The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-02-18

the entrance. They commanded the people
ir very dgnified tones 60 stand back.
''SMASHi SMASH! SMASHw
Smash. smash. smash" called out Mrs.
Nation. Don't pay attention to them"
boys with the battering ram came
forward. and in less time than it takes
to tell it, the big plate-glass windows were
shattered into thousands of fragments.
Dozens of men then rushed on the build
ing armed with their axes and soon had the
doors and window frames cut entirely
away. Then, with an exultant cheer, the
crowd burst into the building.
Praise God, women. Smash the bot
ties and the windows" called out Mrs. Ma
ton again and, raising her famous Ratchet,
she sent it through window glass.
The policemen managed to recover from
their scare by this time to grab Mrs. Ma
ton. They started off with her to the
police station as rapidly as possible. She
waved her arms and frantically called out
to her coworkers: ''Oh keep 1t up. You
it up; keep on smashing. You don't
need me-"
For a moment the crusaders were thrown
into confusion by the removal OF their
leader, but the parting words of Mrs. Ma
ton seemed to nerve them to better efforts.
The crowd surged forward into the build
ing and soon all the front part of the
| room had given way and all could enter at
will.
man inside struck a match, and then
turned on the electric lights. A case of
beer was found In the room and it was soon
smashed Slot machines, cigar cases, BILL
lard tables, chairs counters and even the
stoves were smashed to Smithereens The
policemen danced hither and thither, trying
to keep the crowd from destroying the
property, but their efforts were expended IN
vain. The doors OF the outbuildings were
smashed in, but no more liquor was found.
During the night 1t had been removed to 4
place of safety.
After being satisfied that there was moth
ing. else to destroy the crusaders left the
building. Then IL was that they found
their need of leader. They once more
marched to the Statehouse square, to talk
over the situation. The women composing
the party were filled with wrath. They de-
clared that the men We're towards. and
that they never would 80 out on a raid
with them again. The earnest words Of
cries of excitement they started again
DOWN town to destroy some more joints,
and to make their work complete.
Then Ii was that the Rev. Z. w. Emer-
son, who was Mrs. Nations manager dur
| ing her recent trip, rushed to the front
| and called the crowd to desist from their
/, was now awake and that further action
would be useless. DR.. Eva Harding en-
gagged in a spirited argument with the
minister, during which some very choice
compliments were passed on either side
What was left OF the crowd then dispersed.
AT IT AGAIN.
But while this was going on another
mere interesting scene was being enacted
| in another part Of the city. Mrs. Nation
hac been released from the city prison
| after being held but few minutes and
soon she again started out on her work.
| She again gathered about her some OF
| these who had gone to the station and
commanded them to follow her. She led
| the way to a livery stable, where some
| liars were stored. She was met at the
door by the proprietor, who assured her
| that there was nothing of the kind in the
building. She demanded to have the privi-
ltge of looking, however. She ordered two
| or three of the men present TO ascend TO
| the loft and ascertain its contents, giving
them particular orders to search through
all the piles of grain for hidden liquor.
Mrs. Nation at last found In little room
| back of the office several fine bars: Pick
| ing up a leg of chair she smashed the
| she remarked, but If 1 can't get it the leg
! Of chair will do just as well"
Mrs. Nation then led the way to the
Moser cold storage plant, where the Joint
| lists" of the city have been in the habit
of storing their extra stock. Only a few
went out with her.. but she was deter
| as the joints. Mrs. Nation managed to
| enter the cold storage plant, but found
herself in the poultry room. She then tried
room. BY this time Sneriff Cook and Chief
! CT Police Stahl came upon the scene. and
| placed her under arrest. This time she
MADE quite scene, and was taken to the
| county jail in the patrol wagon. Her ar
rest this time was on a county warrant,
sworn to by the cold storage people, charg
| ing her with breaking a lock- There had
been a quantity of liquor in the plant the
night before, but the proprietors, in all
| tcipation of raid, had removed it,
When Mrs. Nation again started for the
| center of the city she was confronted with
third arrest-this time on a warrant for
| entering the Murphy place. She was taken
| to jail, while preparations were made for
holding big mass meeting.
| In the afternoon while the meeting was
at it's height. Mrs. Nation entered and
made her way UP the aisle toward the
| platform. Most OF the auditorium believed
| went up at the sight of her must have
been inspiring 10 the joint smasher. Soon
| she began a volley OF words.
SPURRED TO ACTION.
Women. women. she said. as she sud-
denly stepped forward with dramatic
gesture, Women. we must be about the
WORK OF the Lord this very afternoon.
There are yet some hell holes here which
have not closed up In spite Of the prom
| Uses 10 the contrar and We must smash
them this afternoon This very after
noon"
| "Ameni Yes. we will" exclaimed hun
| dred women, many OF them shedding tears
1 in their excitement
The scene was dramatic and not a per-
| son In the house, man or woman, would
| have stayed back for minute II Mrs. Ma
ton had said that the time had come to
move. She had completely captured them.