Evening star., 1901-02-18
Smashing Work Yesterday.

Smashing Work Yesterday
At o'clock yesterday morning crowd
Of seventy-fve women belonging to the
"Home Defenders organization. ard head
ed by Mrs Carrie Nation raidcd three
places in Topeka. whore bar fixtures and
liquors Were stored. smashing the front
windows, breaking locks, battcTing down
fOors and destroying considerable proper
ty before the officers could diSperse them.
The raid was planned at a meeting held
Saturday afternoon. and was caused by
the fact that the 'tjoint' owners who prom
issd To remove their stocks and fixtures
last Friday have been storing their goods
in cellars and vacant buildings. presum-
ably in the hope of being able to resume
business after Mrs. Nation leaves the city
and excitement dies out.
The raiders assembled in front of the
State house ana marched To the main blisi-
ness street of the city. y squad Of patrol
men met the crusaders and ordered them
back, but no attention was paid to the or
der Probably 800 men marched along with
the women to witness the smashing.
The Home Defenders proceeded to q bill
lard room kept by Edward Murphy. The
no light burning. AS the Defenders ap-
preached patroman commanded the
crowd to disperse and to preserve the
peace. Mrs Nation pressed to the front
and shouted:
Smash, Smash. Smash!
'hidSH, SIIlttSll SlildSH- Ild!Sc t'JU'
women. come on"
Then. raising her hatchet. she quickly
shattered a big window and called TO her
assistants 10 follow her into the building
Two p1troimen graSped the leader and
started with her toward the station She
turned and called again to her sisters:
Keep IL up, keep smashing. Praise God!
The women of Kansas have God on their
side. Keep IL up,''
This seemed to set the crowd wild. All
kinds of weapons were brought forth and
the work of smashing begun in ear
nest. The windows were soon IN ruins
Some boys carried a big log through the
crowd and with it battered down the door.
The women rushed into the room, the light
was turned on and an attack made upon
the inner DOOR supposed To lead TO the bar
room. case OF beer was found and
smashed. y slot machine was pounded
into fragments. The billiard tables were
not injured but the balls and cues were
taken away as souvenirs. Several shots
were fired and the police tried 10 restrain
the mob but their efforts were unavaiing
The women were now without leader,
and the men wanted to diSperse. but they
We're denounced by the women as towards.
Most of the women formed into line and
led another march down Kansas avenue.
In the meantime Mrs. Nation had been re-
leased from arrest upon her promise to
appear in police court to answer TO any
charge thar might he preferred against her.
With a chosen few of her lieutenantS she
proceeded 10 a livery barn opposite the
Santa F'e Hospital East 9Th avenue.
where. in a dark corner. she found several
counters and other bar paraphernalia.
which had been stored there for safekeep-
ing. Mrs. Nation wrenched one of the legs
from table and with il smashed Il costly
mirror, case of whisky and Il collection
of beer glasses. The destruction was not
complete. but she said the rest OF the prop
erty might be used for some legitimate
purpose and she would spare 1t.
Cold Storage Plant Broken Into.
walk of nearly n mile brought tho
"joint smasher' and her aids to The Nose.
cold storage plant. This is not a drinking
place and no liquors are sold there. but il
is admitted to have been used a storage
and supply depot FOR other concerns in the
city Mrs. Nation broke q lock and gained
entrance TO the poultry room. The chic
OF police elected her from this room. Sh,
next attempted to break into the engin,
room. but was stopped and arrested b,
Sheriff Cook. She was taken 10 Jail in th
patrol wagon. but was subsequently re
leased on her own bond. She defied the po
lice. but offered no resistance TO the sher
in.
The proprietor OF the Moser plant flee
information against Mrs. Nation and othe
persons who participated In the raid. charg
ing malicious trespass and warrants hav
been served upon them. The leaders name,
in the information are. Mrs. Nation, DR.
Eva Harding, Rev. +. W. Emerson, Cal
Mcdowell Madeline Southland, Mrs. Refs
7. G. Coe and Mrs. Stricklet.
X was afternoon before she was release,
from Jail on bond and after taking Dime
with Sheriff Cook she went TO the Firs
Christian Church, where she was accoste,
by an officer with q warrant and taken t.
the county jail again She stayed thi
time for two hours, and finally her BON
was signed by one of the ''joint" keeper
Of the city. a prominent negro politician.
When Mrs. Nation again started for III
center Of the city she was confronted wit
third arrest-this time on warrant 70
entering Murphy's place. She was takel
TO jail while preparations were being mad
for holding big mass meeting.
Given u Housing Reception.
In the afternoon. while the meeting wa