Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1901-01-31
The Wichita War.

oozed out of the Populism of Kansas
seem to have reappeared, in some
measure. in the campaign which Mrs.
Carrie Nation aud other members OF
against the saloons in Wichita. Mrs.
Nation takes literally the motto OF the
late David r. Locke-Nasby. "PulVerize
the Rum Powerr' She pulverizes the
Rum Power with stones, brickbats,
hammers and any other accessible
weapons of offense and smashing. She
fills the saloons of Wichita with sur
prise and wreckage. Plate glass and
bottles, showcases, all the ornaments
of the guided Tophet, tumble into
ruin before her. The proprietors are
usually too astonished or too polite to
have her arrested. She did succeed
in getting into a Jail that was quar-
antined for smallpox, and for few
days the sound of her avenging hammer
was not heard. Monday she returned
to Wichita and resumed hostilities.
Accompanied by three other avengers,
all with hatchets under their cloaks,
she stormed James BurDs's saloon,
smashing everything smashable. Even
the cigar showcases fell. In her trans
ports Mrs. Nation does not distinguish
minor from major vices.
Then the hatchet brigade attacked
John Herrig's barroom. The plate
glass in the front was raining on the
street when John, who seems to be an
ungallant soul, rushed out, aimed
revolver at Mrs. Nations head and
swore he would shoot her if she didn't
stop. She stopped devastating his
place, and marched against the hotel
barroom where she first engaged in
warfare some three weeks ago. There
her. With poker she lunged at a
detective, but she was soon over
powered, and with her fellow soldiers
lugged to the town Jail. A crowd of
two thousand followed the captors and
the captured. Wichita is thoroughly
alive to the spirit OF excitement. A
little daughter of one of the prisoners
begged in vain for her mothers release.
At the jail there was more mercitul
disposition. The Chief of Police ar
ranged an armistice with Mrs. Nation.
She was allowed to go on condition
that she would not smash any more
saloons until noon of the next day. The
Wichita Chief of Police is very ac-
comodating.
Emerging in triumph from the prison,
Mrs. Nation addressed the crowds in
warlike strain. She said that she was
going to pulverize the Rum Power at
noon sharp the next day. .Men of
Wichita" she is said to have cried,
ssthis is the right arm of God. and
am destined to wreck every saloon in
the city" Then the saloon smashers
climbed into q wagon, and drove
through the streets, singing hymns.
Before the wrecked saloons they
prayed. At night the militant Mrs.
Nation was buying railroad ticket in
the station when the Sheriff, described
as a little man, informed her that she
was his prisoner. She is powerful of
build as well as of deed, and she slapped
the Sheriff's face and pulled his ears.
The station was full of women, who
began to scream. It was lovely scene
of melodrama. At length the Sheriff
was rescued, and the crusader hailed
to a cell in the county Jail, where she
passed the night praying and singing
hymns. Two of ber companions were
also arrested. Il was lively day aud
night for Wichita. and the prestige of
its police and Sheriff must have suffered
a good deal.
The people who are in the business
of insuring plate glass take keen in
terest in Mrs. Nations war. They
will be broken men ii she doesn't abate
the edge of her wrath and her hatchet.
Possibly they will decide to give her.