The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1897-07-05
POLICE BOARD METHOD.
1t Introduces the System of
Licensing Joints
In Topeka Contrary to Wishes
of the Citizens.
Joints Are "Pulled' Regularly Every
Two Months and Jointists
Fined 500.

The -jointfsts of the city-those who
pay regular license TO the police depart
ment in the shape of periodical fines
met at Harry Croft's place, at 40 Kan
sas avenue, Friday, in secret session,
and denounced Nick Chiles for fighting
his case in police court Chiles was
summoned before his fellow jointists to
make answer for his action. The meet
ing was held Friday afternoon about :
O'Clock and was attended by the follow
ing jointists:
Mike Thompson, SO Kansas avenue;
Al Hayslp, 40 Kansas avenue; Walt
Richards. lib East Seventh street;
Frank Bates, 404 Kansas avenue; Har-
ry Croft, 40 Kansas avenue; Julius
Anton. PIC Kansas avenue; John
KnisIer, Crawford opera house build
ing; Lon Townman CWaIt Richard s
place., Ed Moeser, wholesale agent An
heuser- Busch brewery; l. Hoffman,
wholesale agent Lemps' brewery; john
O'Brfen, wholesale agent Ferd Helm s
brewery; Bob Knisler, wholesale agent
Val B1atz brewery; Nick Chiles, ia East
Seventh street; Ed lyman, Ed Curtis.
and Ben Jordan, North Topeka, and
Tom Mooney.
Chiles was asked by these keepers
of drinking places if he had any reason
to give for fighting the case against him
in the police court And now for brief
bit of current history:
During the month of June the police
pulled nearly every jointist in the city
In nearly every case the jointists put up
their nOn-appearance when the case
was called From this joint money, and
money received from raids of disorder
ly houses, a large sum was collected by
the poIice-enough, lacking a little over
$2O0-to pay the entire expenses of the
police department, which for the month
of June amounted to 81, 800
Chiles, among the rest, was arrested,
and charged with maintaining a nui-
sance- He decided to fight the case,
claiming that the place being run in
his building was an o. NJ. B. lodge for
colored men
This is what stirred up the ire of the
other jointists, for when it was learned
that Chiles would fight his case, Chief
Steele ordered the jOintfsts to close
their places OF course they did not
close, but they took this action to try
TO force ChiIes to drop the fight and
forfeit his 800 as the others had done,
and thus hush the disturbances which
were being aroused by the agitation of
the case
The police made desperate effort to
convict Chiles and subpoenAed over 100
witnesses The trial has not as ct been
finished. It will be resumed on We'd
nesday.
There was no specified spokesman at
the jointists' meeting, but julius An
ton and Frank Bates did most of the
talking, while Harry Croft and the
wholesale brewery agents had some
thing to say
The jointists told ChiIes that he was a
fool to buck against the police when the
new arrangement of thingS-an arrest
of jointists once every two months
was in force.
ChiIes replied in heated terms, stat
ing that it was his business to look
after his own interests He said that
it did not lie alone with the police, for
the county officers might get them after
they had paid their license fines The
jointists threatened to bring desperate
measures to bear on ChileS if he still
refused to drop his case and let the
agitation cease They intimated that
those who paid their regular license to
the police every sixty days would be