The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-05-23
HOW To DO 1T.
Mayor Drew Listens to People
With Complaints.
They Object to Manner OF En-
forcing PEOhibitory Law.
GIVE THEIR IDEAS.
Think the Officers Are Not In
Earnest.
Judge Guy Denies Charges Con-
corning His Court.

Between 40 and SO men crowded into
Mayor Drew's private office Monday
afternoon in response to the mayors
invitation for those who were not en-
tirely satisfied with the efforts that
We're being put forth by the city au
thorities to enforce the laws to meet
with him and discuss the matter.
Chief of Police Ramsey and Police
Judge Guy were requested by the may
or to be present, as he had left the act
uaI enforcement of the law in their
hands, and if there were any accusa-
tions against them he wished to have
them present to face the accusers.
Among those present were several
ministers of the city, Chas. NJ. Sheldon,
DR.. Countermine NJ F. McKirahan, A
members Of the Good Citizenship Fed
Grafton, and several Washburn stu
dents who have been procuring evil
dence against jointists in the city and
assisting the officers in securing con-
victions-
w. H. Cowles presented to Mayor
Drew the complaints which had been
made. There were two principal griev-
ances. One was that jointiStS were
given fines in police court, which they
readily paid, and were then allowed to
go back and commence breaking the
law again the same as before The
other complaint was that the police
court was conducted in such a lax
manner that the men who were under
prosecution for selling liquor were al
lowed to brOwbeat and insult witnesses
and to even threaten their lives, right
in the court room, without any remon-
STRANGE from Police Judge Guy.
I'VE do not like the idea" said Mr..
Cowles, ''of allowing the jointists to be
fined and then turning them loose to
commence business again. 1t has too
much the appearance of an under
49,
expected to do that. They do not care
for being fined a hundred dollars, if they
can go right back and make it up in
night or two. imprisonment is what
they do not like, and if the fine were
made $500 or $500 it would be better. We
know that the liquor ordinance is
faulty since the nuisance feature has
been declared void by Judge Eazen, and
we want it amended so as to give the
officers all the power possible to enforce
the law"
Charles NJ Sheldon was called on by
some of those in the room, and he
said:
81 am interested in the enforcement
of the law, and l am especially inter-
ested in this matter now, because some
of these young men who have been as
sisting in these prosecutions are men,
bers of my congregation and of my En-
deavor society, and wish to encourage
them in doing what is their duty as
Christian men. / had the pleasure of
voting for you, Mr.. Mayor, and, what
is unusual, of urging my people to do
the same. I believed your administra-
ton would do all it could to enforce the
law. I have no personal knowledge of
these matters, except what has been
told me by others.
1T has seemed that conditions have
been growing worse in the past. Of
tenders have not been punished as they
should be. 1 have been told that the
guilty parties have threatened to kill
and otherwise do bodily injury to those
young men have gone into places where
they would not have gone had they not
thought it their duty as Christian citi-
zens to do so. We think that results
ought to come from their work and
that the authorities ought to take all
the advantage they can of their efforts
to have the law enforced, instead of
turning criminals loose to Immediately
begin their business again.
I'VE have not come here as fault
finders, but as a body of citizens who
desire to make Topeka the best city on
earth. We do not wish to hinder or dis
coura ge the officers of the law in en-
forcing it, but to give them our assist
ance. IT you want our support, Mr.
Mayor / think I can assure you that
Won have it The other side does not
represent the majority of the people of
Topeka. The great majority are law
abiding citizens who desire to see the
law enforced. The other side may make
the most noise, but they are compare
lively few in numbers. I am only one
Of hundreds who believe this law can
be enforced, but we want to see some
results from our Efforts
F. H. Foster said: II understood
that this meeting was to investigate
charges against the police court in q
case in which it is alleged that the de-
PENDANT was allowed to threaten and
insult the witnesses without Interior
ence from the judge. If that is true, it
needs looking into; if not, have no
complaint myself. I understand this
that matter. I think the main difficulty
lies in the fact that the nuisance ordi-
nance has been made nugatory by the
decision of Judge HaZen."
LAS far as the charges that we are
doing nothing are concerned said
Mayor Drew. land that we are not put
ting forth any efforts, I care nothing
for them, because I know better l
know there are less joints now than
when I was sworn in as mayor. gave
the chief of police orders to enforce all
ordinances, and I know he has been
trying to do So"
The mayor then called Police Judge
Guy to explain the charges against his
court, and Judge Guy said:
In the trial of Marker, a notorious
jointist, was told that after he had
left the court room he made threats
against a young man named Stahl, and
1 wish he had tried to carry them out
because that young fellow has got
muscle, and he would have given Man
ker a good thrashing. That is the only
thing I have ever heard of any threats.
If there were any more. I neither heard
them nor anything about them.
In the three trials have had in the
court in which testimony has been
| introduced there have been convictions
fined Klauer $3.50 and placed his bond
at 81. 600. Those fellows can appeal to
| the district court, and after that the
/ police court has no jurisdiction over
| their cases. I don't think we can dc
! better than to edge up to these people
gradually.
The police court is a hard place to
preserve dignity. If dignity is what