Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1901-02-11

TOPEKA, Kans., February TO-
Three thousand male citizens of To-
| peka, in mass meeting here to-day, de-
cided that the numerous joints of the
| city must close their places. They is
sued an ultimatum giving the joint
lists until Friday next at II O'Clock
noon to quit business. If this shall
| not be done, warning was given that
| thousand armed men would immed-
lately move on the joints and remove
| them by force. To-day's action is the
| result of the crusade started in Topeka
less than ten days ago by Mrs. Carrie
Nation. The meeting this afternoon
| was remarkable one in every respect.
| 1t was called by committee of the
law enforcement league and was at
tended by nearly all the prominent bus
mess men of the city
A feeling of intense earnestness pre-
vaded the meeting. After few short,
snappy addresses, which worked the
audience to a high degree of enthus-
iasm, an ultimatum was proposed and
passed amid the loudest cheering. The
ultimatum commanded the officers of
the city and county to perform their
duty regarding the closing of the
joints. The officers were warned that
they had waited long enough. The
property owners in whose premises the
joints are kept were also warned in
unmistakable terms that they should
abate the nuisances at once Or the
people of Topeka would not be respon-
sible for the damage that might ensue
to the buildings. The words of con-
demnation and warning brought forth
murmurs of approval that gained
strength with each minute, finally
sweeping over the entire audience and
eliminating in great enthusiasm to
the approval of the audience, old men
and conservative ministers jumped to
waved handkerchiefs, gesticulated and
cheered to the echo. The cheering
lasted for several minutes.
The ultimatum, which was adopted
by rising vote, follows:
''To those Immediately engaged in
the Illicit business, whether wholesale
or retail:
1--WE have to say that the long con-
troversy of the public with you must
now come to an end. You have openly
and persistently defed our laws; you
have made yourselves the agents OF
even greater criminals outside of the
State who have supported you in your
unlawful traffic; you have gathered
about you a criminal element that is
a perpetual menace to the safety of
the community and have maintained
places that engender and encourage all
vices; you have introduced the most
corrupting and demoralizing factors
and influences into our local politics;
and for years you have scorned all ap-
peals and warnings that have been
presented to you by the virtue-loving
people of the community.
Now we feel that the time has come
when we must speak to you peremptor-
ily We cease now to endeavor to per-
cI1a do-ruro command
You must stop this lawless and In
iquitous business and stop it at once
and we hereby notify you that we must
have unquestionable evidence, abso-
lutely satisfactory to the committee of
public order, which we to-day consti-
tute, that all your Illicit goods. to-
gether with all the associated fixtures
and furnishings Of the places where
your unlawful business has been car
ried on, shall have been removed and
shipped from the city before II o'clock
noon, Friday, February 18th, 1901. Up
on the strict and literal observance Of
this demand, we shall insist; and if it
shall be disregarded we will take what
ever measures are necessary for its rig
i'd enforcement.
IF a long outraged public shall be
compelled to resort to the fundamental
right of standardization against Grim
inals and their abettors, the grave
consequences of evil-doers which may
result from such a return, must rest
with the defiers and nullifiers OF our
laws and the Instructors of our gov
ernmental machinery.
The jointists, the men who rent
property to jointists and the men who
have violated their oaths in tolerating
! crime-these are the disturbers OF the
peace and now the affronted and
wronged public which as sovereign has
both the right and duty to see that its
will and judgment shall be respected. Z,
Continued on sixth Page.