The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-07-26
T0ARREST HUGHES
Charge is That He Keeps Hogs
in Coal Yard.
People Who Live Nearby Enter
Complaint.
GRILEY TAKES 1T UP.
Second Ward Councilman VIII
Swear to Complaint.
Cleaning Up Crusaders Over
looked This Case.
HUGHES SHIFTS BLAME
Says the Swine Belong to His
Foreman.
Case to Come Before the Police
Court.
Cleaning Up Crusaders Over
looked This Case.
HUGHES SHIFTS BLAME
Says the Swine Belong to His
Foreman.
Case to Come Before the Police
Court

Mayor Colonel J. W. F. Hughes, the
executive of the city of Topeka, is to
be prosecuted for violation of the city
health laws.
Complaint has been made to Coun-
Gilman Joseph Griley. chairman Of the
health and sanitation committee of the
city council, by the residents in the
neighborhood of the coal yard Of
Mayor Hughes, at Fifth and Adams
streets, of the unsanitary conditions of
the portion of the coal yard used as
pig sty.
Councilman Griley Thursday after
noon made trip of investigation to
the alleged nuisance. Leaving Fifth
street and following the road down
toward Fourth avenue by the coal
yards of Mayor Hughes, he came upon
a stretch of black fence over which
were painted the letters of the name
Hughes" In an angle of the fence at
TINS place there IS a space apout
half foot wide where Councilman
Griley peered in and discovered two
pigs lying in a corner OF the lot un-
der a sunshade- Nearby is a trough
from which the pigs are fed
A reporter for the State Journal vis-
ited the place this morning. The en-
ployes of the big Gavitt block, just
north of the pig pen, are much exer-
cised over it. They are located Wnere
the breezes coming from the south watt
the OdorS arising from the pen into
their open windows.
An amusing phase of the situation
is that the prosecution will come be-
fore some Of the staunchest and truest
friends of the mayor
Councilman Griley this morning went
over the city ordinances with City At
toFney Spencer to look for the provi-
sions to prevent the keeping of pigs
within the city limits
When the warrant is sworn out and
ready for execution it will be placed
in ha hsor Of faf .f 70
and the prosecution will come before
Police Judge Lindsay
new anti-hog ordinance was passed
about four years ago during a crusade
against keeping swine in the city, but
it could not be found today At that
time there was a cleaning up crusade
and the hog nuisance was the first
thing to be suppressed. Hogs were
kept by people in the suburbs, and it
became a great nuisance. Since that
time very few swine have been kept
inside the city limits, and the sanitary
department has kept a close watch,
but it appears that this case is one
which escaped the notice of the N en-
appointed by the board of health to
clean up the city.
Councilman Griley said today, in
speaking Of the action which he is
about to commence against the CHIEF
executive of the city: 1T is not with
any desire to prosecute Mayor Hughes
that this action is taken. The people
Oh luE OGGOuQ WdIQ AIG uDL going 10
have Mayor Hughes or anyone else go
ing into the hog raising business right
in the middle of the thickly inhabited
portion of the ward. don't object to
Mayor Hughes keeping his hogs out at
his home in the Sixth ward, but I do
object to his bringing his hogs down
into the Second ward to slOp them. The
people living in the vicinity Of Mayor
Hughes pigpen do not like to incur his
hostility by taking action against
him, but they have told me that when
the wind blows in certain directions,
the stencil from the pen is almost un-
endurable."
Mayor Hughes was considerably sur
prised this morning when he was in
formed that he was to be sued for
maintaining a nuisance.
''They aren't my pigs was the may
or's first remark The pigs belong to
my foreman, John Drake, who lives
over on Chandler street. He has kept
them there eight years, and there never
has been a bit of complaint Drake
keeps his horse here in my barn. ana
his buggy. He never has paid me any
rent for the barn, or for the pigpen He
simply keeps the animals here so that
they viii be easier to feed
What viii you do about this pro
ceeding which is to be commenced ?''
was asked.
''I don't know. It is all news to me.
They have got to prove first that the
pigpen is a nuisance. They can't do
that. And then they have got to nrove
that the pigs belong to me. I don't
own them, or any interest in them.
Anyone who says that people have been
complaining about this pigpen is a liar.
I never have had any complaint This
pigpen does not smell nearly as bad az
the kitchen of some Of these cheap rest
aurants around my Office here
Mayor Hughes invited the reporter
to inspect his pen of pigs The pen K
an irregular shaped enclosure about 15
feet long. It IS filed with litter. rnanura
and the usual pigpen rubbish. If Is
very dry at present, as is everything
else The pigs seem to be happy and
contented, and greeted Mayor Hughes
with chorus Of grunts and squeaIs
Il am not worrying bit about This
business said the mayor They can
never prove t-4dt this is a nuisance. 7
hope the city physician will come down
here and look at it. They VIII nof -
clare that the place is Objectionable. 1
know"