
be tier governed than those of America,
and cited Tammany's theft through the
police of New York of $15.353,147 in
support Of his argument He said that
parti sanship should be eliminated from
city government, and the greatest need
was that of patriotic citizenship If he
had time he would write book on "gOod
citizenship and how to get it,
Arriving at the subject of condition of
affairs in Topeka, Mr.. Sheldon continu-
ed:
Il believe the time has come when
facts concerning the exact condition of
the DIR mixing places of the city ought to
be N ade known to every citizen SO that
we may realize just W hat form the drink
habit has assumed at present. There
has for long time been SO much rumor
and statement that was hard to verify
that with great reluctance l determined
som weeks ago TO make a personal ac-
quaintance with the facts. | do not feel
that it is necessary to apologize 10 any
one for TIE course l have pursued, or go
into deta,.s concerning all the methods
used to q otain the knowledge l now wish
to share With you. And some of these
facts are as follows. | give only a par
tial list Of such drinking places as 1 my
self visited. There is no necessity for
giving an account of all Of them. for
they are all more or less alike
ION the northeast corner of Fifth and
streets there is a place where
the doors stand open 10 the members.
son entering one finds three or four
rooms on the ground floor, with the
plainest furniture, simply hard chairs
and round tables. On some of the tables
and in one of the window seats were a
few daily newspapers. Four or i've men
were drinking beer There was no sign
of beer kegs or bar of any kind. No
liquor Is sold, according to the steward.
The mem bership of this club is about
100 according to the proprietOr's state
ment here Is no pretense of anything
like club house luxury, unless sitting on
a common kitchen chair and drinking
beer around plain pine able is club
house luxury.
"On Kansas avenue between Third and
Fourth streets, on the east side up stairs
is another place called a club 1t con-
sists of three rooms furnished with tables
and chairs and beer. In the middle room
is a shelf which is arranged like coun-
ter or stand between two rooms, on which
a large number of beer glasses were
on the floor in this room and several
more in an ice chest near by. Only one
or two members of this club were pres
sent The proprietor said there were
over 100 members. He offered to treat
to cigars or beer Said he had none to
sell This place is absolutely devoid of
all attactiOns. The rooms are perfectly
bare Of everything except the chairs,
tables and beer
between Third and Second streets, on
the east side of the avenue, up stairs, is
a larger establishments. At the head of
the stairs Is a wicket door of stats. After
entering, one sees long hall, separated
from six different rooms by high board
partition. In one of these rooms is a
very large modern refrigerator. There
were perhaps a dozen men present, all
drinking beer. Here the proprietor or
steward also offered to give a drink.
There were no newspapers or books or
anything else of social nature except
chairs and tables and unlimited beer.
The membership of this club is over 100.
Between the river and First street, on
the avenue, on the ground floor, in a
room nearly so feet long, at the rear end,
is club just started. or it was started
last Tuesday night. The only furniture
in the room consisted of one table, two
or three chairs, high counter, behind
which was tray with a number of
glasses, and near by against the wall,
and In box, half a dozen kegs of beer.
One smoky oil lamp lighted up the club.
The young man in charge showed a book
containing 81 names of those who were
going to be mem bers of this new club
when it was fully started. In answer to
questions he said the membership was 90
cents for six beers, good for "a hours. He
claimed the club was only just started.
in fact they had not fully organized and