The Bemidji pioneer., 1901-02-21

4
Nation put In busy Sunday in To-
peka, and as result the Capital City
has experienced more genuine excite
ment than can be remembered by the
oldest Inhabitant. Mrs. Nation literal
~ cramrned the day with thrilling cpl
sodes She succeeded in having the
contents OF a notorious Joint smashed;
broke into a cold storage plant in
search Of liquor; ruined the mirrors on
several bars found stored in a livery
barn. addressed a large mass meeting
Of men and women, and was arrested
four times. The last time that the law
laid Its hands upon her was when Mrs.
Nation emerged from the church where
the mass meeting had been held.
Last night Mrs. Nation announced
that she would begin this morning
where she left Off yesterday. and will
not rest until ali the joints in Topeka
have been closed. Yesterday morning
at s O'clock, just as the big bell on the
Church Of the Assumption tower was
striking Off the hour, Mrs. Nation
sailed forth from the state house
grounds at the head of 500 men and
women, all armed
with Hatchets ana Axes, $
and moved on the joints OF the city.
Nobody but Mrs. Nation knew what
plans she had laid. In the crowd were
a large number of students Of Wash
burn college. some OF the ministers Of
the city, and a number of professional
and business men. The crowd marched
in perfect military order. There was
no excitement. The men and women
were following their recognized leader
whom they trusted implicitly. The
company marched silently out of the
state house grounds, down Kansas
avenue to the place on East Seventh
street kept by Ed Murphy, When
Murphy's place was reached the work
of demolition was commenced without
preliminary. Mrs. Nation, brandishing
a new hatchet, headed the onslaught,
uttering words of depreciation against
the jointksepers as she deftiy sent her
weapon through the first plate glass
window at hand. Others followed her
lead quickly Amid shouts Of the
mands OF the policemen present trying
to protect property, the glass was soon
crashing to the ground on all sides.
Next the door was S
Smashed in with nm Axe,
the interior. bottles, mirrors and ey-
erything snashable was attacked.
Hardly five minutes after Mrs. Ma:
tion had begun the smashing what
was once a we'll furnished saloon was
in complete ruins. Mrs. Nation was
arrested before she could strike sec
lorld blow and as she was led away,
shouted to her followers to continue
the work. At the police station she
was released promptly and hurried
back to her work. She entered a 1iy-
cry barn in which some bars had been
stored and smashed them. Then at the
head Of twenty-five of her stoutest-
hearted followers she went to Mosers
cold storage plant and entered in
search of some liquor she thought had
been stored there. This time Mrs. Ma
ton was arrested by the county au-
thorities and was taken to the jail in
a patrol wagon. It was afternoon be-
fore she was released from Jail on bond
and after taking dinner with Sheriff
Cook, she went to the First Christian
church, where she was accosted by an
officer with a warrant and taken to
the county Jail again. She stayed this
time for two hours, and finally her
bond was signed by one Of the joint
lists Of the city, a prominent negro
politician.