The Topeka state journal., 1905-11-20
.HOCH GETS DETECTIVES
VIII Use Them to Help Solve Kansas
City Liquor Question.

/ 10 ma out the truth about the Kansas
City, Kan, lid They have lust re-
ceived q report from this agency to the
effect that just at present the lid is on.
but that it is likely to slip off most any
time.
The employment of the Thiel detec-
tives to investigate the situation was
| suggested to the governor by Mr.
/ Stubbs and is said to have been re-
| ceived with approval At any rate Mr.
/ 5tubbs diekered with the company and
an operative which is the modern
name Of a detective-by the name of
truth.
| J. E. Payne, manager of the Thiel
| agency transmits his report to Mr..
| Stubs with the following letter:
| In compliance with your order to our
/ Mr.. j. W. Ayres, 1 had an operative put
| in three days seeing what could be done
/ in Kansas City, Kan. / forward you
/ herewith the report, and from present
| conditions I did not think You would
want the expense continued, as it is
almost positively certain that the gam
4 blers and saloon keepers are on the
run from Kansas City, Kan, at the
/ present time. Whatever improper con-
/ duct has been INDUCED in by officials
is, no doubt, discontinued for the pres
/ ent, and the present conditions will, no
doubt. be maintained for some time. It
/ is possible, however, that later on it
/ may be necessary to ascertain what is
! being done. I hope that my action in
disseminating the work will meet with
your approval"
The report made to Mr.. Stubbs by the
/ agency reads as follows:
Operative z. J. Duffy arrived in
Kansas City, Mo, November 13, and
being instructed as to the information
/ desired IN Kansas City, Kan, went to
the latter city and endeavored to get
| acquainted among the right people in
! the right localities.
Tuesday, November H. operative
finding the joints closed, cultivated the
acquaintance of drug store clerks along
| Minnesota avenue and was informed
| that the town had never been closed up
as tight as it is now, and that the Joint
! keepers and gamblers were thoroughly
| scared. The state had appointed a spe-
| cial attorney and from all the informa-
ton obtainable he meant business.
| Operative noticed that several of the
| joints had rent signs on the windows
and that the back bar had been re-
moved, and on trying the doors of each
place he found them all locked. Opera
1 tive had hoped to be employed as a bar
keeper, he being competent to do such
work, but no opportunity presented it
selffor hi INTO accomplish his purpose
Operative went TO Kansas City
/ Mo, and hunted up. man named
/ Wright, who keeps a saloon, and from
/ whom it was hoped Operative could
| get some information. Wright is as
/ sociated in business with a man named
/ Gregory in the Orient hOteA Opera
| tive found both these men there, and
after several rounds of drinks asked
/ if there was any way of getting a po-
sitiOn as bartender. They knew of no
vacancy. Operative then asked what
| the chances were in Kansas City, kas.
| Wright and Gregory each said that all
| the places there had quit business
| Gregory told Operative that he had
heard that while the saloons were run
/ ming that the policemen on the beat
| collected the hush money from the
/ joints and cut it in two with the chief
/ of police. Operative found, however,
/ that Gregory only furnished this infor-
nation from common talk, and had
no knowledge Of any specific action.
/ They also stated that Ben Levy had a
| poolroom across the state line, and it
was supposed that he gave up money
to run the place. It is the talk among
/ the saloonkeepers in Kansas City, Mo-,
| that the joints in Kansas City, Kas,,
/ will remain closed. A determined
effort has been made to close them,
without success, but now that they
have a special attorney everybody is
| afraid of him. Operative arranged
with Wright and Gregory to accom-
pany him to Kansas City, Kas., the
next day.
"wednesday, November Is, Opera
tive met Wright and Gregory at the
1 Orient hotel at 10 a. m, but did not
succeed in getting them away from
| there until 2:15 o. m. All three then
went to Kansas City, Kas., and
stopped at the poolroom of a man
named Carey. It is one block from
/ the state line and is running wide
| open. Operative, Wright and Gregory
| and they said that Carey had q license
from the city to conduct the poolroom
| and also owns the property of the
block in which the poolroom is stu
| ated. While walking around town
! Gregory met several bartenders that
he knew, who had been working in
Kansas City, Kas.
'They were out of employment, and
| stated that the saloon business was
| off, and that there would be no more
open. saloons, but after things got quiet
! there would be plenty of places to get
a drink on the quiet; but nobody
| would take any chances now, for they
were afraid of the special attorney,
/ who cannot be reached. They also
/ stated the United States government
/ fixtures for the different brewers. OPP
/ erative and his companions visited the
| saloons on the state line, where rounds
| of drinks were purchased. The pro-
| prietors all seemed to be glad that the
/ joints were closed, for it made better
| business for them They did not be-
| lieve that the saloons would ever
/ again be open in Kansas City, Kas.,
and the only way that drinks could be
| obtained would be through blind
tigers. From the standpoint of the
/ saloon keepers. business seemed to be
very dull in Kansas City, Kas. They
said it would kill the town, but the
/ drug stores would soon be doing a
rushing business. All the men, who
were interested in the joints running,
condemned the special attorney, and
everything indicates that he is faith
/ ful officer"