The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-07-10
JOINTS BLOWN UP
Three Saloons Wrecked in
Business Portion Of lola.
Much Damage Was Done to
Property in Vicinity.
A LOSS OF 100000.
The Owner of One Rum Shop
Badly Injured.
A Temperance Reformer Is Ac-
cused of the Deed.
s. A. Melvin, Once in OsawatOmie
Asylum, Suspected.
LOSS OF 100000.

lola, Kan, July 1O.-The Eagle. the
Redlight and the Bluefront saloons. all
adjoining each other on West street in
this city were completely demolished by
two separate explosions of dynamite at
1890 o'clock last night.
The dynamite was exploded in the al
ley on the east side of the Eagle saloon
which adjoins the alley. The buildings
were complete wreck and the plate
glass and window panes of glass for
blocks around were broken. The Cowan
& fisherman grocery and the Palace
shoe store directly across the alley from
the wrecked buildings were badly
wrecked in the rear ends.
Many buildings in the vicinity of the
wrecked saloons were badly wrenched
and brick walls We're cracked. The
damage is conservatively estimated to-
be 100000.
The explosion is generally believed to
be the work of some temperance fam
attic. The saloons of Allen county have
been running for years, and lately there
has been much agitation against them.
Last week a law enforcement COM
mittee went to Topeka and conferred
with the governor who promised to send
an assistant attorney general to Allen
county. The feeling against the saloons
among the law enforcement people was
very strong, month ago the county
attorney gave it out that he would close
the saloon as result of the general wave
on law enforcement which was sweep
ing over the state on account of the
governors attitude. The saloons were
closed for few days, but it has been
generally known that they were running
again about the same as ever.
It seems that there was a general at
tempt to wreck all the saloons in town.
This view is taken from the fact that
over a hundred sticks Of dynamite were
found in the rear OF two other saloons,
one the Cliff McCarley saloon on the
north side of the public square and
the other the Jim Allen saloon on the
east side. The fuse had been lighted
in each case but had gone out.
The wrecked Eagle building was own
ed by John GIN, and the saloon was
conducted by G. w. Schneider, the Blue
Front building was owned by J. Z.
Thorpe the Redlight building and sa-
loon was owned by L. D. Montgomery:
the wrecked buildings and saloon fix
lures are believed to entail a loss OF
about $4,000
Only one man was in any of the
wrecked buildings at the time of ex-
plosion, as there is a Sunday closing or
der in effect This morning they found
]. e. Thorpe, who was sleeping upstairs
in a rear room of the Blue Front saloon.
He owned the building. He was blown
out of bed and three ribs broken He
had a narrow escape from death, but It
is believed he will recover. The authort-
ties believe they have located the mis-
creant in the person of S. A. Melvin.
Melvin is a man whose mind has been
known to be unsouud for several years.
He is also daffy on the temperance
question. He lives in Bassett. Recently
he was adjudged insane and sent to the
Osawatomie asylum. Lately he was re-
leased. He lives in Bassett, a suburb.
and was employed at the lola Portland
cement plant.
r.0,ar1orkoH
with the affair by reason of the fact
that in Bassett this morning the follows
ing notice was posted on a joint:
1--WE have decided to give you one
more chance. We have some sympathy
for a poor man and we do not want to
do you any damage. But understand
your place will go up in the air.
MELVIN, CAPITAL"
The handwriting has been identified
as Melvin. Melvin is missing this morn
ing.