The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1897-09-17
Mas. BsuRPHY.s &c
writes tie Topeka Journal Her Views On
IenrsEanes in GoadIand

AenFsgElGe in GcQdtahd-
In Saturdays Topeka Journal was
an article from the pen OF Ms. E. II. /
Murphy, reviewing the history of the
Goodland Joints Tor the past few
months. Ia that article there are many /
statements that are II error, but the
attempt to bIaeken the official reputa +
ton Of Sheriff Dustin by alleging that /
one Of the ioiat-keepers, George Brad
ley, was his deputy, bears the earmsrks
of malicious misstatement and is as far
from the truth as could be. George
Bradley has never been g dsp1ty sheriff
under Dir. Dustin and Mrs. Murphy
had, it is said, been SO in
formed prior to the sending OF the
letter to the Topeka Journal Had she
doubted that statement she could have
easily ascertsinsd the truth by an in
spection Of the county records. It is
due Mr. Dustin that a correction be /
made and an apology offered for the
error.
Again. Mrs. Murphy says, that on
september 2. two citizens went to |
County Attorney Hartzler and demand
ed that be begin action against a joint
run by a man named Peebler. That
these two citizens we're both ready and
willing to make affidavit that liquor
was being kept and sold by Peebler.
These two citizens we're Mrs. Murphy
and R. c. Smith and their knowledge
consisted Of nothing more than the
factthat they had witnessed the unload
ing of package which they thought
contained beer. Neither had seen
liquor sold nor had either bought any
liquors Of PeehIsr. There was no testi-
moDy that either could give that would
justify a belief that an infractiOn of
the law had been committed, and upon
that ground Mr.. Hartzier refused to
draw up a complaint Mrs. Murphy
also intimates that Mr.. Hartzlsr pur-
posely delayed the issuing of warrants
at the time the first move was made TO
Gloss the joints and that he did this to
| give the saloOnkeepers an opportunity
10 escape and remove their goods to 3
place Of safety. If this was done, it
was done with the consent Of the prose
outoF-Mrs. Murphy,
Again, Mrs. Murphy seeks to create
the impression that only since last
spring have joints aOurished in Good
land and states in her letter that Sim
! medistely upon the election Of the
present city administration three sa-
looms opened" Mrs. Murphy thus
works an injustice upon the city Off
GERS who we're chosen by the people
from our best class of citizens. She must
J have known that since 1892 saloons
have been open in GoOdiand, and that
since 1898 the policy Of licensing them
by a monthly fine had been settled each
year by the city election.
She says that the Bradley saloon was
the resort Of evil women. In justice tC
Bradley it is only fair to state that
! Mrs. Murphy is mistaken and has made
statement wholly unWsrranted by the
! facts.
With Goodland city 10000 in debt
. with its property paying a tax assess
ment of 831l mills on the dollar valua-
tiOni with business property selling foI
less than the lumber is worth fOl
, kindling wood; with it's warrants going
/ begging at 80 cents on the dollar, it il
eminently proper that the handful 0
prOhibitionists set their iudgmen
!. against that Of the city officials VIII
have earnestly endeaVored to stem the
: tide Of debit it is proper that these pro
. hibitionists deny the city the privilege
of regulating the liquor traffic and de
riYing q revenue therefrOm. It i
proper and right because right is nigh
and the prohibitiOnists realize the pow
er they hold when forcing public senti
ment with the prohibitOry law. Tn
: triumvirate, Mrs. Murphy, Robert C
Smith, and the "One resident minister,
supposedly Rev. ShsekslfOrd, have th
power and have exercised it to deprivt
the city government Of badly-needet
revenue, but have offered no sugges
= ton as to where the city can turn 70
an equivalent income.