The Topeka state journal., 1903-01-12

der circumstances of peculiar provoca-
ton. when legal remedies had proved IN
operative through the infidelity Of OIL
cials. a community may be justified IN
abating crime by force. But 1t was
clear to me that Mrs. Nations method
was a mistaken one and that IN the emu
1t would harm rather than help the
cause she was seeking to promote 1 be-
lieve at the beginning, however, and 1
still believe. that she was thoroughly
honest in her motives, and that however
eFratic and in5udicious. she was and Is
aiming at good ends
She has recently been twice arrested
by our police and fined and imprisoned.
I gave no attention to her first arrest
beyond reading the newspaper reports
Technically I suppose she was guilty Uf
disturbing the peace by insisting against
the authority Of the jOintist whose prem,
ises she had invaded. in trying to enter
the barroom OF the establishment They
fined her and kept her in jail eleven
and a half days. Grant that she was
guilty Of the offense as charged. her
Offense was infinitely less than the man
in whose establishment It was com
mitted, but who. and othsrs like min.
enjoy complete police immunity.
When on last Friday morning read
that Mrs. Nation had again been ar
rested. I determined to learn more
particularly what the circunstaces
were. The published account in
dicated that she had entered a
notorious place. not to destroy any prop
erty. but to express her opinion to the
proprietor and his patrons of the busi-
ness there being carried on. I was
curious to learn lust what she did ana
what led to her arrest. So I went to the
police court on Friday afternoon to be
present at her trial. Of some Of the
things which happened at that trial the
public has been informed I wish to
simply state my own Impressions In
/ the first place I was not favOrably i'm
pressed with the looks of the majority
of
Mrs Nation They may be very good
| people, but if they are they were the
hardest looking aggregation of saints I
ever saw. Without knowing them. I
would hesitate On the strength of their
testimony even to think III of my neigh
bor's dog
Two policemen testified. They with
the others agreed that the difficulty oc~
CURED in connection with Frank Ray
nOr's place OF business p 301 Kansas
avenue. But they all stated on oath that
they did not know what kind of business
was conducted there. Make careful
note O. this. statement: Two policemen
swore that they did not know in what
business Frank RaynOr is engaged at
301 Kansas avenue! And the police
( judge sat there and permitted them IN
/ der oath to thus brazenly lie.
Mrs. Nation conducted her own case.
And I must say that was surprised A {
I the coolness with which she did it. She
was not excited. she did not break out
into any TRADES She asked questions
Of the witnesses
And among her questions was one
that related 70 the nature of Raynor' S
place Judge Magaw ruled that ques-
tion out He did not stop it. however,
until his two policemen had sworn as
( have stated. Then he told Mrs. Nation
that she must not repeat the auestion.
j She neglected his warning and repeated
( the question to the next witness Where
uDou he fined her SOS for contempt oE
court and ordered her committed until
F it should be paid And an officer yelled
i to her. Come here.' and with a coarse
ness and brutality that I have neves
: seen ecualled by an officer he hurried
| the old woman out Of the court room