The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-11-05
STAMP IT OUT!
Why Isn't Notorious Mckinley
Club Closeda
Negro Gambling Resort Flour
ishes in Heart Of City.
MAN NEARLY KILLED.
Robert Hargis Fleeced Of Money
and Assaulted.
Place in Full Blast When the
Sheriff Arrived.
MAN NEARLY KILLED.

During d fight which occurred in
the Mckinley club. a joint and gam
bling house located in the Nick Chiles
building on east Seventh street last
Saturday at midnight. Robert Hargis
was knocked down and kicked until
he was almost insensfble. One eye was
closed and his hips and face beaten
and stamped into an unintelligible
mass OF bruised flesh.
The Mckinley club is supposed to be
a Republican club composed of col
ored men. but it is that in name only
for it is known to the police as one of
the lowest, vilest joints in the city and
Is frequented almost exclusively by
negroes of the lowest class. Joe John
son is known as the proprietor of the
place, though Green Watson and But
ton Harper are interested, or supposed
to be.
The three men mentioned were ar
rested for the assault and taken to the
county jail on the complaint
of Hargis who claims that
he was shooting craps He saws that
because he protested after they had
robbed him of his weeks wages that he
was set upon by the three men who
knocked him down and then jumped
on him and tried TO kill him. Button
| Harper, who was acting as bar ten
der at the time Of the assault is
brother of tTicklin'i Harper and less
Harper, the two negroes who became
I notorious in connection with the muir
der OF J. s Collins q number of Years
ago for which John Collins is now
serving life sentence In the state
penitentiary.
They belong to the lowest class Of
negroes in the city and one of them
is thrown into Jail as a vaerant When
ever the oHlcers can get their hands on
him, as he has never been known to
work for more than a few DAYS at
time
This joint is known to the officers as
a rendezvous for the coIored crooks
who make Topeka their headuua rters
as Wen as their pals from neighborine
cues When they come to Topeka to
ply their calling and it is there that
they usually find the criminals for
whom they are searching
The place is freauented by men and
women alike and for some unknown
reason has been permitted 10 evis+
right in the heart of the CITY for a
number of years. The toughest class
Of negro population hang out about
the place and that side of the street is
Stunned by the respectable element OF
the city
In the summer time Quincy street
in this locality is infested by the street
walking portion of the tough female
element and when an officer appears
overhauled claim that they are In
search Of their husbands brothers or
sweethearts- A man from Texas was
robbed in this vicinity last summer
ana followed the two women holdups
/ to the door leading upstairs over the
club.
When he reached the door he was
set upon by several colored men and
while he was engaged in defending
himself the women escaped I'D the
stairs and were never apprehended
The front portion of the CLUB" is oc-
cupied by a lunch counter and a short
ways back there is d partition and
back OF this the sO-calied club room
which contains a few rough chairs
and tables and a few pieces of broken
down furniture Of other descriptions
and bar which is out of keeping with
the place. Beer is always on tap as
well whisky of the vi1est grade and
/ the negroes favorite drink of gin.
When Sheriff Lucas and Officer Hull
| accompanied by Detective Ross entered
the place early Sunday morning there
were about fifty negroes crowded
about the tables shooting craps When
they noticed the officers a general rush
| was made for the exits but this was
/ stopped by the officers and the men
/ for whom they were searching arrested
! and whether the game went on after
| the interruption or not is a matter of
| conjecture.
The money was displayed about the
] ia DleS and the dice were IN action and
there is no doubt as to what was going
on at the time of the arrival of the
| officers. This place is known among
the colored gambling fraternity as the
Monte Carlo of Topeka and is prob
ably the best patronized gam bling
house in the city
Why its existence has been winked at
| by the officers for so long is hard to
/ conjecture. for while it is known by
/ the loud sounding name of the Nc
! I[iT11pu club TeQlffiCS are considered