The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1895-06-20
CLUB MEN IN COURT.
The Damage Suits Against the
Popullst Police Board
BY TOPEKA CLUB MEMBERS

To BE Heard in the District Court
80 be Introduced.
On August 4, 1898, the Topeka club at
Sixth and Harrison streets was raided by
| Chief Lindsey's police. The members
who happened to be present at the time
were arrested. They were Receiver J.
c. Wilson, W. A. L Thompson, DR.. G. A.
Wall, c. F. Jilson, John E. Frost, Ed
Bennett, Robert Pierce and Steward
Dick Hodgins.
After Judge j. B. johnson of the cir
cult court dismissed the case as unwar-
ranted, the mem bers began suits for
damages on the groun1 of malicious
prosecution. Each mem Der who was ar
rested is suing for $4,000 from Commits
sioners A. B. Whiting, L. T Yount, Oscar
Krauss, Chief Lindsey, Captain Gish and
Sergeant Steele.
The first one of these cases will be
tried in the district court tomorrow. The
case of W. A. L Thompson against L T.
Yount ct al is at the head of Judge
Hazen's calendar for Friday. The mem
bers of the Topeka club have engaged
Rossington, Smith & Dallas. David Over
myer and A. l. Williams to conduct their
case. If this formidable array of legal
talent isn't enough, such good Topeka
clubmeu as David Mulvane, Eugene
Hagan, Robert Dunlap, A. B. and Eugene
! Quinton, Howell Jones, Rankin Mason,
A. A. Hurd and Il. P. Dillon stand ready
to come to the rescue
Members of the Topeka club say that
the suit for damages isn't brought for a
| bluff, but is a bona fde case for damages
to atone for actual wrong done.
David Mulvane says: sour club was
raided for several reasons, but mostly
pure cussedness. You will find that a
scamp always has it in for a nice man
anyhow. OF course the police force was
Populist and most of our members are
| either Republicans or staunchDemocrats
That had something to do with it. Then
Hank Lindsey wanted to make one of
his bluffs. He saw that if he tried to
close US up and failed, he would have an
excuse for letting all the clubs run, and
he would get revenue out OF it. In
plain English that was all there was
TO it."
The Topeka club will try to prove this
to the jury. The ex-police commission
ers will contend that the raid was justi-
fed by the facts in their possession.
In order to impeach the character of
the club several dispositions have been
taken at Kansas City. Two women who
are, or were, inmates of a disorderly
| ASA0C a. AA0AoHo OASgs AOAA IL 1AAO 0OPOoA
tions of debaucheries in which they
have INDUCED at the Topeka club.
To disprove these dispositions the mem
bers of the club will show that they had
no attorney present when these deposit
tions wree taken; that the women gave
fictitious names; that no member of the
club had ever seen them, and that the
clubmen were even unable for some
time to locate the women named in the
dispositions. This matter was put in the
hands of the Pinkerton detectives at the
time and after three weeks search the
women who swore to the dispositions
were found. They then made dispositions
declaring that their first allegations were
all false.
The clubmen say the women were
hired by Lindsey to make the aff1davits
and that when they found they had got
themselves into trouble said that they
had neither OF them been in Topeka in
their lives On the other hand the police
claim the club bought the women off for
800.
1t is said that many details will be
brought out during the trial.