The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1901-02-26
TOPEKA MAN FATALLY INJURED
IN A RAID on A LIQUOR HOUSE.
Policemen Attempted to Stop Work of
Crusaders Led by Ministers-PistoIs
Fired by Both Sides.

| Topeka, Kas.. Feb. 81. W. Adams lies
\ at hospital. lowering between life and
death. He was shot during raid on a
| North Topeka wholesale liauor-house.
\ At midnight last night a crowd OF from
| thirty TO sixty citizens heavily armed with
| revolvers, sledge hammers. crowbars and n
| battering-ram, broke into the wholesale
| liquor r-house of Cash Curtis, on Vest
| Curtis street. between Kansas avenue and
Jackson street. and smashed The beer found
! there. Three policemen drove the crowd
| back.
| The policeman and the citizens fired their
| revolvers and ]. w. Adams, carpenter.
| living at 524. West Grant street. was shot
twice In the breast He was taken in a
hack to Riverside Hospital. where he lies
| in a precarious condition.
Doctor NJ. r. Mitchell and Reverend +.
W. Emerson were both arrested by the po-
| lice. Reverend Mr.. Emerson was taken to
the police station. where he was booked
| under the charge of resisting an officer. He
| was allowed to go upon his own recogni-
zance Doctor Mitchell took the injured
| man to the hospital In hack and was al
lowed to stay and administer to him with
out giving bond.
The three officers, Patrolnen Downey.
Boyles and Private Watchman Connors
claim that Adams was shot by his own
crowd while he was retreating from the
place where the liquors were smashed. and
Adams says that he was shot by police
man. hut does not know whom.
Quick Work of Destruction.
The crowd which did the smashing met
on West Curtis street. about two blocks
from the joint. The estimates Of the num-
Der vary from thirty to sixty. At few
moments past L o'clock the crowd moved
east on Curtis street to Jackson street. The
wholesale liquor house is a small frame
building at the rear of Curtis's home which
faces Curtis street. The crowd turned
south on Jackson street and crossed the
rear OF the lots between the street and the
liquor house.
In one OF the yards by a wood pile was
a log a foot thick at the large end and
about 10 feet long. half-dozcn men
seized the log and used 1t as battering
ram. The men with the log rushed at the
door, and at the first blow the lock was
broken. the door gave way and the crowd
rushed in At the first rush. the lantern lantern
and the work was done In the dark.
Three men stood on the inside and passed
erGsx cases Who aho Srew 1 bem into 10 the yard to
be smashed. The crowd used heavy sledges.
axes. masons' hammers and crowbars. The
owners Of the beer made no resistance.
Raid Was, Entlrely Unexpected.
Patrolman Boyles and Watchman, Con-
nors were called from the Union Pacific
Depot. two blocks away. and were the
first officers there. They entered the yard
from Curtis street and drove the crowd
back. Before the officers arrived thirty
cases and two kegs of beer had been
smashed and the debris was scattered over
the yard.
When the officers arrived. the crowd fell
back to q ditch near jackson street. where
the leaders succeeded in rallying the
forces. While the crowd was being driven
back twenty or thirty shots were fired.
When the crowd retreated to Jackson
street the officers were near the building
and Adams was between the officers and
the crowd When he was shot he fell by
a pile Of wood.
Speaking OF the raid. Chief OF Police Stabl
said:
I have had the officers posted. but that was