The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-07-17
DEFIANT AND SORE
City Attorney Drenning Calls
Temperance People COwards.
Object to Getting Evidence of
Law Violations.
Do NOTHING BUT TALK.
Calls StahI's Charges of POlic.
Doodle Wild.
Ready to Move When Evidence
Is Presented.

1.-THE trouble about these temperance
people," said City Attorney Dreaming
this morning, lis that they are towards.
L have been trying to get some of them
to go down and buy a glass of beer and
procure evidence, which 1 might use in
prosecuting these cases. But no, they
all hang back and object. It may bring
them into undue prominence or else
they don't like the notoriety. have ask
ed Stahl and some of his friends to go
to some, of these places and buy bot
tie of beer. But they don't do it.
IF instead of spending their time
in going around to some of these
churches and screeching about condi-
tions they would go to some of these
places, procure the facts and bring
them up to me we could close up these
places in short order. There is no sense
in working oneself up into a fine frenzy
and making charges and then not sub
stantiatfng them.
Il want to assure Mr.. StahI that if
he brings up the proofs of the charges
that he makes about the open running
of these places I will see to it that they
are closed up before night. That's all
[ want, just the facts. Present them
and 1 will do my duty in closing these
places up.
'-Stahl makes some wild charges about
some brothel places paying 800 a month
to the city for the privilege of running
open in violation to law. There is not
much good going to come out of state
ments of that kind unless you have the
| facts to back them up. They fall
fiat.
Il stand ready to close any and all
| places provided that these statements
which are made are accompanied by
| evidence which viii stand in the court.
1 haven't the time to run around and
procure the evidence myself. l have
I @Izrae-o
| of my office. The police will make the
arrests. It's true that they are not chas-
| ing down these violators of the law but
when told to do so they will do it.
Disregard of Law, Says Green.
Councilman William Green said:
There is a growing sense OF disre-
gard for violations of these smaller
misdemeanors. What I mean by this
is the playing of ball on the streets
and parkings, the riding of bicycles on
the sidewalks and others of that
| character. That sort of thing is be-
ing fagrantly abused. The city is
going to have a lawsuit on its hands
| just from this sort of thing.
tsJust a short while ago gardener
by the name of Jake Blair, who lives
west of Gordon street in North To-
peka, was driving down Crane street
when a ball, with which some boys in
the street were playing, struck the
| horse causing it to run away. The
| carriage was DadIy smashed up anu
Mr.. Blair and his children were
thrown from the carriage to the
ground and their clothing torn from
them. Now I understand Blair will
bring suit against the city. The
trouble lies that with the violation OF
one law contempt for other laws on
the statute books is bred.
1.-THE policemen could stop this, but
the trouble is that they don't know
what things are allowed to go unmo-
Tested and what are not. Their in
structions are not definite enough"
Mayor W. H. Davis says: IF Mr.
Stahl will bring us this evidence which
| he talks about, we will close up those
| places in short order.
Councilman Horn, chairman of the
police committee, is out of the city and
will not return for several dys. He Is
| in Denver.
Just before he left, in answer to q
pointed question, Councilman Horn de-
MED that any tax or license was being
| extorted from places running in viola
| ton of the law.