The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-07-14
IT COSTS A SIOO.
Ex-Chief StahI Says Resorts Pay
for Protection.
Put Up 500 Monthly But City
Doesn't Get It.
MAKES WILD CHARGES.
Says There Are a Hundred Open
Joints in Topeka.
Capital City May Become as Bad
as Wichita.
MAKES WILD CHARGES.

Places where some of our best young
men and women are daily being
wrecked. Some of these places are
paying one hundred dollars month
Tor the privilege of running. where
is this money going to and VINO is get
ting 1t? / do not know for certain but
l seriously doubt if the city gets 1t. l
know 1t for a fact that the police OF
this city will hail fellow well met
and drink openly with him over the
bar Such was the statement made
by ex-Chief of Police +. NJ. Stahl at a
meeting held in the First Baptist
church last night.
The regular weekly prayer meeting
of the First Baptist church last even
ing consisted mostly of the report of
the temperance committee, supplement
ed by talks from ex-Chief Of Police
Stahl and F. P. Lindsay, relative to the
temperance conditions of the city of
Topeka.
After the reading of a report by the
chairman of the temperance committee
Mr.. Lindsay said in brief the follow
ing:
THE violation of law is a question
which concerns all of US very much. If
one part Of the law is allowed to be
disregarded or violated why not an
other? 1 believe that if a colored man
were to walk down the street and see
:. man selling whisky, he might return
by my house and open up and rob my
chicken coop or steal the clothes from
my clotheshne and in his opinion be
fully justified.
There are enough people in this
house tonight to go DOWN town and wipe
out every joint. The people of Topeka
are electing officers who wilfully neglect
TO enforce the law. Read tOnightS
State Journal in regard to the petition
presented to the mayor asking that the
joint underneath the Columbian build
ing be cleaned and fumigated. That
shows the condition of affaiIs how such
violations of the law are tolerated. To-
day a well known Jointist said to me
that for years there had not been a
chief of police whom they had not been
able to get next to. However ex-Chief
of Police Stahl is excepted. Some peo-
pie say that Mr.. Stahl has seen his day,
but has he?"
Mr.. StahI Speaks.
Following the remarks of Mr.. Lind
say ex-Chief Stahl spoke of the condi-
tions of vice in the city and said in
substance:
when we bring man to our city
we show him our public parks, our
large buildings, our fine residences and
take him all over our beautiful city.
But there is a mean side which shows
as well as the good. Today there are
over hundred places where boys, men
and even women can go and get any
thing they want in the line of LIQUOR.
There are joints where I have never
known them before and lots of them,
too. Now then, who is to blame? The
governor has shown the people his posi-
ton and he is all right. The fault lies
with the people who are themselves
the ones to blame. But who runs the
people-the council; and who runs the
council-the mayor; and who runs the
mayor, well, / won't say. You probably
know already.
You can't name an official either of
the county or the city who is in SYM
pathy with the temperance movement.
1t is a fact that man cannot hold an
office without belonging to the organiz-
alton.
Ladies and gentlemen. I say it right
now that the law can be enforced if
you get men in the county and city
offices who will respect their oath of
office If pressed hard a violator of the
law is always found to be a coward
Can we not organize and do awav
with such violations of the law? There
were seven thousand people who did
not vote at the last election. The other
side had ten paid workers in every
precinct and as there are twenty-five
precincts in the city there were two
hundred and twenty hired persons
whose business it was to pick out vot-
ers and influence them to vote their
way. The money which is spent for
this LIQUOR is taken away from the
small bills, the stores and the rentals
for which it should properly be spent.
But there are places far worse than
joints in the city of Topeka, places
where some of our best young men and
girls are daily being wrecked. Some of
these places are paying one hundred
dollars a month for the privilege of
running. Where is this money going
and who is getting it? I do not know
for certain but I seriously doubt if the
the police of this city will hail fellow
well met and drink openly with him
over a bar. In doing this the officers
are maliciously trampling constitution
al law under their feet. There are more
sore hearts of mothers, wives and sisters
in the city of Topeka than ever before
and who is to blame for it?
L recently took a trip through the
worse part OF Wichita and was aston
ished at the awful condition which that
city is in. And it won't be long before
Topeka will be just as bad as Wichita
If the present state of affairs is per-
mitted to exist.
at requires nerve, money and time to
stand out against such things and
strongly oppose them. We owe it to our
boys and girls that we organize and
fight this evil
After the meeting Mr. Stahl said to a
State Journal reporter that as yet there
was no definite plan of action on foot
1OW AOAAe5 0O SOO AAA4l4n II VIII OC OC-
fore Topeka will become as bad as
Wichita?" was asked of ex-Chief Stah1.
and he replied
"Of course can't say for certain but
I should think that it would not be long
# the present conditions are tolerated. .
Throughout his remarks Mr.. Stahl
was aightforward and calm and no
violent accusations or denunciations
were INDUCED in. There were about
pne hundred people present whose oc-
.asional handclapping made it evident
mat they were with ex-Chief Stahl in
aepIoring the local conditions.