Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1901-02-08
SHE SMASHES SALOONS.
How Mrs. Nation of Kansas
Takes the Law in Her own
Hands.

How Mrs. Nation of Kansas
Takes the Law in Her Own
Hands.
Mrs. Carrie Nation, president of
the Barber County Womau's Chris
tian Temperance Union, who was
recently discharged from Jail at
Wichita, Kansas. where she had been
held for breaking costly pictures and
mirrors in a saloon, has came back
to Wichita and the net result of 10
minutes of work by her are two
wrecked saloons, the pieces of which
are being sold for souYenirs.
Mrs. Nation was assisted by four
ladies of the w. 9. L. U. organiza-
ton. With hatchets concealed under
their cloaks they entered saloon
after saloon and did not leave a COM
plete piece of glass or working
slot machine. All showcases, both
for liquors and cigars, as we'll as the
plate-glass windows and doors, were
broken into smithereens.
The police then overpowered Mrs.
Nation aud her friends and took
them to the city prison, followed by
2,O00people. Chief of Police Cudbon
discharged the prisoners after they
reached the Jail and is heartily con-
demned by the people. The women
made him a promise not TO wreck
any more saloons before noon of the
following day.
SEEKS THE HIGH OFFICIALS
A few days later she invaded the
office of Governor William II. Stanley.
in the Capitol building, and for
solid hour arraigned the Chief
Executive of the State for his failure
to close the saloons in Kansas. Then
in turn she visited the offices of At.
torney-General Goddard, Couuty-At-
torney Nichols, and Sheriff Porter S.
Cook, and demanded of each that
they close the saloons. A crowd
followed her.
Mrs. Nation accused Governor
Stanley of branding her as law
breaker and demanded to know if he
had better method than she of
ridding the state of saloons.
'Do you think my method is
right" she asked.
"No, | DON'T" replied the Gov
ernor.
one?"
As the Governor turned in his
chair to make answer every one
listened intently.
"No, ! do not think / have" he
finally replied. Continuing, be man.
aged to edge in few words more:
"What can / do? / am powerless.
The law does not allow me to do
what | desire. The law gives me no
privileges. What can l do?"
"If necessary call out the militia"
was Mrs. Nations prompt reply.
Then the crusader began "a philip
pic that caused Governor Stanley's
anger to rise and the crowd grouped
about his desk to look on in wonder.
"You can close every joint in
Kansas fyou will, Governor Stanley"
she said with force. "You can do
it if You want to, but you won't.
You are lawbreaker yourself i you
DON'T"
AS Mrs. Nation proceeded she
rose from her chair and looked full
in the face of Governor Stanley, and,
pointing her finger at him, called
HIM "lawbreaker" and "perjurer"
without the least show of fear. He
tried to make reply, but she gave
him nochance, the words of inyective
pouring from her with a rush that
would not be stemmed. Finally, his
temper gone, Governor Stanley arose
from his seat and shouted back:
"You cannot come here and talk
this way to me. You cannot talk
to me this way, | say. You are "a
woman, but won't stand it. You
will have to leave if you cannot"
81 am mother. l am a grand
mother and l represent the mothers
of the State"
"Finally Governor Stanley said:
"You go TO the Prosecuting Attor-
neys of the different counties and put
the Joint-keepers in Jail and l will
use my power as Governor to keep
them in. | willsee that they are not
pardoned out"
This seemed to give the saloon
wrecker great joy but since then she
has come to the conclusion that she
can do more with her hatchet. as the
officials are not willing to aid. On
Wednesday of last week four saloons
were completely demolished and