The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-07-19
Silver Leaf Club on Second
Street First Victim.
GET THE OLD TIMERS.
Find Names Of Several EXON
Victs on Books.
Place a Successor Of the Old
/" 400 Club"

AS the result of the decision Of
Sheriff Lucas and County Attorney
Hungate to rid the city of a disrep-
utable joint known as the Silver Leaf
dancing club and operated at 109 East
Second street by Harve Wheeler and
Bee Adams, business picked up in that
locality for few minutes last night
about 10 O'Clock. The place, which
has been for years one of the worst
IN the city and a harbor for thieves
ana crooks. has been run as club
for some time past in an upstairs room
at the number mentioned.
About everything movable about
the place was loaded into the patrol
wagon and hauled to the county jail.
The goods captured consisted of a
Skeg Of beer, which was on tap, half
dozen bottles of beer and gin. the ia
Norite drink Of the dusky population,
as We'll as a small assortment of other
Intoxicating refreshments.
When the sheriff and his party
made their unceremonious call the
festivities of the occasion were at their
height. Half drunken men and Wo-
men were swarming over the floor OF
the dancing room attempting to keep
time to the racket Of the musician. At
more men and women crowded about
the bar and urged the bartenders to
greater speed in drawing the fOaming
beverage which assisted in giving life
to the occasion.
There have been numerous COM
plants about the place, but for some
reason It has escaped the eyes of the
officers for some time, and in the
meantime the toughness and rOwdy
ism increased. Night before last an
I ~
one of the members of the club, and
this may have had something to do
with the determination Of the officers
to suppress the place.
Harve Wheeler who was arrested as
the proprietor of the place and who IS
now in the county Jail in default of bail,
is a we'll known police character and |
has been arrested time without number
IA John Doe warrant was served on the
other proprietor of the place and Ben
Adams was taken to the Jail on this
warrant and afterwards released on
bond.
Among the other paraphernalfa cap
tured by The sheriff and his force was
set Of books containing the bylaws Of
the institution as well as list of the
members which numbers 1856 and con-
tains the names Of most Of the bad I
black characters of the city as well as /
several others who have no police rec |
ords- Among the names found on the /
books is Fred Collins and after it the
notation: Dropped from rolls as he is in
the. penitentiary." Arnie Mitchell for
whom the police are looking for an as
sault upon an inOffensiVe Italian We'd /
nesday night. Boots Henderson who is
now doing time on the city rock pile for
q breach of faith with the city officials.
Felix D06son who is in the county Jail
and who was bound over to the district
court this morning for brutally assault
ing Robert Cutbirt last Saturday night
and winding UP the fight by stabbing
him in the back with a long dirk.
The list of notables does not stop
there by any means and Sheriff Lucas
thinks that the list is as complete a
one of the negro criminals of the city
as could be compiled When the po-
lice made their unceremOnious en-
trance to the joint there were about
forty men and women in the place
who Immediately crowded every ave-
nue. Of escape. The officers did not
offer to detain them, as most Of them
are known and can be secured at any
time that they are wanted.
This resort has been one of the
worst in the city and as far as its repu-
tation went was close rival to the old
400 club which had its existence on
lower Kansas avenue, was known as
Smoky Row, and when it was worth
ones life to venture into that district
after nightfalL That part of the city
has changed nightly during the past
year or so and most of the tough joints
have been cleaned out and many of
their inmates and proprietors have
been sent to the penitentiary.
The rules which were supposed to
govern the conduct of the members of
the club were fearfully and wonderful
~ made and one of them provides that,
sAny member who becomes boisterous
in the club on account of the effect of
his thirst viii be notified and made to
keep quiet until he is told that
all right" Another rule says that wo-
men under the age of Is shall not be
admitted, while a man must not bring
a woman into the club unless she is
relative or a relative of his, the mem
ber's Wife,
There are one or two more joints and
dance halls of a similar nature in that
end Of the city, and the sheriff and
county attorney insist that they must
90 and that at once. Nearly every crime
that has been committed in the city has
been traced directly to the members
of this club or the class which have
Erequented the place.
R-arv WorIr HFouov