The Press., 1896-09-17
w. C. T. U. A Heroine.
BY G. LowTHER.

pal m1Srulo and kindred topics call to mind exciting scenes in frontier towns which exhibit some of the most daring deeds in the history of civilization. In it's early history Kiowa, Kan, was a ren- devOus for "cow bOys," gamblers, sa- loon-keepers, adventurers and othors of the baser sort, who oscillated between the civilization of Kansas and the semi barbarism of the neutral strip and the h. dian Territory. With the influx of immi- grafton from the east came better class of settlers to make homes on the prairies, | build towns, schools, churches, and con- test with outlaws and wild animals for supremacy.
 Up to 1891 the rOugher elements had ruled without rival, and while kind of rude justice waa administered, yet so often were every sense of propriety and equity outraged, that 1t seemed impossi- ble for those accustomed to a more high ly organized society to endure it. Never theless, as the city election approached public sentiment was so strong against them that not man could be found who would allow his name to be used as a candidate for mayor to represent the law and order ticket The only alternative was to make no protest whatever against crime, or to select woman. After much persuasion, Dr. Packson, a woman of modest appearance, practicing physi- elan, who, in the discharge of her profes- sional duties, entered the homes of the people regardless of social and moral dis functions, was chosen to make the race.
 No one believed that Mrs. Packson would be elected, but her candidacy was a protest against vice. The lawless re- garded it as a huge joke, and many of them voted for her instead of for their own candidate "just for the fun of it." This action on their part was what a prominent lecturer once called Zone of the mistakes of the devil" for when the ballots were counted she was declared elected by majority of two votes. None were more jubilant than her opponents, for it never entered their minds that she could enforce the laws. The city council men were all to the liking of the rougher elements and considered themselves mas ters of the situation. They were disap- pointed, however, when they learned that
 Dr. Packson intended to "qualify," but all the more so when they were informed
 that having taken the oath she would re-
 gard it as sacred and endeavor to dis
 charge the duties of her office. They
 sent deputatiOn to her asking that she
 resign and giving her six weeks in which } to decide. When she refused they deter
 mined to bar the way to her success by ) all possible means.
 The city attorney refused to give her
 advice. Not a lawyer in town would act
 to go to Medicine Lodge, about twenty
 miles away, and employ @ lawyer whom she paid from her own private funds. Entering upon the duties of her office, she found among the people generally such fear of the criminal classes that not an
 officer would support her, not business
 man defend her, and every member of the
 city council was her enemy except one,
 who, though he was not her friend, would
 not suffer her to be wronged or insulted
 in his presence.
 Her first official act was to remove the marshal from office, because in violation of the laws of the state he was gambler and therefore a perjurer. This caused the city attorney to resign, which threw the criminal cases into the hands of the county attorney, who was also said to be unfriendly to law and order, especially to the prohibitory liquor law. But the new mayor filed so many complaints and pro- duced so much evidence, that he unwil. lingly caused arrests to be made which . gave the law-breakers much trouble Now fully reused, they determined to an. , noy her with sneers, jests and ribald jokes, until weary with their base con duct she would resign. Being disappOint ed in this, they tried to malign her char
 acter, and by all the arts and wiles knowr
 to the lowest of men, to ruin her reputa
 tion. But she had lived above suspicion
 and their islanders only reacted upor 6 themselves and brought her friends = Then they tried to frighten her. Bill Morris, notorious outlaw, rented apart
 ments adjoining her office and living : rooms, opened therein 8 saloon of thC : lowest type, and made every effort to an = noy her with language and actions knowI v only in the vilest results. One day h' sent burly, drunken bloat into her room 3 to insult and terrify her, but with supe
 rior wisdom and skill she busted him n saying as she did so, Bill Morris will ge - his reward for this." The language t seemed to her prophetic few hours e later, when Bill Morris was shot anC
 killed by woman he had wronged anC S turned out into the world friendless anC s without penny.
 Every other device having failed plo
 was formed in saloon the day before tho i, meeting of the council, and money raised - to carry 1t into effect. It was an oppor 8 tune time for the mob, for the only mar - of the council who would befriend he . was out of the city. Dr. Packson had nC
 definite knowledge of their designs, bu o with that quick intuition which so ofteI ,, enables woman to reach conclusions with , out being able to give logical reason
 why, she surmised it all. What should she do? No one could defend her withou
 endangering himself by so doing. Sh
 believed God had called her to the ac
 compllshment of work, and that If sh
 fell martyr to just cause, it would b. F better than to retreat. There are time'
 when the battles of life are fought in tn,
 mind; when conflict is past and victories
 won before the visible contest begins
 This was true in her case on that day
 When evening came she sat at her tabl'