The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-11-27
NO SHUT DOWN.
KlOndike Still Running in Full
Blast.
Visit to the Disgraceful Place
Described.
EVERY BUILDING USED
Not a Vacant House in the Dis
trict.
every BUILDING USED
How the Grizzled Old Veterans
Spend Their Pensions.

The disgracefu1 Leavenworth county
klondike has not been suppressed. The
following story OF its workings appeared
Spawning over the rickety chairs and
In Mondays Kansas City Journal:
Every three months the sum of $50 COO is
distributed among the 1850 cid soldiers
at the Old Soldiers home her. Usually
WITHIN a week. this money yanishes. MANY
OF the veterans make remittances to
wives or children and others deposit their
pensions in banks, but a great part of
this sum is ingulfed in the voracious
nav Of the ''KIondike''-a village of sa-
looms and low dives that has fastened
itself on the home like z leach or a bar
nacle.
Here, after the old soldiers have been
oesotted with the cheapest sort of liquors
they are shOrt-changed and hfmhammed
and beaten and robbed by as vile a gang
of men and women as is to be found in
the state of Kansas.
Governor Stanley has determined to put
a stop to this, and if he succeeds it will
bs another of the benefits accruing from
the Republican admins trauon. BY his
obstruction the prosecuting attorney of
Leavenworth county secured the indict-
ment OF the proprietors Of these places,
Leavenworth tomorrow The indictments
are arr under Two statutes-prc hlbluon and
sellng nquor 10 veterans tomorrow
trials are for violation of the prohibitory
Since the indictments were returned. a
month ago, the report has been sent out
Dy the klondlke proprletors that they
NMSIe geLlIIlS READY 70 OUT 1neN asked
the prosecutor 70 give them just time
enough to close their places and get away
puI the JOINTS are stun running at fun
blast \ Journal correspondent went up
and down through the narrow streets of
lIe hIohdlhe yesterday ana counted sew
enteen-eVery available shanty. in fact, is
occupied. In every one of them, although
old soldiers, leaning against the bar or
was, were thlrty-eight old soldiers. Beer
and whisky were flowing. slot machines
doors We're opeHing and sb1,ttirg 9nd
money was clinking-the pension money
At one of the slot machines a most re-
puls1Ve looking girl took the nickels and
staggering about her. Two british look
ing women, with their sleeves rolled TO
the shoulders, stood behind the bar and
drew beer and showed the schooners out
with hardly a pause They seemed reck-
less about change and the old soldiers
without looking at it as in many case If
had. A gray-haired red-faced. feeble. old
soldier stood at one of the tables singing
that surrounded it. At another table a
toothless old man, who had once been in
old school who looked his part, was tell
ing tale Of the seaserpent-
say,lng, Just IKE a hog Many time I've
These sungin' eels?' suggested a list
"Naw-no stingin' eels-don't have them
on land and SO he went on, until his
head fell over on his arms upon the table (
Pension day came last week, and al
ready many OF the old soldiers are Denni-
less. They stand about in front Of the
s6 fg dyes aRd 85 fey Of them ae
a drink one OF them followed two strang-
ers a biock 70 be invited to drink, and
the l. invited himself his last money gone
AnoIher seeing the two strangers pass, /
came out OF Joint and hailed them.
Il want to show you something" he /
He held pin in one hand and. rolling
up the sleeve of a tattoed left arm ne
placed the point of the pin against the /
Tn give you an exhibition of nerve"
Before anyone could stop him he press /
enough was left to get hold Of. He held (
"Ilhout moving a muscle ana then asked /
one of the OnlOOkers to pull the pin out.
he brushed a drop of blood away Tie (
price of a drink was handed him and he /
The Soldiers home. a bandsome group /
Of structures. located on beautiful rolling
one of the prettiest places about Leav- /
and the pike or macadam road (
tertiary at Lansing. and passing BY the
home, is the favorite driveway of Leav-
group of cheap frame shanties, like those
erected in a mining camp on short notice.
eyesore to passers-by as well as a curse
not frequent the ''NIondike.'' Colonel J.
S. Rowland the SUPERINTENDENT Of the !
home, thinks that not more than eco or !
400 go there; the others, if they want a
drink, buy it at q respectable saloon in
the city or at the home canteen. The
veterans quarters could hardly be made
more comfortable and attractive. and /
there is really necessity for seeking
q place like the t'klOndike' for amuse- 4
ment There is a great rolling lawn .
mounted with field guns and Spanish cap
lures wide paved walks and driveWavs a I
ake.a stately cathedral and church build +
ng. a theater where the soldiers are ex-
7lusively played to once a week; a great.
2ppeuz1ng dining room with three good
meals day, and comfortable barracks
and sleeping apartments All this costs
nothing The old soldier is at liberty
within certain prescribed rules. to come I
and go.
The Klondfke is simply a shameful den
II oebauchery and thieyery and crime.
and the whole city is with the governor
md the authorities in the fight upon it.
The pensions of the sold soldiers range
rom s. TO so a month Most of them get
been totally disabled by blindness. have
traWn 81 monthly, but no blind soldier
; now at the home Nearly all of the
inmates of the home are feeble gray
haired, old men, apparently with but a
ew months or a year or to live They I
ire Qylng very fast. two or three funerals
being held from the home nearly every !
week On the other hand in proportion D
Is the veterans are growing older and I
eebter and less able TO take care of them
elves. they are 50 much the faster seek
md shelter are free. It IS estimated that
he old soldiers viii live long enough TO (
equ lre the maintenance of the home at !
east ten years longer Many of those :
nay live several years beyond that date /
.ur the day Of the civil var veterans ex-
ineuon Is drawing very near
British ConsOIs Drop.
London, Nov 27-ConsoIs lost 4 at