The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-11-22
SNAP GOES lid"
Mayors Of Saloon Towns Are
Becoming Alarmed.
Atcbison LeayenwOrth and
Wichita May BE Next.
ALL COLLECT REVENUE
Mayor of Fort Scott Already III
Storm Cellar.
Findlay Ross Says That lie Isn't
Frightened.
Governor Hoch Denies Any Re-
sponsibility for Crusade.
ALL COLLECT REVENUE

Are the custer suits filed by Attorney
General Coleman against the mayors
OF Pittsburg and Junction City merely
the beginning Of a series OF similar
suits. to be filed against the mayors %
I.eavenworth. Wichita. Atchison ano
other towns which run their saloons
wide open and collect hevenue for the
benefit of the city?
The probability of such action Is
stirring up the city officers IN tnese
towns, and some of them are begin
ming to take TO cover Mayor Coca
lander OF Fort Scott is already sate II
his storm cellar, and the others are
just about ready to close down the llu
and wait until the clouds roll py-
Governor Hoch denies all response
bjlitv for the action of General Cole
man, and Coleman af11rms lnls sta.S-
Inent of the governor Governor h~OGA ~
as a matter OF fact was in Kansas Clly
when the suits were filed, and did not
return to Topeka until Wednesday
afternoon. When he did return ne
went to General Colemans once anu
had an hours talk with him. W nen HS
came out Of General Coleman oIhc@
he was asked whether he had any
10 say about the situauon
Il haven't anything to say he re-
piled. e.o-
his return that the suits had been filed.
said: That's the first I had heaId
of it."
# wo,1Id Be the purpose Of his depart
Yuent to continue the prosecution Oh
mayors who fail to enforce the Jaw
He denied that the prosecutions com
menced were in the nature OF a ,siii-
Derance spasm.'' Mr- Coleman SAID
IT is the purpose of this department
In which 1 am at liberty to say that my
successor fully cOncurss to make IL I'M
possible for the officers of these cities
- enter into partnership with lawless-
ness without being--in contempt OF tne
supreme court The municipal pf ont. OIL
the partnership being thus cut out we
believe the local and police ofhcers VIE
~ zeal lous 10 enforce the law as 1t has
been enforced in WyandOtte county by
Mr.. Trickett and Judge Holt. 1 pre-
fer not to say what. if any. other cases
win be begun in the future
Finley Ross Not Scared.
A Wichita dispatch shows that Fin
lev Ross, mayor of Wichita, has fixed
himself 50 that he believes he can't be
reached. In Wichita the joints. dives
and gambling houses are fined for
keeping open on Sunday" There IS
no law to prevent their running
When asked if he had heard anything
from Attorney General Coleman con-
Cerning proceedings to be instituted
against him. Mayor Ross said:
I don't know a thing about it. 1
have had no word from Mr.. Coleman
concerning the matter. You see, the
conditions here are different from those
in Kansas City, Kan. There is no or
dinance in this city against saloons. In
Kansas City there was one. I don't
know whether that is true also of juno
tion City and Pittsburg- Ny opinion is
that a mayor is elected to see that the
city ordinances are enforced. The coun-
" authorities are the ones to whom
the state must look for the enforcement
.F rT- Ia md. ha f.1r
city council may pass ordinances in
line with state laws. but it Is not OBJ
ligatory upon it to do SO"
Col. Godfrey Pleased.
A dispatch from Fort Riley says:
Colonel E A. Godfrey. comman-
dant of Fort Riley. was notified of the
action brought by the attorney gen
eral, c. c. Coleman, against the mayor
of Junction City and Junction CITY
itself. Colonel Godfrey expressed sat
isfaction at the news and said that the
open Joints in Junction City were
detriment to the discipline in the post.
He said that he would gladly see the
places closed
FitzWiIIiams Is Hunting Cover.
Mayor Everhardy of Leavenworth
Colemar's move. and SO did the mem
bers of the Leavenworth City council.
Frank FitzWilliams, city attorney,
was in a different mood
Il WILL as city attorney OF LeaVen-
worth" said Mr. FitzWilliams, advise
the mayor Of LeavenWorth to issue his
proclamation to close all joints dis
orderly houses and gambling houses if
they exist in Leavenworth- I will ad-
wise that any Information that NAV
come to him and the chief of police or
police Judge in the way of information
or evidence be turned over TO the
county attorney for the purpose of
closing all such places. If the attor-
ney general of Kansas will inform the
mayor OF the city of Leavenworth that
1t IS the desire of the state officers
that the town of Leavenworth shall he
q closed place after the majority rem
dered by Leavenworth county for the
governor OF the state the town Of
Leavenworth viii be dry except for
blind joints. which the authorities.
city and county, VIII be unable to con
troll"
GOodlander Playing Safe.
Mayor Goodlander of Fort Scott saws
he had no knowledge whatever Of an,-
custer suit having been prepared
against him just before election.
mo one has ever mentioned anv
such matter to me" he said IF Da
pers we're prepared in such a proceed
ing I probably would not have been
consulted in the matter In anv event
had no knowledge whatever of such
a move. I would like to have il dis
tfnctly understood that my action in
closing the saloons of Fort Scott vas
not prompted at all by a fear Of custer
proceedings Longer ago than three
weeks I addressed an open letter to the
people of this county. telling them RI a
lnasmuch as the county campaign here
was being fought out on a distinctl,-
law enforcement issue. If they elected
law enforcement candidates I would.
an the day following election, order the