The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1896-04-16
AXES PLAY HAVOC
CHIEF OF POLICE AND FIVE POLICE
MEN FIND a JOINT.

In Ten Minutes the Place Locked rs
Though it had Come In Contact With q
CycIone-Huge Mirrors are Mashed TO
smithereens Counters, Chairs, Ice
Chest and Tables are Converted into
KIndling Wood In Short Order-Glssses,
Bottles, Jugs, Etc, are Destroyed
"Coney Island" was Wrecked
A cyclone struck a certain business
house last night and as a result the
place is il a mean OF rain this mJrnips
The cyclone was in The shape CT i've
axes welded Ia the hands Of four DC.
icy policemen under the direction OF
Chief Of Police Burt. and the sight TO
be beheld is one calculated TO show the
power OF the axes as an instrument OF
destruction.
When the sun went down last night
there was a certain place doing bust
ness on North Main street, which pass
ed under the name OF ''Coney Island"
where the mound builders and the men
OF dark complexion were wont 10 col
lect, and il is further said o. quench
their thirst The place was conducted
by John Virgins.
Chief Of Police Burt sent word, he
says, to the proprietor OF the place TO
close his door and not to open them for
the purpose Of transacting business.
II was also said that word was returned
TO the chief that the place would be
closed when IL suited the proprietor.
Chief Burt says that he aScertained
to certainty that business was be-
ing transacted contrary to his orders
and then he swooped down upon the
establishment like a thousand OF brick.
One stroke of the axe and the huge
mirror fell in a thousand pieces. while
the axes soon made kindling wood OF
the counters, chairs, picture frames
and tables. In fact a mad bull in CHI
IA shop would have appeared like
canary bird when compared with the
work OF those axes.
There was not a piece Of furniture
left in the establishment worth . cents
nor as big as the chiefs hand. Bottles
jugs, glasses, ice chest, fawcets, etc,
were soon converted into an unrecogniz
able mass Of debris.
In conversation with an Eagle re-
porter Chief Burt said:
There is no fooling with me. When
I tell man to close he will either do n
or live TO regret his disobedience. There
is no seizure with me. ! don't intend
TO have any replevin business and when
get done they are welcome 10 the prop
erty, and 1 know 1t will never be used
for unlawful purposes again.
II took with me four men who I
knew would obey orders and they had
axes l told them 10 destroy every
thing in sight. One lick with the axe
and the big looking glass fell IN q
thousand pieces while the axes soon
played havoc with the counters, chairs,
pictures, bottles, glasses and jugs.
Il knew what was doing and / have
no fears of the consequences. OF course
1 expect they will try TO collect damag-
es but it viii do them no good.
Il had no grudge against Mr.. Wig
gins and l will do the same thing 10 any
other person who is ordered to close and
refuses TO obey.
1--WE pulled another place tonight on
North Main street but they were
closed We took the property SO as TO
keep them from being tempted TO sell
liquor. This administration IS bust
ness all the way through and the fate
OF Virgins Will stand as a horrible ex-
ample.
81 tell you am tired and ready TO go
to mybed. This has been q hard day
and certain parties have learned TO
their sorrow that IL don't pay to fool
with the buzz-saw when II IL IN mo-
sion."