Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1901-02-07
A SALOON SMASHED.
Mrs. Nation Wrecks a Joint At
Topeka, Kan.
BRISK TRADE IN SOUVENIRS ANDBEER


Topeka, Kan, Feb. 6.-The Senate
saloon sustained two raids yesterday,
one by Mrs. Nation and her crusaders
and one by Chief of Police Stahl and
his policemen. After Mrs. Nation had
wrecked the joint the porter, who
made an Intellectual attempt to hold
the place against the smashers, ran for
help. Soon the proprietor, sheep"
Lytle, was found and the joint was
opened for business. People who had
heard of the smash commenced to
drop into the joint just to see the
wreck. In short time the crowd
had become so large that it required
four bartenders to wait on them.
BY nine o'clock the crowd numbered
nearly 200 and from then until the
police raided the place it fuctuated
between 200 and $50. Among those
present were advocates of temperance
who wished to see the work OF the
crusaders. The crowd around the bar
demanded souvenirs and the bar
tenders gathered up bits of glass from
the broken mirror, giving away a
small piece with every glass of beer.
A man stationed himself at the front
door and cried: Souvenirs with each
and every glass of beer" Those who
did not drink begged for souvenirs.
Small pieces of glass sold for five
cents.
At 1890 a. m. Chief Of Police Stahl,
followed by Sergt. Donovan and two
policemen, entered the place. The
crowd was dispersed and Bartender
Waggoner was arrested. The other
bartenders quit work. A key Of beer,
a pump and four bottles of beer and
two bottles of whisky were captured.
Chief of Police Stahl, in speaking
OF the smashing, said: "Joint-smash-
ing is the crime committed by Mrs.
Nation, if there be such crime. She
did such thing and she will be
prosecuted on that charge. II a test
case comes of it the case will be car
red to higher court by Mrs. Ma
ton. The police will watch her and
arrest her for smashing just as they
would arrest anyone else for such a
deed"
Mrs. Nation was arrested at night
on warrant sworn out in the city
court by Kelly & Lyle, who owned
the Senate. She is charged with ma
fcious destruction of property. Her
bond was placed at $500 and she was
released till Saturday, at which time
her trial will take place.
The success of Mrs. Nations attack
on the joint yesterday morning has
had an extraordinary effect on the
public sentiment here. People who
were before inclined to be conserva-
tive have now come out boldly on
her side and there will something be
done. Everybody comedies that the
action of yesterday morning is the
beginning of the end of the reign OF
the saloons in Kansas. Public senti-
ment is in a ferment and the iointists
have lost much of the bravado that
has characterized their actions for the
past two months.
One of the most important effects
of her raid is the arousing of the
county officers. When Sheriff Cook
with three officers went to the Sen
ate yesterday evening, the jointists
put up a hard fight in the hope of
overcoming the officers, but were ar
rested and are now in the county
Jail on the double charge of assault
ing an officer and running joint in
violation of law.
People are lining themselves up on
opposite sides of the question and
some interesting developments are ex-
pectcd in the joint situation. VIC
lence may be expected.