Evening journal., 1901-02-18
Mrs. NATION HAD
BUSY SUNDAY
Leads Big Force in Work Of
Destruction
WAS ARRESTED -FOUR TINES
Upon Her Release She at Once Re.
neWed Her Work Of DemOliSh-
Inc Saloons

Topeka, Feb. 1S.-Mrs. Carrie Nation
put in a busy Sunday in Topeka yes
terday, and as a result the capital city
has experienced more genuine excite
ment than can be remembered by the
oldest inhabitant. Mrs. Nation liter
ally crammed the day with thrillineI
episodes. She succeeded in having the
contents of a 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 meetingoi
men and women and was arrested four
times The last time that the law laid
its hands upon her was when Mrs. Ma
ton emerged from the church where
the mass meeting had been held.
Mrs. Nation announces that she will
not rest until all the joints in Topeka
have been closed.
Yesterday morning at o'clock 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. The crowd
marched in perfect military order, the
men and women following their recog-
nized leader, whom they seemed to
trust implicitly. The company march
ed silently out Of the state house
grounds, down Kansas avenue. TO the
place On East Seventh street kept by
Ed Murphy.
When Murphy's place was reached
the work Of demolition began. Mrs.
Nation, brandishing a new hatchet.
headed the onslaught, uttering words
of depreciation against the joint keep
ors as she sent her weapon through the
first plate glass window at hand. 9th
ers followed her lead quickly. Amid
the shouts of the crusaders and the
dictatorial commands Of the policemen
present, trying to protect the property,
glass was SOON crashing TO the ground
on all sides. Next the door was
smashed in with an AK and the beer
kegs, bottles, mirrors and everything
smashable were 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 promptly
emerged from the place and was arrest
ed. She went along with the officer
followed by her band and the crowd
that had gathered. At the police sta
ton she was released promptly and
hurried back to her work.
She entered a livery barn in which
some bars had been stored and smash
ed them. Then, at the head of 25 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 ar.
rested by the county authorities and
was taken to the Jail in a patrol wagon
1t was afternoon before she was re-
leased from Jail on bond. and after
taking dinner with Sheriff Cook she
went to the First Christian church
where she was accOsted by an officer
with a warrant and taken to the cOun-
/ ty jail again. She stayed this time foI
two hours and finally her bond was
signed by one of the joint keepers OF
the city, a prominent negro politician
The gathering of the crusaders al
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 might bg
seen hurTying across the diagonal
walks and the lawn of the state house
square to the big building in which the
business of the state is transacted. Al
every point OF entrance to the ground:
sentinels of the army" we're posted
These accosted each conner in true
military style and Obliged him to give
an account of himself. If he wore {
white handkerchief around his neck II
/ al vi hn al ~
proceed, as the white handkerchief was
the emblem worn by the crusaders.
What is your company" one woulC
ask of the other.
Company c. We meet on the soutf
steps Of the state house"
And so the questioning went on. Fl
nally the army was massed in the dark
dismal corridor in the east steps o.
the capitol building and calmly awaited
the coming of its leader. AS they
! waited their number was augmented by
many more men who entered the stat'
4 house grounds with axes slung oyel
their shoulders. Two men came il
with great mining picks and others haC
sledge hammers. These weapons werl
too large for the women, who composed
one-fifth OF the party, but they all car
i ried bright, new hatchets.
Soon the electric lights on the stree
went out and day began to break
When the darkness had almost disap
peared two women could be seen in tht
distance running to the scene of thu
! rendezvous. They were Mrs. Natioi
and DR.. Eva Harding, with whom shl
had stayed during the night. Mrs. Ma
tion had actually oversight herself bl
one hour, o'clock having been thu
appointed hour for assembling.
Joint smashing. she explained, hal
gotten to be such an ordinary affai
with her that she never had occasion
to lose any sleep on account Of the ex
titement it caused.
But we are here now" she said
I'VE will begin work at once, too. &c
in line there. men and women. w,
must be about the Lords work now
Get your hatehets ready and follow
ne"
And they did. Two by two, weapons