Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1899-11-27
THAT RHODES WAR.
Prominent citizens Has Something
to Say About the Troubles.

The following communication has
been received from prominent resi-
dent of Rhodes concerning the faction
al troubles in that town which led up
to the personal encounter between the
mayor and some of the citizens. The
author of the article says he represents
the better element in the controversy,
and admits that all that has been pub
lished is practically correct. He says:
Rhodes, Nov. 25.-Times- Republican:
The author of the article that appeared
in your paper under the head of War
at Rhodes" must have been reading the
Kentucky election returns, and imag-
ined himself on the dark and bloody
ground. 1t is certain at least that he
does not live here and is not we'll in
formed as to the people ond controver-
sizes at Rhodes. Yes, war does exist and
has for some time against drunkenness,
gambling and brawling, and to say that
it is the outgrowth OF former difficulties
in this locality is not getting it right. 1t
is true that in the past Rhodes has had
the usual election controversies, caucus
|
taldifficulties, but we are not Kentucki-
ans. and with the true spirit of Iowans
have settled all of these difficulties on
their own line and dropped them when
so SETTLED. There are factions in Rhodes
today, but they are factions on live
questions, not on past issues. There
are no various feuds.' no ..vendettas"
here that would make soul narrowing
stories for Sunday papers We are an
ordinarily Well disposed people and, like
all other communities, require little
cleaning up at times and this is one of
the times. While we have been settling
some difficulties and varianceS in the
past some things have gone neglected.
Whisky has been sold wholesale and re-
gardless. Old buns have wallowed in
| their vomit on the walks of our town.
| Boys Is and 16 years old are carrying
/ bottles of whisky and getting drunk.
| Gambling has run riot and every effort
of our officers to stop or punish these
| evils have been met with resistance by
the element indulging and their friends.
Our officer have and are exerting them
selves in the direction of good morals
and good order, and growing out OF
| their acts in this direction threats OF
| bodily violence have been made and
very recently carried out. Mayor Rich
ards has of late been very vigilant after
4 the rough element, having made sew
eral arrests and smart fines, which acts
on his part have brought down the VEN
geance of the gang upon him, and not
him alone but threats are made against
any one that will dare to inform or give
evidence against them. The gang have
hired an attorney and raised a fund tc
prosecute any one or all parties that
| make complaint against the whisky
drinking of the town. One Kelly, we'll
known character here, who has done
! time in the county bastile for drunk
enness, crculates paper to procure q
| fund to prosecute one of our very besi
| citizens for saying that certain parties
! of his gang are, drunkards or In the
i habit of getting drunk. Now nine-tenths
of the business men and best citizens OF
| this community are in sympathy with
! the movement against whisky, and the
charges made that our druggist has
been selling whisky to habitual drunk
ards. minors, those in the habit of get.
ting drunk, and to others as beverage
are for the courts to determine and no.
/ us. But that out of this state of affair:
4 has come an ARRAY in which the mayor
OF the town got humping at the
hands of the gang that are supporting
the whisky drinking and the gambling
in the town is only too true, and thu
best part Of the community regret \
and hope that due punishment will b'
meted out. FAIR PLAY.