The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-08-05

| it may seem not one of them was
accompanied by a counsel or lawyer
| of any degree. It IS known that many
| of them had consulted lawyers and
| had been advised that it was a good
| thing for them to face whatever the
| music might be that the county Of
| fcia1s would place before them.
Charles .Magaw Is acting as
| probate judge pro tenn. during the alb
sence of r. r. Hayden, the probate
| Judge. There were few preliminaries.
Tt had been supposed that the INQUIRY
would be public and that the drug
gists would be examined before each
other and anyone else who would care
long life for Mr.. Schenck got busy
moving a small table for stenog-
pher and some chairs in the little
room off the vault in the northeast
corner of the court room. When this
work had been done Judge Magaw
asked the druggists to stand. He said
that they had been subpoenaed for an
inquiry into their methods of dispo-
sing of liquor under their permits
which would be conducted by the
county attorney. He said that the in
quiry would be a secret one and that
the druggists would be examined
separately. He then administered an
oath to them whereby all of them
truth and nothing but the truth to
the questions that might be pro-
pounded to them in the inquiry.
Mr. Schenck next had a few words
to say. He said that each individual
examination might last a considerable
time and he did not wish to work any
undue hardship on the druggists by
keeping them all on hand until they
were called on to testify, SO he would
ask but few of them to remain if
the rest would hold themselves sub
ject to call by phone. This was most
agreea BILE to those present.
A good many of them looked sur
prised that even any sort of a favor
seemed to imagine themselves on a
rack or in pfllory. They all promised
to report when their presence was de-
sired and then Mr.. Schenck said that
be Clarence Young, Frank Keith, T. NJ.
Curtis, Charles Joslin. w. T. Lake, E.
B. Walker and Fred T. Walker. He
asked these to remain and the others
were dismissed for the time being.
Then the inquisition started. Mr.. JOS.
lin was the first to be examined, Mr..
Young the next. and the others in
turn and the examination of all of
them occupied the time UP to the noon
hour.
Mr. Schenck's Questions.
While the greatest reticence was OBJ
served by all concerned 1t was found
out that the questions propounded by
Mr.. Schenck relate to every phase of
the handling of liquors by the drug
gists. He was particular in his ques-
tions, as to who they purchased their
beer and liquor from and had on his
fingers ends the names of the men IN
the city who have been doing a whole
sale business with the druggists. Sew
eral of the druggists examined this
morning were forced to admit that
they had purchased beer from whole
salers in the city,. 1t was just such
evidence as this that Mr.. Schenck
wants to get warrants for the arrests
of these wholesalers and drive them
out of business. .
ed as to now the druggists disposed of
their liquor and twas a ten. to one
bet that they claimed to have made
their sales under their permits and in
accordance with the. law. They were
asked among other things If all their
sales were in good faith, If they be-
iieved that the applicants for beer and
liquor were suffering from the ailments
they sworel they were affected with
when they sighed, the applications
blanks for the liquor. Specific in
stances Of sales were mentioned by Mr.
Schenck. who had all sorts of data on
hand for the purposes of the inquiry,
and the druggists were asked If they
thought that the persons applying for
the liquor w ere suffering from the all
mentsz they claimed and they. Were
liquor requested would be good for
thase ailments. =
1t is hardly necessary to state that a
good many of these questions sorely
taxed the ingenuity of the witnesses
for a glance at good many of the ap-
plication books kept by the druggists
will show a most wonderful aggrega-
ton of diseases of the mind and body,
and even soul, that beer and liquor has
been purchased for from druggists.
Two or three of the druggists who
were examined this morning came from
the chamber of inquisition with beads
of perspiration streaming down their
faces But the room was small and the
day was warm and these may be ex-
caused for their perspiring so freely.
One of the druggists examined, who
refused to have a word to say about
the proceedings as did all of them, did
make this comment:
Il don't see the use of this. Schenck
and Wilkerson seem to have more in
formal ton about the way liquor is ham
died by the wholesalers in the city than
I have, or any of the rests of US. And
I am sure that there is not thing
about the way We handle 1t that they
don't know"
This was an unconscious compliment
to the county officials named for the dill
lgence they have pursued in their eff
forts to enforce the prohibitory law in |
the city and county, efforts so success
rul that Topeka was never so dry in /
her history.
County Attorney Schenck said this /
afternoon that he is well pleased with |
The results of the inqufsition and is sat