The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-03-25
MEETS 4 FROST.
Leavenworth Made 1t Unpleas-
ant For Mrs. Nation.
Police Prevented Her From En-
tering Saloons.
NO PLACE TO SPEAK.
Could Not Find Hall Open to
Her.
Effort Made to Turn Visit Into
Political Capital.
Makes a Short Stop in st. Louis
This Morning.
NO PLACE TO SPEAK.

Leavenworth. Kan, March 25.-The
question is: Who brought Mrs. Ma
tion here?' Out Of her visit has come
an issue in the municipal campaign The
| Republicans assert that the Democratic
| ring is responsible for her visit ic an en-
deavor to make political capital out of
| it. The Democrats come back with the
charge that the Republicans wrote her
a letter strongly urging her to come
here. Mrs. Nation herself declares that
/ she came in answer to a letter from a
/ saloonkeeper's wife This letter was
1 typewriter on yellow, black-ruled pa
per, of a kind used in railroad offices.
! The language and composition are ex-
] cellent, and half a dozen newspaper men
| declare that it was written by some one
! better acquainted with city and county
would probably be. Now, who wrote
| it? 1t was signed with the typewriter,
| but the name Mrs. Nation refuses to
| divulge. Her reason was that she was
afraid the poor woman would be muir
dered by these murder shop keepers.
AS it stands, neither party has positive
evidence against the other. and both
are working it as an issue for all 1t is
worth
Mrs. Nation did not smash joint, nor
did she attempt to. She tried to enter
and the moment she laid her hand on the
door two policemen in citizens clothes
caught her and gave her to understand
once and for all that the motto OF LeaV-
enWOrth is: Don't monkey with this
community" and that at the first sign
of any violence on her part she would
be hauled off to Jail. Then she visited
the Soldiers Home and began abusing
Governor Rowland for allowing a can
teen to be run on the grounds. After
listening to her a short time the COVER
nor called captain of police and had
her escorted off the grounds and placed
on a car for the city.
At the Soldiers Home few knew Of her
coming, and only q handful of old vet
Grams waiting for a car were on the
depot platform. She greeted each one
of these, and, after mOmentary rest,
walked into the home grounds. Her first
visit was to the home theater. She was
refused admittanee and told to go to
Governor Rowland's office. Half way
there she met Governor Rowland. He in
vited her to his office to tell him what
she wanted. AS they neared the office,
she began to talk louder and louder, and
the governor attempted to stop her, tell
ing her that it would all be settled in
the office.
Are you going to allow me to talk
to these dear old soldiers?" asked Mrs.
mo, Madam replied Governor Row
land. mot today. This is Sunday"
'.Wel, am going to talk to them
about Jesus, and Sunday is a good day
for that" she said.
You cannot talk here Mrs. Nation;
that is all there is to it, said Governor
regularly authorized to hold any sort of
religious service here, and speakers come
only on invitation
well. I'm not going any further,
then she said
Then she started to talk about the
demon rum" Governor Rowland en-
deavored to stop her. but she had full
steam up and was talking at a rapid
rate Calling two guards, Governor
Rowland told them to escort her off the
grounds On the way down to the depot
hot
she considered unfair treatment. She
asked her guards how much beer was
sold in the canteen, and all about it.
At the depot a group of old soldiers
gathered about her
What sort of men are you2" she ask
ed them. Are you prisoners here, that
a woman even cannot talk to you and
save you from the hell broth that is
dished out in your canteen?"
When Third and Delaware streets were
reached another crowd awaited her A
noIice office1- in uniform took charge Of
her and took her to the National hotel,
where she was to stop. In the National
is one of the finest bars in the city, but
the proprietors of the hotel took no
chances and had the barroom locked and
watchers at the door to admit only those
who had business there. A big crowd
noon Mrs. Nation held receptions and
prayer meetings in her room. Owing to
the crowd it was necessary 10 keep po-
Hcemen at the stairs to prevent every
body from rushing up at once
After trying in vain to get some place
in which to speak, Mrs. Nation gave up
the idea Of holding meeting in the af-
noon No hall in town would be rented
to her. When informed of this fact Mrs
Nation was much put out. The devil
has got all of them in his power,'' she |
remarked, referring to the owners of the
halls.
Later several ladies came in to see
her. One of them remarked that she I!
was a. Baptist Cant you get per1nis- |
n q "a
Mrs Nation asked her. The lady was |
not sure that she could A moment |
later a negro who had come up to see
her was asked If he could not get a |
church I'd Just as soon speak in a |
niger church. said Mrs Nation
Then messenger arrived stating that |
she could speak in the Conservatory of /
Music in which the Christian Scientists |
hold their services She was escorted /
there by Mrs. Merrill and the usual |
crowd. but when they arrived they |
found the hall locked. Mrs Van Fossen, |
who lives on West Seventh street in The T
rear Of the hall, offered her the use of |
a large vacant lot Mrs Van F.ossen is |
one of the temperance workers of the I
city. and invited Mrs. Nation here some |
time ago. Mrs. Nation accepted the /
offer and went to the lot A big crowd 4
followed her, but when she got into the i
lot the police officers refused to let her 4
speak Then she got mad and began /
to berate the officer. He informed her 4
that he was not acting on his own re- I
sponsibility, but only on the orders of 4
Chief Cranston. He also told her that T
he was not the proper subject for any I
facettous remarks from her, and that If I