The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-08-02
Topeka Temperance Committee
May Offer Rewards.
Will Be For Arrest and Con.
victiOn of Liquor Sellers.
1T HAS BEEN TRIED.
Used Successfully In Small
Kansas Towns.
Scheme is to Publish Offers and
Trust to Volunteers.

II IS pEODdDl6 LuaL SGanula
| of enforcing the prohibitory law viii be
tried in Topeka within a short time.
This is a plan which is said to have
worked remarkably well in smaller
towns, and a committee of temperance
people within the Committee of 200 and
the Good Citizenship federation is con
sidering it.
The plan consists simply Of offering
reward for information and evidence
that will lead to a conviction of viola
lions of the prOhibitOry law. A fund is
raised and deposited in local bank to
De USED IN paying these rewards, so
that the persons who work up the evil
dence need not be afraid of failure in
+ getting their money.
The plan was originated by Rev. Jas
Kerr, a Methodist minister at Scandal
Republic county, and the idea was sug-
gested to him by the fact that railroads
and other corporations post standing
rewards for Information concerning
trespasses committed against them In
a letter to Secretary Stephens, of the
State Temperance union, Mr.. Kerr tells
Of the first trial of the plan and of it's
success. He says
when came to Scandia last April
there We're four joints in the city, and
a drug store which sold more liquor
than any of the joints. About the mid
die OF May another man came to town
and opened a, regular saloon, ma king in
all six places where liquor was sold
contrary 10 law. prayed over the mat
ter for a week. and night, after night I
went down town and watched the pro-
gress of the liquor traffic. Then
preached sermon with a view to
arousing my people on the question of
saving the boys"
4 meeting was then held at which
Mr.. Kerr presented his reward for evil
dence' idea. 1t took A big fund was
Immediately raised to put it into effect
Reward advertisements were printed
and everywhere posted, and within 4S
hours, and without a single prosecu-
ton, every 1OlniSt had quit business,
and two of them imm ediately left town.
The drug stores also restricted them
selves to sales within legal limits.
Mr. Kerr goes on to say that there
is not One-fourth as much LIQUOR ship
ped into town as there was before we
offered the reward. CORTLAND, seven
miles west of US, followed our example,
and has practically closed all its joints,
four in number. BeIleville, the county
seat, is doing the same with good eff
feet.
I think it would be well to organize
the state by counties, offering 500 re-
ward for each conviction. If so citi-
zens subscribe SO each to be paid as
needed pro rata for each case of con-
victiOn, the fighting fund is $500, and
each case costs each subscriber but 81.
But if the reward is 500 instead of $50.
then it becomes exceedingly dangerous
to sell to any one.
If one or two towns can make the
plan even a partial success, a whole
county can do still better if all the
cities of the county work the plan at
the same time; and if one county can
make it a, success, a group of counties
ought to make it exceedingly effective"
Since the plan has been worked at
Scand1a II has been tried at several 9TH
er points, and with one or two excep-
tons the jOintists have packed up and
left without waiting for invitation.
At Lebanon, Smith county, a jointist
took it as a bluff, and now he has a
case pending against him in the district
court, and it seems proba bic that some
one will get $50 reward for his convic-
ton.
Secretary Stephens has received cop
les Of the reward notices that have been
posted at different points in Republic,
Jewell and Smith counties, and also
from Walnut. in Crawford county,
where $25 reward was offered, and
the notices were published in the news
papers.
If we adopt the plan in Topeka" said
GSfesorge 3; Harrison, president Of the Good
on hand to begin with, because we are
soon as the reward is offered, and we
want to be able to make the payments as
soon as the reward is secured Such
thing would not occur in a small town,
but in the city here we may have Is or 80
The reward notice. which was posted at
Scandal read as follows;
The above cash reward will be paid for
information and evidence leading to the
or persons found violating the prOhlbitory
law within the city limits of Scandia, or
dors or owners or lessons of buildings
used or occupied in such traffic. Funds
are on deposit and payment of rewards
Will be guaranteed by bank holding same
For further particulars or information see
j H Cullers. w Q. King or Rev. James
Kerr, chairman of committee.
The officers of the State Temperance
union are unanimous in their approval Of
the plan, and say that they are being
urged to give it a trial in Topeka 1t is
said that the Committee of 200 and also
Good Citizenship federation has the mat
ter under advisement and that steps are
likely to be taken soon One of the offic-
ers of the federation said:
Either Attorney General GODDARD, or
County Attorney JetTnore or Sheriff Cook,
or Chfef Ramsey or Mayor DreN--any one
of these men could have the joints Of To-
peka closed up tight within fOrty-eight
hours if they would, and they know it. \
day of reckoning viii yet come for some
of these men. I don't see why the re
ward-for-evidence plan couldn't be used
neglect or refuse to do their duty. and as
as for myself I am in favor of seeing it
let's try il, and try it some place right
soon before Topeka becomes any worse
disgraced with joints, bar rooms and drug
/ store saloons
It is said that several business men in
IOpeka VINO viii not allow their names
/ 10 De made public, have voluntarily offer
fund.
One of the arguments that is urged in
/ FAVOR Of the "Scandia plan" is that it
reaches the drug stores which violate the
| law, as well as the joints themselves. No
Druggist 1t is urged, viii sell a man liquor
/ contrary to law when he is constantly
haunted by the suspicion that the man
against him in order to secure a reward of
Burdock Blood Bitters gives man
clear head, an active brain a strong