Free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1888-1908, 1905-07-22
Unknown Parties Take Hand In fhe
Liquor Traffic.
Mr., FUNSTON UNDER ARREST.
Dynamite Wrecked Three Saloons.
Resulting in Damage Amounting
to 500, ooo-Much Excitement for a
Time, But Quiet Now Prevails.

IOia, hdn.. july lie. H. uHSlOH,
ex-congressman and father of Gen
eral Funston. was arrested here
charged with infiammatory utter
ances. Mr. Funston, in talking of the
explosion which blew up three saloons
here last night, said the occurrence
would have been avoided if the Off
GERS of the law had done their duty
in enforcing the laws. Funston re-
sisted the policeman who attempted
to arrest him and fight resulted in
which the policeman struck Funston,
strapped him to his buggy and took
him to pail Later Funston was re-
leased. and he then swore out a war
rant for the policeman.
The policeman charged that Fun
ston came TO town with a Winchester
and a revolver, that he bought some
cartridges, and had them in his buggy
when arrested
lola is calm tonight, after a day of
the most intense excitement the town
has ever experienced as the result of
the blowing up of three saloons here
last night. Conservative estimates of
the damages resulting from the ex-
plOsiOn, which wrecked the Eagle, the
Blue Front and the Red Light saloons
and damaged other buildings in the
immediate vicinity, place it at $780,
600. The mayor has sworn in large
number of deputies, who are patroll-
ing the streets tonight to preserve
order.
That the outrage was committed by
an irresponsible person was made
clear tonight when a number of let
tiers were received by local news
paper from a man signing his name
&C. L. Melvin" who is in hiding in
this vicinity. The tenor of the letter
indicates that the writer is insane and
that he blew up the saloons here last
night.
Three saloons in West street, in the
heart of the business section of lola
were completely wrecked by dyna-
mite early today. Much damage was
done to other property in the vicinity
and the loss is conservatively esti-
mated at 100000. j. E. Thorpe, the
owner of one ofsthe saloons, was in
jured but not seriously. The dyna-
mite was exploded apparently by some
temperance reformer. No arrests
have been made. The wrecked sa-
looms were known as the Red Light,
the Blue Front and the Eagle. There
were two distinct explosions, each of
terrific force. Besides demolishing
the three saloons the explosions dam
aged the Palace shoe store, the drug
CT Of nh p
Gowan & Ausherman, across the alley
in the rear. and shattered dozens of
plate glass windows in the business
section. The explosions were heard
ut Humboldt. nine miles distant.
The mayor has offered reward for
the miscreant and called special
meeting of the city council to consid-
er the situation. There has been much
agitation in lola recently to close the
saloons which have run openly in
violation of the prohibition law and
Governor Hoch had been appealed to
to aid in closing the places.
The police are looking for A S.
Melvin, a temperance worker and an
employe of a local cement works, who
has not been seen since last
night The following notice posted
on the door of a saloon at Bassett, a
suburb, where Melvin lives, was
found today, and is said to be in Mel
wins handwriting:
I'VE have some sympathy for a
poor man and we don't want to do
any damage. But unless you quit
your place you will go into the air
"(Signed MELVINE, Captain
Melvin was recently released from
a state hospital