The Topeka state journal., 1905-05-08
JOINTS ARE CLOSED.
Keepers Now Waiting for the Next
Move.

Something has occurred within the
last three days which checks up"
the liquor question of Topeka to the
/ county officials.
County Attorney Hungate an
nounced that the liquor traffic in To-
peka must cease, and it has ceased.
Sunday and today it was almost i'm
I possible to get a drink in the city with
out swearing that the drinker was af-
/ hicted with some of the ailments for
which spirituous or malt drinks are
prescribed. There were two excursions
/ into Topeka yesterday. About so per
cent of the excursionists were looking
for something to drink. The crowd
was thirsty and no joints were open.
So they went to a drug store. one at
a time. signed for a quart and came
back The quart would last about once
around to q crowd, and then some
other "signer" would go back and get
another quart
There are a few places in town
where it is possible to get a drink at
stores with permits, and the customers
who are invited to take a seat at the
fountain are well known to the clerk.
No stranger can get a drink in this
city today without signing for it and
taking it away with him
This shows that the county officials
can do what the city officials have
failed to do for a number of years.
The police department passed the
order to close at 12s o'clock on Satur-
! day night and remain closed for all
time. All the jOintists in the business
districts needed this order, but as the
order had been issued dozens Of times
within the past four years without re
suits, it is very evident that the up
rising of the county officials had more
to do with the excessive drought than
anything else.
County Attorney Hungate is in Fort
Scott. The question has been asked
many times since he left Topeka us
he Investigating the Bourbon county
system %
Bourbon county and Fort Scott have
a peculiar way of handling the joints
and of licensing them. The Fort Scott
Tribune of a few days ago said:
This is the county's month. and as
a result County Attorney Humphrey
had all of the saloon men up before
the two justices of the peace. There
are fifteen of them this month and
the fines replenished the school fund
to the extent of $1,537.5O- In fees the
county attorney gets but 1915 as an
incentive of law enforcement while
the justices of peace get the muni-
ficent sum of $41.25 between them.
The constables receive for their ser
vices $31.25, but they have to do all
of the running around and are not
entitled to as much compensation. The
exercise is good for them"
The explanation is this: The joints
in Fort Scott are fined 500 each per
month. The city and the county turn
about alternating regularly each
month. in collecting the fine. One
month the city gets it and the next
month the county gets it. AS the
Tribune article says this is the
county's month" and Bourbon county
gets the S1.537.5O collected from the
joints. Next month Fort Scott gets it.
County Attorney Humphrey, like all
other county attorneys, is allowed S25
for every jointist convicted SO when
the cOunty's turn comes Jim Humph-
rey assesses each one or the fifteen
joints the S25 he would receive if he
convicted them in the district court
Is County Attorney Hungate of
Shawnee, consulting with County At
torney Humphrey, of Bourbon, on this
fining system?