The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-06-06
TURNED TABLES.
Two Preachers Arrested for
Drunkenness at FrOntenac.
Had Secured Evidence Against
the Saloons.
GRIP FULL OF BEER.
This Was Taken Away From
Them by Police.
j. X. COdding Begins Campaign
Against Liquor Sellers.

great excitement in Crawford county
caused by the arrest at Frontenac of
two preachers engaged in securing
evidence against the saloons, for
drunkenness and disorderly conduct.
j. K. Codding, attorney for the
State Temperance union. is in the city
opening a branch office and will make
this headquarters for a campaign
which he will commence against the
liquor sellers of Crawford and Chero-
kee counties. The conditions here are
as bad or worse than they have been
at any time during the fifteen years
that open saloons have hourished,
though at present P1ttsburg is deriv-
ing no revenue from the saloons which
are running wide open and without
restraint of any kind.
The climax of lawlessness was
reached last night when the police
who are in sympathy with the existing
conditions arrested and threw into Jail
two ministers from Fort Scott. Rev.
j. w. Primrose and Rev. Burkstresser,
on a charge of drunkenness and dis
orderly conduct. The ministers acting
as agents of the State Temperance
union had visited II of the 25 open
saloons of Frontenac, which is really a
suburb of Pittsburg, and made pur-
chases in each instance.
They were with Rev. G. A. Calkins,
who is pastor of the First Methodist
preparing to take a street car he
escorted them to the street car line
and they were not molested in any
way. A block so farther on the
car was boarded by two policemen
who arrested the preachers without a
warrant and they were thrown IN JAN
on a charge of drunkenness and DIS
orderly conduct, where they are now
confined awaiting trial.
May Stay in Jail.
;- Tho y1IaY Of tho State TemnRr-
ance union to leave them in Jail until
they are tried and they expect that
the action taken at the trlal OF the
case will bring out evidence to snow
that the city is back of the prosecu-
tions. Bond will then be furnished
and the case appealed to the higher
court and an attempt made to snow
that the city officials are familiar with
and have countenanced the eXlslns
conditions.
There are no joints in either Craw-
ford or Cherokee counties excepting
some of the lowest kinds of dives
Iy over bars as though there was no
law prohibiting its sale. The saloons
are equipped with the most expensive
furniture, with fine bars and mirrors
and polished brass footballs for the
feet of the drinkers to rest upon.
No attempt is made by the saloon men
to disguise their business and their plea
is that the conditions in this locality
favors open saloons. Up to short time
ago the fine system was employed ana
the saloon men paid stipulated amounts
each month and the city derived the |
benefit Since the activity OF Attorney
General Fred S. Jackson the collecting
of these fines have been omitted thought |
none of the saloons have closed their |
doors or attempted to conceal the fact |
that they are violating the laws OF the |
state.
When the ministers were arrested and |
thrown into Jail their suit case contain |
ing IT bottles of whisky purchased at
as many different saloons was taken and |
is now at the Jail which holds them as
prisoners. There are 14S saloons in |
Crawford county alone, 25 of them being |
located in Frontenac and as many or
more in Pittsburg. Notwithstanding
the pledges of Governor Hoch he has /
taken no steps to change the existing
conditions and the only work done along |
this line has been done by the attorney |
general.
WoIley Promised to Be Good
County Attorney G. H. Wolley was
called on the carpet last week by At
torney General Jackson and it is said
that he promised to enforce the prohib-
itory law without the appointment of an
assistant attorney general and the tenn
perance people feel that he will keep his
word and work in conjunction with |
them in closing the saloons.
No concerted action has been taken as
vet by the State Temperance union but !
thes plans have all been made and the |
battle for law and decency VIII COM
mence next week. The temperance peo-
ule look upon the arrest of their two |
representatives as the best thing that |
could have happened to aid their cause.
Attorney General Jackson has ordered |
all the saloons in Crawford county |
closed and the temperance people have
granted County Attorney Wolley time |
in which to formulate his plans for !
campaign to suppress them. In case he
does not do his duty Governor Hoch |
will be asked to appoint an assistant
attorney general and Wolley will be de-
posed and battle royal will be on in
the stronghold of the liquor traffic in
the state which will never cease until
the saloons are closed
This community is composed large
lv of miners many of them foreigners
and it is this element which is opposed
To the enforcement of the prohibitory
law Drunkenness is more prevalent
of late than it has been in many years
and the conditions are deplorable in
the extreme and no aid has been Of
fered by Governor Hoch-
Idle Hour park which is a resort at
the edge of the city where Helm beer
is handled exclusively and which is
supposed to be the property of the
Ferd Helm Brewing company of Kan
sas CITY has never been closed and is
even more open in it's violations of the
law than in the past.
Conditions Bad Says DunIavy.
In speaking of the existing condi-
tions Rev ]. NJ. Dunlavy, pastor of the
First Methodist church in Pittsburg,
and for two years pastor of the Meth
odist church in Frontenac said: THE
conditions at the present time are as
bad or worse than they have ever been