The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-02-18
MRS. NATIONS DAY
SHE GIVES TOPEKA PLENTY OF
EXCITEMENT.
WAS ARRESTED FOUR TIMES.
ORGANIZED BER BAND AND BEGUN
WORK EARLY.


Address Mass MectinE-Hcr Last
Arrest Caused Much Excitement.
VIII stay in Topeka and Help
Elect Mayor.
Topeka, Kan, Feb 17.-NIrs. Carrie
Nation put in busy Sunday in Topeka
to-day and as result the Capital City
has experienced more genuine excitement
than can be remembered by the oldest
inhabitant. Mrs. Nation literally
crammed the day with thrilling ep sodes
She succeeded in having the contents of
notorious joint smashed. broke into a
cold storage plant in search of liquor,
ruined the mirrors on several bars found
stored in a livery barn, addressed "a
large mass meeting of men and women,
and was arrested four times. The last
time that the law laid it's hands upon
her was when Mrs. Nation emerged from
the church where the mass meeting had
been held.
Tonight Mrs. Nation announces that
she will begin tomorrow morning where
she left off to-day and will not rest until
all the joints in Topeka have been closed
This morning at O'Clock, just as the
big bell on the Church OF the Assumption
tower was striking the hour, Mrs. Nation
sailed forth from the state house grounds
at the head of 500 men and women, all
armed with hatchets and axes, and moved
on the joints of the city. Nobody but
Mrs Nation knew what plans she had
laid.
In the crowd were a large number of
students of Swashburn College, some OF
the ministers of the city and a number
Of professional and business men. The
crowd marched in perfect military order,
the men and women following their rec
ognized leader, whom they SEEM
ed to trust implicitly. The COM
psny marched silently out of
the statehouse grounds, down Kansas
avenue, to the place Oh East Seventh
street. kept by Ed Murphy. When Muir
phys place was reached the work of de-
molition began. Mrs. Nation, brandish-
ing a new hatchet, headed the onslaught
uttering words of depreciation against the
joint-keepers as she sent her weapon
through the first plate class window at
hand. Others followed her lead quickly.
Amid the shouts of the crusaders and
the commands Of the police present, trying
to protect the property, glass went crash
ing to the ground on all sides. Next the
door was smashed in with an AK and the
beer kegs, bottles, mirrors and everything
smashable was attacked. Hardly five
minutes after Mrs. Nation had begun the
smashing what was once a well-furnished
saloon was In complete ruins.
Her work over, Mrs. Nation proudly
emerged from the place and was arrested
She went along with the officer. followed
by her band and the crowd that had gath
cred At the police station she was re-
leased promptly, and hurried back to her
work.
She entered a livery barn, in which
some bars had been stored and smashed
them. Then at the head of twenty-five
Of her stoutest-hearted followers, she
went to the Moser cold storage plant and
entered upon a search for some liquor
that she thought had been stored there.
This time Mrs. Nation was arrested by
the county authorities, and was taken
to the jail in a patrol wagon. 1t was
after noon before she was released from
Jail on bond, and after taking dinner with
Sheriff Cook, she went to the First Chris
tian Church, where she was accosted by
an officer with warrant and taken to
the county Jail again. She stayed this
time for two hours, and finally her bond
the city, prominent negro politician.
Gathered at the State House.
The gathering of the crusaders at the
State House grounds before daylight was
conducted with the utmost secrecy. Very
few knew about the intended raid except
those going to take part in it. At 4:30
O'Clock silent forms were hurrying across
to the State House, where sentinels of
the army were posted These required
each conner to give an account of him
self. Finally the army was massed in
the dark, dismal corridor under the east
steps Of the Capitol. Two men came I'm
with great mining picks and others had
axes and sledgehammers. The women,
who composed one-fifth Of the party car
ried bright new batchets. At daybreak
Mrs Nation, who had oversight, and Dr.
Eva Harding, with whom she had stayed
during the night, came running up.
"Get in line there, men and womenp
Mrs. Nation called.
I'VE must be about the Lords work
now Get your hatchets ready and fol-
low me-"
And they did two by two. with weapons
in hand. Mrs. Nation, with her hatchet
raised leading. Behind her were Mrs
Rose Crist and Miss Southard. who ac-
compsnled her on her trip to Chicago
aud DR.. Eva Harding. Next came six
Swashburn College boys, bearing an i'm
mense battering ram, one Of the boys also
clutching a bright new hatchet Twice
at notorious places the crowd wanted to
STOP but Mrs. Nation tarried not The
crowd finally reached the joint door Lead
ing TO Murphys fashionable bar. -Four
policemen stood guard and commanded the
people to stand back.
Smash, smash, smash" called out Mrs.
Nation. Don't pay any attention 10
them"
Used the Battering Ram.
Forward came the battering ram ana
the big plateglass window was smashed
into a thousand fragments Dozens OF
men then rushed on the building armed
with their axes and soon had the doors
and window frame cut entirely away.
Then, with an exu.tant cheer. the crowd
burst into the building.
Praise God. women. Smash the bot.
ties and the windows" called out Mrs.
Nation again. and. raising her famous
hatchet. she sent II through the window
ziass. Two policemen seized Mrs. Ma
ton. They started Off with her 10 tho po-
lice station as quickly as possible. She
frantleaiiy urged her co-workers 70 keep
% the work. First a case Of beer WIS
smashed. Slot machines. cigar cases. bill
Hard tabes. chairs counters and even the
stoves were smashed 10 Hmlthereens. The
pOllcemen danced hither and thither. but
their efforts we're expended la vain. out
buildings we're smashed in, but fruitlessly,