The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1897-04-03
JOINTS Threatened.
Action on the Part Of County
Attorney Jetmore Likely.
State Temperance Union Urg-
ing Him to Proceed.
he is Subpoenaing Witnesses and Sc
curing Evidence-Anti-Join SEN
timent Growing.

If something is not about to happen
County Attorney Jetmore is making the
biggest bluff on record. For a day or
two deputies have been busy serving
subpoenas on persons. commanding
them to appear before County Attorney
JetmOFe to tell what they know about
violations of the liquor law, and there is
a small sized panic among the patrons
of the joints.
It was generally supposed that the
decision of the supreme court with ref
erence to the power of the county at
tOrney to summon witnesses before him
to testify of violations of the liquor law
would put a check TO that method of
procedure, but it appears that County
Attorney JetmOre thinks there is enough
left in the law to make it useful.
When the delegation from the tenn
perance societies presented County At
torney Jetmore with evidence against
the jointists, he said that he did not feel
like verifying complaints on the
strength of the statements of the COM
mittee, but that he might collect some
evidence for himself.
1t appears that he has decided to try
his hand at collecting the evidence. The
committee representing the temperance
element of the citizens of Topeka has
been preparing bomb shell to explode
under all county attorneys in Kansas.
The committee has asked for legal opin-
ions from J. w Gleed, F. H. Foster, J.
B. Larimer and A. H. Vance with ref
erence to the duty of the county attor-
ney to make complaints, and these will
be submitted to him.
If these opinions are ignored, it is the
plan of the committee to ask Attorney
General Boyle to appoint an assistant
attorney general to enforce the prOhib-
itOry law in Shawnee county.
1t is probable that the committee will
first ask for the appointment of an as
sistant attorney general, but if the state
authorities would refuse to appoint one
the proceedings to GUST the county at
torney would be commenced.
The lawyers on the committee say
that they will have a clear case of
neglect of duty against the county at
tOrney if he persists in his determina-
ton to not make the complaint as re-
quested by the temperance committee.
The arrangements for the temperance
mass meeting are at a standstill, pend
ing the truce with the authorities. IF
the county attorney shows a disposition
to- prosecute the ViOlatOrS of the prOhib-
itOry law, it is not likely that the meet
ing will be held. But if nothing is done
within a few days to convince the COM
mittee that Mr. etmore means business,
then the mass meeting will be called,
where formal action will be taken on
the question of an assistant attorney
general or proceedings to GUST the cOun-
ty attorney.
The temperance people no longer look
to the police for the enforcement of the
prollibitOry law. Several orders have
been made which the commissioners
have taken the trouble to give to the
papers, but no steps have been taken to
enforce them It is doubtful if a single
jointist quit business when the last or
der to close was given.
County Attorney JetmOre appears to
be the only man the temperance COM
mittee can reach, and the members of
the committee propose to do all in their
power to get him to act.