The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-07-20
City Attorney Spencer Refuses
Complaint For Drug Store.
Allan HolIcraft Appears and
Makes q Demand.
FOUND HIS SON THERE
Claimed That Drug Stores Have
Ruined Him.
Threatens to Do Some Smashing
on Own Account.

"A tall, brOad-shOuldered old man,
with the star of age in his hand. but
the fire of youth blazing in his eye told
an intensely dramatic story to some Of
the city officials this morning
The old man was Allan HoIlcraft. He
was pleading with the authorities to
avenge the ruin of his son, Charlie Holl-
craft. He begged for some action to
be taken against Keith & Hazen's drug
store at 422 Kansas avenue.
Allan Hollcraft is a Kansas pioneer.
He has the blood of early Kansas in his
veins. He fought the border rufians,
and though he is now past 80 years of
age, and walks with hating step, he
has tremendously brawny arms.
brown and museled neck. and he told
his story with the passion and fury
which can only be born of a fathers
desperation when he sees his son in
great trouble.
Charley has been ruined by that
hell-hole they call a drug store, said
the old man. Every dollar that he has
they have taken from him. They have
sucked him dry of money and man
hood.
This morning I went down there. I
started to go back behind their screen.
where they drink. I knew I would find
Charley back there. Their little bar
tender tried to stop me. You can't go
in there, he yelled - you I told
him, you get out of my way or I'll kill
you He got out. I would have crush
ed his miserable head if he hadn't
The old man grit his teeth and smote
the table with his fist
I went back there and found three
men with glasses at their lips. Charley
was one of them. I told him to go
home land he started to go, but he was
so drunk he could scarcely walk.
Then I went out, and that little fat
faced Hazen was there. Look here Z
said, if you ever sell my son any more
liquor I'll come in here and 7 can
promise you that I'll Guido Carrie Ma
ton. 1t won't stop with smashing.
There'H be something else.'
That's what / said to him, and ne
andstood there and slobbered and
gulped and couldn't say anything.
felt as though I would like to slap his
contemplate face, like that, and that"
HOllcraft swung his long arms
viciously, to illustrate his words.
II have just been in to see the city
attorney, and he won't do anything for
me- am gong down to see Judge
Redden. I wonder if he is afraid of
Judge Hazen, too? All the officers are
afraid to do anything to that drug
store, because it is Judge z. T. Hazen's
son who runs it. If the authorities
won't I will I'm an old man, but
that don't count It's grit that counts,
and I wasn't out here in Kansas forty
of Judge Hazen, nor Of his son.
THE police officers are making a
great blow about stopping the little
key parties out in the bushes, but they
let this dirty, damnable hole run on,
and sell its liquor, and ruin my boy.
He used to have money, but they have
got it now"
City Attorney. Spencer refused to is
sue complaint for the Keith & Hazen
drug store at HoIlcraft's request. In
explanation of this he said:
III told Mr.. Hollcraft that all that
11r. Urmy. am too busy just now to
engage in liquor prosecutions Mr..
Urmy is making that his especial oc-
cupatiOn. Besides Mr.. Hollcraft was
so excited that he would not answer
my questions, and I couldn't find out
anything from him He seemed to
want me to subpoena some of those
people to come up here and testify,
but 1 can't do that. 1 told him to so
to the county authorities. If he had
stayed and not gotten SO excited I
would probably have given him a
complaint"
Mr.. HolIcraft says that he knows the
names of the people who were drink
ing behind the prescription case when
he went in there, and he says that he
wanted the city attorney to give him
a complaint against Keith & Hazen,
on the charge of maintaining
Charles Hollcraft, son of Allen Holl-
craft. was at one time a well to do
contractor in this city. He has been
drinking heavily for some time, and
was arrested a few days ago for
got a revolver and Winchester rifle,
while drunk, and terrorized Kansas
avenue till his weapons were taken
from him by Policeman Pavey.